A new discovery of free-state tyranny: containing, four letters, together with a subsequent remonstrance of several grievances and demand of common right, by William Prynne Esquire; written and sent by him to Mr. John Bradshaw and his associates at White-Hall (stiling themselves, the Councel of State) after their two years and three months close imprisonment of him, under soldiers, in the remote castles of Dunster and Taunton (in Somersetshire) and Pendennis in Cornwall; before, yea without any legal accusation, examination, inditement, triall, conviction, or objection of any particular crime against him; or since declared to him; notwithstanding his many former and late demands made to them, to know his offence and accusers. Published by the author, for his own vindication; the peoples common liberty and information; and his imprisoners just conviction of their tyranny, cruelty, iniquity, towards him, under their misnamed free-state. Prynne, William, 1600-1669. 1655 Approx. 381 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 77 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A91227 Wing P4016 Thomason E488_2 ESTC R203337 99863314 99863314 115506 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. A91227) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 115506) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 77:E488[2]) A new discovery of free-state tyranny: containing, four letters, together with a subsequent remonstrance of several grievances and demand of common right, by William Prynne Esquire; written and sent by him to Mr. John Bradshaw and his associates at White-Hall (stiling themselves, the Councel of State) after their two years and three months close imprisonment of him, under soldiers, in the remote castles of Dunster and Taunton (in Somersetshire) and Pendennis in Cornwall; before, yea without any legal accusation, examination, inditement, triall, conviction, or objection of any particular crime against him; or since declared to him; notwithstanding his many former and late demands made to them, to know his offence and accusers. Published by the author, for his own vindication; the peoples common liberty and information; and his imprisoners just conviction of their tyranny, cruelty, iniquity, towards him, under their misnamed free-state. Prynne, William, 1600-1669. [16], 43, [1]; 80, 73-79, [1] p., plate : port. Printed for the author, and are to be sold by Edward Thomas in Green Arbour, London : 1655. "To Mr. Iohn Bradshaw, and his associates at Whitehall" (caption title) has separate pagination and register. Annotation on Thomason copy: "Octob: 22". Reproduction of the original in the British Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Bradshaw, John, 1602-1659 -- Early works to 1800. Prynne, William, 1600-1669 -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- History -- Commonwealth and Protectorate, 1649-1660 -- Early works to 1800. 2007-02 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-02 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-03 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2007-03 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A New Discovery OF FREE-STATE TYRANNY : Containing , Four Letters , together with a Subsequent Remonstrance of several grievances and Demand of Common Right , by WILLIAM PRYNNE Esquire ; Written and sent by him to Mr. John Bradshaw and his Associates AT WHITE-HALL ( stiling themselves , The Councel of State ) after their two Years and three Months close Imprisonment of him , under Soldiers , in the remote Castles of DUNSTER and TAUNTON ( in Somersetshire ) and PENDENNIS in Cornwall ; before , yea without any Legal Accusation , Examination , Inditement , Triall , Conviction , or Objection of any particular crime against him ; or since declared to him ; notwithstanding his many former and late Demands made to them , to know his Offence and ACCUSERS . Published by the Author , for his own Vindication ; the Peoples common Liberty and Information ; and his Imprisoners just Conviction of their Tyranny , Cruelty , Iniquity , towards him , under their misnamed FREE-STATE . Jer. 37. 18. What have I offended against thee , or against thy Servants , or against this People , that ye have put me in prison ? Acts 25. 27. For it seemeth unto me unseasonable , to send a Prisoner , aud not with all to signifie the Crimes laid against him . Acts 28. 17. Men and brethren , though I have committed nothing against the People , or Customes of our Fathers ; yet was I delivered Prisoner from Jerusalem into the hand of the Romans . Qu. Curtius . Hist . l. 6. Verba Innocenti reper●●e facile est , modum verborum misero tenere difficile . London Printed for the Author , and are to be sold by Edward Thomas in Green Arbour , 1655. All flesh is Grass , the best men vanity ; This , but a shadow , here before thine eye , Of him , whose wondrous changes clearly show , That GOD , not men , swayes all things here below . To the Reader . KInde Reader , The memorable Speech of Philotus ( imprisoned for a pretended Conspiracy against Alexander the great , upon bare surmises without any particular Accuser or Hearing ) * Quanquam Vincti homines non supervacua solum , sed etiam invisa defensio est , quae Judicem non docere videtur , sed ARGVERE ; tamen utcunque licet dicere , Memet ipsa non deseram , nec committam , UT DAMNATUS ETIAM MEA SENTENTIA VIDEAM . Equidem cujus criminis reus sum non video . Inter conjuratos nemo me nominat . Non cognita vero causa , liberari ab absente non possum , quia à praesente damnatus sum . May be a sufficient apology , both for the penning and publishing of these Letters , and of this Remonstrance . The Occasions , Motives , necessitating me to compile them , during my late causelesse close imprisonment in Dunster Castle , and Pendennys Castle in Cornwall , are at large therin expressed . These Letters were all sent and delivered into Mr. Bradshawes owne hands , by my dear since deceased Brother , Dr. Bastwicke , with severall other Letters to diverse of his Associates at Whitehall ( which I intend to publish in due season ) to neither of which I could ever receive the least Answer . As for the Remonstrance , subjoyned to them , I having with much difficulty ( in respect of the restraints and Spies then upon me ) con mitted it to paper , it pleased God to give me an oportunity , to convey it safe to London , to a speciall Freinds hands , with a Letter , desiring him to transcribe , then to present it in my Name , to those to whom it was directed ; and after that to print if for my vindication , the publique Liberty , Satisfaction of the Nation , if he saw just cause : upon his receipt thereof it was transcribed ; but he being over-timerous , and the times very perillous , for ought I can learne , he neither presented , nor gave me the least accompt of it whiles he lived ; which made me suspect , it had miscarried before it came unto his hands , tomy great disappointment , having no perfect Copy thereof to publish upon just occasion . In November last , having some businesse to London , I occasionly met with divers of late Whithall casheired Grandees ( in greatest power at the time of these my late Commitments and restraints here complained of ) who all positively disclaimed that they were privy or consenting to my imprisonments or restraints , which they confessed , to be most unjust . Whereupon I writ a Letter to Mr. Bradshaw , ( whose hand alone was to the Warrants ) demanding from him , an Accompt , both of the particular cause and Grounds thereof , with just reparations and dammages for the same ; who by two severall Letters to , and a subsequent Conference with me , professed ; that he did neither know , nor remember the speciall cause or information given to him and his Associates at Whitehall , for which I was thus committed , and so strictly restrained by them : and that , if upon perusall of his own Papers , or the Books at Whitehall , he could find any particulars relating thereunto , he would speedily informe me thereof ; which having not since done in above 3 moneths space , nor during my near 3. yeare Imprisonment , though oft sollicited by these & other my Letters and freinds thereto ; I thereupon made diligent-Inquiry , after my Letters and this Remonstrance formerly directed to him and his Whitehall Associates ; which my deceased Freind , to whom I sent them , by Gods good Providence secured in another Friends Custody ; who very lately presented me both with the Orignals and Transcripts thereof , beyond my expectation , which divine Providence hath encouraged me to publish them to the world ; both for the Vindication of my own Inocency , ( against their new Free State groundlesse Tyranny ) under which I so long suffered , as if I had been a Transcendent Malefactor ) the Vindication of our highly violated Lawes , Liberties ; the fuller conviction of my Imprisoners , of their unchristian , unrighteous , causelesse deportment towards me , ( after all my former Suffrings ) against their owne Votes , Judgements , Consciences , all Lawes of God , and the Land ; and the manifestation of Gods extraordinary Mercy in preserving , supporting me under all their Oppressions and * delivering me-out of them about 5. Moneths after this Remonstrance , without the least Petition , Submission to , or acknowledgement of their illegall , usurped , and soone after scornfully cashiered Tyrannicall Power ; or entring into any Bonds at all , not to act any thing for the future against their present Government and Commonwealth , or to their prejudice ; which they endeavoured to force me to by Duresse , and I peremptorily refused ; assuring them , upon the receipt of their * first Order for my Release upon my entring into such a Bond ; That I would rather die a Prisoner , then live a Bondman ; and sooner resolve to rot in Prison , then go out of it , by entring into such Bonds , to the enslaving of my selfe and the whole English Nation , by making such an ill President of Slavery , after all my Writings , Suffrings for Lawes , and Publique Liberty and near 3. yeares close Imprisonment in 3. severall Garrisons without any hearing or cause yet expressed : Whereupon they sent me at last an * absolute Release without any Bond or condition at all . Whether the Jesuites ( whose * usuall practise it is , to close imprison , persecute , bannish , vex and destroy if possible , all such who discover , or oppose their secret treasonable plots , practises , ) had any hand in my last close restraints , I cannot certainly resolve , seeing my Imprisoners themselves have protested to me , they know not by whose , or upon what information I was Imprisoned . But this some of my Restrainers have confessed to me , and my friends ; That they believe the chief reason of my long close Restraints was , to hinder me from writing any thing against their late proceedings , and publique Alterations , Lawes , Liberties ; which I formerly averred in my Speech in Parliament and Memento , ( when they were first put them in execution ) to be originally contrived and secretly fomented by the Jesuites to destroy our King , Kingdome , and Religion . That Speech of the Parliament of Paris to King Henry the fourth of France Anno . 1603. ( when he resolved to restore the banished Jesuites against his Parliaments arrest and advise ) being then my constant asseveration , * Faxit Deus , ut sim falsus vates : sed prospicio animo tandem HOC REGNVM OPERA JESUITARUM IN CINERES ABITURUM ; and that I verily feared , and believed the vissible Instruments most active in those dismall Proceedings , Changes , Subversions then intended , and since effected , were but the Jesuites deluded , seduced Instruments in reality . And that which may now at last convince them thereof beyond contradiction is not only the irrefragable evidences lately published in my Epistle to A Seasonable , Legal , an Historical , Vindication of the good old Fundamentall Liberties , Rights , Lawes , Governments of England ; compared with the excellent Proclamations of * Queen Elizabeth and King James against Jesuites ; but likewise that memorable Piece * presented to the states and Nobility of Poland , assembled in Parliament 1607. to prevent the Seditious practises & tumults of the Jesuites in that Realm : intitutled ; Consilium derecuperonda , & in posteram stabilienda Pa●a Regni Poloniae , per IESVITARVM ELECTIONEM . Which clearly demonstrated ; That the Jesuites Society was purposely instituted by the Pope and Spaniard , to advance their intended universall Monarchies ; and to be their principle Spies , Intelligencers , Instruments for this purpose : the generall of the Jesuites being alwayes a Spaniard by birth , or Allegiance , and keeping his constant residence at Rome : and their Order a most dangerous sharpe active sword , whose blade secretly ( heathed in the bowels of all other Realmes , States , but the bilt thereof alwayes held in the Popes and Spaniards hands , who weild it at their pleasure . That the Jesuites instill this Treasonable Principle into their Schollers and Auditors , * That all Christian Kings and Princes ( as well Papists as Protestants ) who shall by any meanes whatsoever fall under the Popes indignation or Sentence ; or in any sort hinder the Jesuites Projects , or not obey them in all things , ARE HERETICKS and TYRANTS ; that thereby their Subjects are actually absolved from all Oathes , Obedience and future Subjection to them ? Whereupon not only the people in generall , but any particular person ▪ MAY LAWFULLY KILL and DESTROY THEM , not without punishmemt only , but likewise with GREATEST APPLAVSE , and MERIT , even of a CANONIZATION FOR A SAINT . By which Jesuiticall Decree . THE LIFE and DE●TH OF ALL KINGS and ALL THE CIVIL MAGISTRATES OF EVROPE IS SUSPENDED ON THE IESVITES PLEASURE . If they favour them they may live and prosper ; If not , THEY MUST PERISH . Which the Jesuites proclaiming of the State of Venice , through all Italy * for most PESTILENT HERETICKS & ABOMINABLE TYRANTS , only for making lawes to bridle their covetousnes , and banishing them for their disobedience and Treachery to the State , though professed Roman Catholickes . Their fury against Henry the 3. of France , in stabbing him to death● though never accused of Heresy , and continuing till his death in the Roman Communion , only for this reason ; Quod Seeptrum Regium non ei tradere volebat quem sibi Hi Socij tanquam idoneum m●liti●num suarum administrum , gallicae Regem destinaveránt , ( & branding him both for an HERE●ICKE & TYRANT for this cause alone , after his death in severall Bookes ) REGIS BRITANNIAE PERPETVA PERICVLA ; the perpetual dangers of the King of great Britain ( by the Jesuites ) and the feare of all others , who finde this Order offended with them , aboundantly testifie . After which ensues this considerable Passage , touching the Jesuites restlesse e●deavours to subvert all Christian States , and the Fundamentall Lawes of all Kingdomes crosse to their Designes ; especially such as concernc the Succession of their Kings , or the Peace and Liberty of their Kingdomes and People ; which I desire the Newm●dellers of our Lawes , Government , and Subverters of our liberties sadly to consider . DIXI * quanta vis sit Aculei Jesuitici contrareges , statumque regium , quoties hunc molitionibus suis obstare inte Higunt ; Hic autem vos notare velim EJVSDEM PESTIS non minorem efficaciam esse IN OPPUGNANDA & EXPUGNANDA REPVBLICA , ATTERENDIS LEGIBVS , quoties nempe sentiunt , se ab his , in institu● â suâ venatione , impediri . Et quod AD LEGES attinet * Hae politicae tineae illas praecipue arrodere consueverunt , et exedere , quibus jus successionis in regno continetur , libertasque et pax publica confirmatur . Qualem in Galliis praecipue invererunt , Legem illam Salicam , matriculam et Fundamentum illius regni : perquam stirpis regiae mascula proles , exclusis femeles , ad Regnum sola admittitur . Cujus Legis vigore successio Regni post interfectum Henricum 3. ad Henricum 4. Regem tunc Navarrae , devolvebatur . Quod ipsum cum SECTA JESVITICA suam interitum interpretaretur , Tantum efficere potuit * ut Galli hoc reipublicae suae fundamentum ipsimet subruere conarentur ; ascitâ contra hanc legem Philippi . 2. Hispaniarum Regis Filia , quam ex Henrici . 2. Galliarum Regis filia susceperat , in Regni sui haeredem . Operis totius promotoribus & internuntiis Jesuitis . Quod autem Gallis Lex Salica praestat , hoc Polonis ad huc Regum Juramenta conferunt : per quae hactenus Reipublicae Liberae electionis jus conservatur , quam * periculose vero Hoc etiam libertatis nostrae fulcimentum ab his cetineisarrosum sit , egomet dicere nolo , necpublicum dedecus ipsomet divulgabo . Ejusdem virtuti● illustre specimen coram oculis nostris in vicina Hungaria , Austria , Styria , Carinthia , &c. ediderunt ; eo nimirum successu , Vt obtritis legibus quibus praedictarum nationum libertas nitebatur partemearum Penitus oppresserint , partem ad Extremam desperationem adegirint . Hoc quidem rumor publicus hactenus constanter affirmat , in praedictis Provincijs alicubi Illustribus et antiquissimae nobilitatis familiis , publicè diem dictum esse intra quem se aut coram Jesuitarum tribunali sistant , aut relictis patriis sedibus , alio migrent . Which a Noble Polonian Knight , in * his Oration against the Jesuites seconded in that Parliament of Polonia ; who , relating the bloudy warres and tumults , raysed by these Gibeanites throughout the Christian world & India , hath this memorable Passage concerning , England & Scotland . Eodem motuab istis Jesuiticis Gabaonitis excitato , impulsa est Anglia ▪ & Scotia : quae Regna cum antea , externorum hostium impetum depulerunt , Nunc domesticis dissidijs debiltata , et ad interitum jam inclinata sunt . Id verò totum acceptum referrendum est istis sanctissimis patribus Gabaonitis Jesuiticis , Which he ushers in with this precedent Observation concerning their carriage in America , to subject it to the Spanish vassallage . Eisdem artibus et hoc Religionis Nomine , illas Provincias Hispanico Regi potentissimo , subjicerunt : à quo illi emissi Ut exploratores , eo consilia omnia retulerunt , Ut primum domestica dissidia excitarent deinde Hispanicos exercius in regna convulsa , & dissidiis domesticis debilitata adducerent . Quod assecuti sunt omnia caedibus & sanguine ita replent , ut non solum Consilij Capiendi , sed etiam Ne respirandi quidem spacium relinquant , illis , a quibus amanter & humaniter fuerant excepti . All which particulars being likewise more largly justified , demonstrated in that elegant Solid * Oration of the Parliament of Paris to King Henry 4. Anno. 1603. against the Jesuites restitution contrary to the former Parliamentary Arrest , for their perpetual banishment out of France , ( which they therein predicted would prove fatall to him , as it did in truth ) by their manifold attempts against , not only against the French Kings lives , Crownes , but also against the Lawes and Liberties both of the Realme and Church of France , thus poetically expressed in an Epigram presented to King Henry the fourth , the same year , upon the same occasion , by a true French Philopater . * Cui nam hominum ignotum est * ' Jesuita nocte dieque ' Nil meditari aliud , quam qua ratione modove ' Prisca statuta queant patriasque evertere Lege Inque locum ' antiquis totum in contraria nobis ' Jura dare ; & sanctos privata ad commoda Ritus Flectere , nulli unquam , quod post mutare licebit . ' Antique deflet ( proh ) libertatis honorem : ' Auria libertas , sic , sic calcabere ? Sione ' Illa tibi fraenum injiciet Jesuitica pestis ? Vltima Fex hominum , Satanaeque Excrementum : Quo nil terra tulit pejus , necfaedius unquam . Mortem norant animare , Et Tumultos Suscitare Hi submittant Proditores , Hi subornant Percussores , Excitant Seditiones , Nutriunt Rebelliones , Modo jubeat Romanus , Vel sic postulat Hispanus ; Servit his Cor , Sermo , Manus . Adds another , In Officinam Jesuiticam . I now referre it to the consciences of all my late Imprisoners , and all other Subvertors ▪ Underminers , New-Modellers , of our ancient Fundamentall Lawes , Liberties , Parliaments , Governments , Kings , and hereditary Regall Succession , ( contrary to their former Oathes , Protestations , Covenants , Declarations , Remonstrances , Professions , Principles , Resolves , Commissions , Trusts , Advices , Votes of the Majority of both Houses of Parliament , and our three Kingdomes ) sadly to consider , without passion or partiallity : whether all our late intestine bloudy warres , with their strange unparalleld Proceedings , and Changes of this Nature , ( which I opposed to my power ) proceeded not originally from the Jesuites projection , suggestion , and solicitation , to ruine our Protestant Kings , Kingdomes , Lawes , Liberties , Churches , Parliaments , and whether they were not the very Jesuites reall ( though deluded ▪ circumvented ) Instruments , in promoting , accomplishing them with all earnestnesse , violence , zeal fury , against the votes of the secluded majority of both Houses and of our three Protestant Nations , to the Jesuites and Papist great content , the grief of most Zealous Protestants ; the intollerable Scandall , Infamy , Dishonour of the most Zealous professors of the Protestant Religion ; and the exiting of many late and present bloudy persecutions against them , by Popish Princes in Bohemia , Austria , Styria , Savoy , and other parts ; as a generation of Seditious , Factious , Antimonarchicall , turbulent , perfidious , disloyall , treacherous spirits , and dangerous Regicides , as they now repute them , and publish us , be in * printed bookes ; and hereupon let them now resolve their own consciences and the world , with what colour of Christianity , Law , Justice , they could so illegally , maliciously , despitefully close imprison , restrain my person , seise all my Papers , Records , &c. only to debar me from detecting , opposing these their Jesuiticall Journey ▪ workers with my pen ; and indeavouring to translate the Odium of these their true originall Architects , the Jesuites , who are so impudent and malicious : Vt etiam sua suorumque FACINORA AC PARRICIDIA EV ANGELICIS TRANSCRIBERE NON VERANTVR as ( Ludovicus Lucius proves by severall instances ; to render the Doctrine and Persons of the Protestants odious and detestable to the whole world . And whose principall scope and designe is by severall stratagems , to engage all Protestant Princes , Kingdomes , States , Churches in unchristian divisions , tumults , warres between themselves and against each other ; Vt continuis se vonficient et atterent viribus , ut COMMUNI MOX SUPER VENTVRO HOSTI RESISTERE NEQUEANT . Sub nomine et praetextu Religionis Catholicae , ▪ praesidioque & authoritate Papae & Hispaniarum Regis , ubique locorum sese insinuare ; OMNIA DE NOVO PRO ARBITRIO SUO INSTITUERE , ET AD JESUITICUM FUSORIUM CONFORMARE ; omnes Evangelicos , igne , ferro , veneno , pulvere tormentario BELLIS & alijs Machinationibus opprimere , & viriliter extirpare : Sicque SEIPSOS DOMINOS AC MAGISTROS TOTIUS MUNDI EFFICERE : as those who please may read at large in Johannis Cambilhonus , De abstrusioribus Jesuitarum artibus & studijs ; in Hasenmullerus , Hospinian , & Ludovicus Lucius their Historia Jesuitica : Speculum Jesuiticum , Watsons Quodlibets , with others , our New Statizers may do well most seriously to peruse and study , the better to countermine the Jesuites pernicious plots against us for the future : which have wrought such strange confusions , warres , alterations , various Revolutions in Church and State amongst us in few years last past , as all former ages can ▪ not parallel . If any of my imprisoners or others demand ; why I did not during all the time of my close Restraints , sue out an Habeas Corpus to procure my Liberty in a Legall way , or why upon my Enlargement I brought not an action of false Imprisonment against my Committers , or their under-Goalers , to recover Dammages for my illegall Restrains ; or a Writt of Restitution to re-invest me in my Recordership of Bath , of which I was injuriously dispossessed without cause or hearing , by a Whitehall Letter , and another time-serving Member introduced , during my restraint ? I Answere 1. That the want of * a true Legal Power , Jurisdiction and Court of Justice , from whom to demand , sue and before whom to prosecute these Legal Writts , disabled me to pursue them . And to demand them from , or prosecute them under those illegall Usurped , New self-created Powers and Jurisdictions ( of the Jesuites projection ) which illegally committed , and ejected me from my Recordership ; had been a reall acknowledgment of , and submission to them on record as Lawfull ; against my Science , Conscience , Judgement , Oathes , Protestation , Vow , League , Covenant , our known Lawes , Statutes and Parliamentary Declarations , which I durst not in conscience or prudence violate to save my life , much lesse to procure my Liberty , Dammages , or Recordership . 2. Had I once moved for any of these Writts ; I must either have taken their monstrous illegall Engagement , diametrically contrary to the Oathes of Supremacy , Allegiance , of a Recorder , the Protestation , Vow , League , Covenant , ( all which I had severall times taken upon sundry occasions , and from which none could absolve me ) and to at least thirty other Oathes prescribed , established by our Lawes ; and so have been guilty of manifold detestable perjuries , to the wounding of my conscience , reputation , and damnation of my Soul. Or else they would have presently pleaded in barre of these Writts ; I had not taken their Engagement , and so by colour of their void , unrighteous , barbarous Knack of January 2. 1649. ( which their Tresylians strictly executed , to their eternall infamy ) they would have made me totally incapable of the benefit of those Writts , and that common Law , Right , Justice , which belonged to me both by Birthright and purchase ; and by the expresse words of Magna Charta . c. 29. ought to be denyed or delayed to no English Freeman . Which consideration induced me to sit still , till a fitter opportunity . 3. My close restraints in remotest Prisons ; the generall temporizing Cowardice of those of the Long Robe to move for , or grant such writs as these : The fearfulnesse of all under Officers to execute them , if granted : And the improbability of any reall Justice or Right to be done unto me on them , seeing those then and since chief Justices were either really , or virtually parties to the warrants for my restraints and Injuries complained of , being then Mr Bradshaws Associates at Whitehal ; have hitherto perswaded me rather to wait with patience for Enlargment ; Reparations & Restitution in a Christian , Just , Honorable , publique way in Gods due season ; then either preprosterously or posterously to sue for them in such a course , wherein I can take no comfort for the present , nor expect any just Reparations if pursued ; and which others have experimentally found , A Remedy as badde or worse then their Disease , and a new expensive fruitlesse vexation , instead of a Just and Honorable , Reparation , of their Sufferings and Dammages sustained for the publique : which will be fully recompenced hereafter in Heaven , though never repaired , rewarded by Ingrate or unrighteous men on earth . If my Imprisoners or their Creatures , shall except against the Title hereto prefixed , viz. A New Discovery of Free State Tiranny ; or any phrases in my Letters or remonstrance ; as overharsh , I doubt not but the remonstrance of my Several pressures therein comprised , wil be a sufficient Apology for them . And that speech of holy Job under his heavy affliction . Therefore I will not refrain my mouth , I will speak in the anguish of my Spirit , I will complain in the bitternesse of my Soul ; wil be if not a Iustification , yet at least an equit able excuse or extenuation of the earnestnesse or bitternesse of any expressions throughout in these Epistles or Remonstrance , which I intitled as aforesaid , because in most things parallel with , my New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny ; compiled , published soone after my enlargement from my long Imprisonments and close restraints under them & the Old Councel Table at Whitehall whom my last Imprisoners ( there succeeding them ) not only imitated , but in some particulars farre exceed in Tyranny and Injustice towards me . And seeing I never yet received from any of my former or these late injurious Imprisoners , the least voted or voluntary Recompence , for all my Losses , Dammages , Expences , Suffrings under them , to the endangering of my Life , health and great impairing of my Estate ; I hope they will give Loosers leave to write , and allow me Liberty in some sort to Right and Recompence my selfe in this their Default , to publish the groundlesnes of my Imprisonment to the world , as I did to themselves in private , to repair my Innocency and Reputation blasted in many mens Opinions , through an implicit faith of some concealed guilt and High Crimes in me , for which I was so long , so strictly restrained by them in remotest Castles , ( injuriously thrust out of my power Recordership of hath ) though I recover no other Recompence from them ( as I may doe in due season ) for my extraordinary Dammages thereby sustained in my person , Calling , estate . upon these accompts , I submit both them and the grounds of their publication to thy Censure , recommending them to Gods blessing for the whole English Nations future benefit and infranchisement , and to deterre other Grandees from the like Extravagancies towards me or others in future ages . If thou or the publique reap any good thereby , let God receive the Glory , the Author only a share in thy constant fervent prayers ; That as he hath formerly ( like blessed Paul ) * been in Labours more aboundant , in Prisons more frequent , then others ; So he may for the future more abound in spirituall graces , Christian Fortitude , heavenly mindednesse , inward consolations , publique Services for God , Religion and his Country , then others ; notwithstanding all forepast discouragements and ingrate requitals from men on earth , towards him , who expects his * reward from God alone in Heaven . March 16. 1654. William Prynne . Mr. Prynnes first Letter to Mr. John Bradshaw , touching his unjust apprehension , and close restraint in Dunster Castle , by his illegal White-hall Warrant . Hab. 1. 2 , 3 , 4. O Lord , how long shall I cry , and thou wilt not hear ? even cry out unto thee of violence , and thou wilt not save ? Why doest thou shew me iniquity , and cause me to behold grievance ? for spoiling and violence are before me : and there are that raise up strife and contention . Therefore the Law is slacked , and judgement doth never go forth : for the wicked doth compasse about the Righteous : therefore wrong judgement proceedeth . To his Quondam kind Friend Mr. Iohn Bradshaw , Serjeant at Law , at White-Hall , present these . SIR , YOur former intimate familiarity with , and pretended cordial affections towards me , before mounted up to your * present Greatnesse , have emboldned , & my instant nnexpected new suffrings , necessitated me to complain , That on the 30 of Iune last , being the Lords day , about XI of the clock at * Night , a party of Horse under the command of Captain ●enkins and Major Robinson , beset my House at Swainswick , in the County of Somerset ( where I lived a retired Country life ) and endeavoured to break open the doors thereof , whiles I and my servants were sleeping quietly in our beds ; who upon their entry into it , seised my Person , searched my Study , Chambers , Rooms , with all Trunks , and Boxes therein , for Papers , Books , records , taking away such as they thought meet ; and then marching with me through the Citie of Bristol in triumph , with Trumpets sounding , as their Prisoner , in the head of two Troops , and after that conveying me through the Country with Draggooners , brought me prisoner to Dunster Castle . And all this by the Colour of your White-Hall warrant , dated the 25 of Iune , directed to Major Robinson Governour of Dunster Castle , thus signed with your hand : IOHN BRADSHAW PRESIDENT . Which Warrant further enjoyns him , not to suffer me to have conference with any but in his sight and hearing ; nor to send , or receive , of any , Letters , but such as he shall peruse : and is accordingly executed , amounting to the strictest close Impriso●ent . These Proceedings seem to me ( who am conscious of no guilt ) very strange , Illegall , rigorous , yea destructive , not only to mine own , but to all the Peoples Liberties , and all our good Laws , for their preservation ; which you and others in present Power , have of late years , more then once , solemnlie covenanted , and made large Declarations , and Protestations inviolably to preserve , especiallie in these daies of Englands freedome from Tyranny , as some term , if not proclaim them . Strange in respect of your self , the only visible author , of them ; mine ancient Acquaintance , who formerly made so many large Professions of reall Friendship , towards me ; and one of mine own Robe ( much contemning the Kings Star-chamber Lords and Prelates illegall Warrants and Proceedings in this kind against me ) from whom I expected no such unjust exorbitant Warrant or Military violeuce as this ; yet Stranger , in regard of my self the Sufferer , who having been such an Eminent Martyr , both in body and Estate , suffering near 8 years Imprisoments , close restraints , exile , 3 Pillories , Stigmatizing , a ●●uble loss● of ears : & excessive Fines , for the defence of our re●igion , Laws , Publick Wealth , & Liberty of the Nation , without receiving one penny recompence for all my losses , and snffrings , though promised , voted , many Thousands ; and one of the most devoted faithfull Servants , to the old Republick & late Parliament of England , in whose service I have spent my Estate , and studies , ever since my enlargement , without enjoying the least Preferment , which I was never ambitious of , or one farthing Salary or reward , ( when others lesse meritorious , have been bountifully rewarded with great Sums , Offices , Pensions , ) expected no such ungratefull Requital , as a new excessive tedious close Imprisoment from my professed Friends , before the least notice of any complaint against me , or summons to appear , or answer it . Which ( all circumstances considered ) is a farr greater Extremity of injustice , than I ever yet suffered from my most Capitall Enemies , who both in the High Commission and Star chamber , did only summon me by a messenger , but never Attach me , or begin with Execution , as you doe ; first citing me to appear , before them , and then heard , before they committed me , or searched my Study and Papers : and that by their Legall sworn Officers , not armed Souldiers ; in the open day time , not at midnight ; on the week day , not the Lords day , and never made made me a close Prisoner , at first , but onely after hearing and sentence . And indeed this cannot but seem strange to me and all men else , that I should be the first man now mewed up afresh , in all the County for a * new Malignant , and dangerons Person , who was one of the first appeared in it for the Parliament ; when as others long in actuall arms against it , now walk at large ; and one who took and subscribed the Kings Oath , against the Parliament , renouncing and declaring them Traytors and Rebels , with others , whose base unworthy cowardice lost and betrayed the whole County to the Enemie , ( whom they durst never face or encounter ) are now imployed , as great Commanders , in our new raising Militia : who ( as I have good grounds to suspect ) are the originall Contrivers of this my injurious Restraint ; out of meer mallice , or envy to shew that they are now men of trust , and power , sufficient to Tyrannize over me as well as others , who never did them the least injury , but only reprehended them for their Injustice and Opressions , of which the whole County complained . The sat●sfaction of whose malicious desires , in this illegall way , will purchase you ten thousand times more dishonor , and doe you more disservice , by discontenting thousands of your Friends , and giving your Enemies just occasion of rejoycing , than ever their valour or Military Service is like to do you good , either in the County or Kingdome ; and render you as detestable to the People , as ever my former suffrings and Imprisoments did the Bishops or Star-chamber , the greatest occasion of their downfalls , Illegal , injurious , yea , Destructive to the Peoples Libertys , and also setled Laws , for their Defence , in divers respects ; in which I must crave Liberty , a little to expatiate , for fear my present silence or flender glances thereat , should prejudice my own and the whole Nations Liberties , deeply concerned in this new President of ▪ Injustice on my self , so great a stickler against all Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Proceedings of this nature , and one of the greatest Sufferers under them . Not to dispute at present the Lawfulnesse of your present Power ; which many justly question . The utmost ( I conceive ) you do , or can pretend to , is only the Power of the ancient privy Council or Council Table , under our Kings ; not in its utmost latitude , and exorbitances , but as regulatedby the late Act , against the Star-chamber . Which Councill Table ( to my best remembrance ) never issued any Warant so illegall as this , in all particulars , against my self or others , nor executed it by be meer Military Officers , on the Lords own day , as your Souldiers did this ; to proclaim to all the world , how little they esteem or observ● your new misnamed Act , against travelling or arresting any on the Lords day ; the penalty whereof none dare to levy on Souldiers ; I shall only here briefly argue and evince the Illegality of your Warrant , à Capite ad Calcem ; as well as my present restrained condition , and want of Books , and Time , will permit me ; that you and others may see , what ground you have to retract and to be ashamed of it , as I hope you will upon the reading hereof . First , I conceive it wholy illegall in respect of the Persons to whom it is directed , and by whom it is to be , and was accordingly Executed ; which are not , legall civill Officers of Justice , ( as Sherriffs , Iustices of Peace , Maiors , Headboroughs , under Sheriffs , Bayliffs , Constables , Serjeants , sworn Messengers and the like ) , the * only lawfull Officers to serve , and execute all legall Writs , Processe , Warrants whatsoever , by the Common Statute-Laws and Customs of this Realm ; who are and ought to be known Refients in the County , where they may be always found ; taking an Oath , duly to execute their respective Offices according to Law ; and Persons of Estate , able to render ▪ Dammages to the Presons they attach , in case their Warrants be illegall or not legally pursued in the execution . But meer Souldiers of fortune , Strangers , having no constant residence , nor visible estates in the County , to render me or others Dammages , in an Action of Trespasse or false Imprisonment , should we sue them ; and no legall Officers ▪ known or allowed by out Laws to execute Processes or Warrants , from any civill Power ▪ no not in times of Warr ( especially where there is no necessity , nor precedent resistance , as in my case , ) much lesse in times of Peace , as now , wherein the S●eriffs and Justices only are to su●presse all force , and sumults , if there be any need , by the Posse Comitatus ; in which cases Souldiers are only to assist them , as auxil ari●s ▪ not as sole , as princible Officers , or Executioners , as in and by your Warrants they are now usually made , against Law , and the practices of all former ages . Which late illegall Vsage of imploying Souldiers , in this kind , to arest mens Persons , break up and search their Houses ( reputed * High Treason , and a levying of Warr against the King and his People , in Straffords case the very last Parliament ) as it hath allready occasioned many Barbarous Murders , dangerous Burglares , and Roberies in sundry places , and in the very heart of * of London it self by Souldiers and others , pretending Warrants from your New Council of State , or others in present power , to apprehend Delinquents , or search for Armes , Papers &c. so it is like to produce many more sad Tragedies and outrages of this kind , to the endangering of all mens Persons , lives , estates , thus prostituted to the violence , rapine , of every Rogue , Thief , Villain , who shall but counterfeit himself a Souldier , and pretend your Warrant for search of any mans house , study , or apprehension of any mans Person he hath a design to rob or murther ▪ Which common mischief can be no otherwise prevented , but by directing all warrants , only to known Officers , according to Law & ● publick Declaration , to all the Kingdom , that no Souldiers or others under Pain of death , shall dare presume to execute or counterfeit any such Warrants for the future ; it being no part of their calling or imployment , and a great oppression , and terror to the People , contrary to the expresse clause of the Commissions of the Peace , and of Oyer and Terminer , against such who ride armed in companies , to the Terrror of the Kings people , who cannot easily distinguish who are Souldiers really imployed , and who are Counterfeits ; and have sometimes been affrighted , not only to sicknesse and great distempers of spirit , but even to death it self , by the sudden violent Attachments , and searches of Souldiers ; of whose rudeness and incivility in their executions , others have much complained , though those who seised me , were as respective towards me , as your warrant would permit , transgressing only in the unseasonablenesse of the time , and illegalities you injoyned them . 2. Your warrant is directly contrary to Law , and the Subjects Liberty , in that it commits me Prisoner , yea close Prisoner , ●efore & without the least Accusation , conviction of any particular Crime , any hearing , ●xamining● what I can say for my self ; and so a meer forejudging of me , & going to ●xecution before the fact examined ▪ contrary to all forms of Legal proceedings in all criminal causes whatsoever ; where the accused Persons for any * Trespasse , Felony , or Treason , are first sent for , & examined in the presence of their Accusers , before they be committed . Contrary to the very proceedings of the most exorbitant High Commisioners , who at first only summoned , not attached me for my Perpetuity , & after that , for my Cosens cozening Devotions , to appear & answer the same before them . Contrary to the proceeding of the Lords atthe Councill Table it self , for my Histriomast ix ( suggested to be Seditious and Scandalous , in the Superlative degree , to the King , Queen , Court , Councill , Kingdome , Government , ) who yet thereupon only summoned me by a single sworn Messenger , to appear in the Inner Star-chamber , before them , to answer such things as should be there objected against me for that Book , but never once seized or Committed my Person , untill after they had examined and heard me concerning i● , such was their Iustice , and moderation towards me in their first Processe , whereas you now commit me close Prisoner at a great distance , before , yea without any Summons , hearing or examination I know not for what pretended writings : So much do you now out-strip them in violence & injustice ; Whereas if you had ought against me , you might have summoned me to appear before you , whiles I was in London the last Term , in commons , or since that residing openly , constantly at my country House , without absenting my self , or being ever yet a fugitive , and examined me , as they did , before you thus rashly committed me hand over head , in such a notorious way of violence , in the face of all the County and Kingdome ; who cannot but conclude , you are more Tyrannically exorbitant herein , than ever the King or Prelates were against me , and have hereby , most notoriously infringed Magna Charta . c. 29. the Statutes of 25. E. 1. c. 1. 2. 28. E. 1. c. 1. 5. E. 3. c. 4. 37. and 42. E. 3. With other Acts , collected by ( Rastall in his Abridgment , tittle accusation ) the Petition of Right , the Resolation of the three last Parliaments , and all our Law-books ▪ which directly enact , adjudge , and declare , That no Freeman ought to be attached or imprisoned upon any Accusation , or suggestion made to the King , or his Councell ( much less then unto you ) unlesse it be by Inditement , impeachment , of his good and lawfull Neighbours , or by Processe made by a writ originall at the common Law : And if any thing be d●ne against the same , it shall be reversed and holden for none . Which Laws you have sworn , professed , covenanted to observe , and are bound to do it , as a Lawyer , much more as a Christian ; it being the very Law of the Pagan Romans , Acts. 25. 16. and of the very Jews themselves , Iohn . 7. 44 , &c. whose Officer● refuse to apprehend our saviours Person , upon the High Priests warrant , because never man spake as he did ; and their Law * judged not any man ( to be apprehended , much lesse imprisoned ) before it heard him , and knew what he doth . Wherefore , you cannot but recal● and condemn this Warrant , and its execution , as most repugnant to these Statutes , and the very Law of Nature , of Nations , and * Gods own Proceedings with the worst of men . 3. Every Warrant of Attachment ( Sr. Edward Cook proves at large in his 2 Institutes On Magna Charta . c. 29. ) ought to be , to summon , or bring the parties to be examined , before they be committed : and every Mittimus after examination , ought to expresse the cause justly , and time for which they are to be imprisoned , as during pleasure , or till further order , or till they shall put in bayl , or be delivered by Law ; as likewise , the manner how they shall be tryed , for what they are accused : and not be absolute , as a Iudgement or sentence after hearing : But your Warrant is , a meer Iudgement before hearing or examination , without any such causes ; committing me close Prisoner without any limitation of time , ( and so for ought I know , during life ) or ever intending to bring me to any legall examination or Tryall . Therefore altogether illegall in this respect . 4. The Statutes of 5. E. 3 c ▪ 8. 23. H. 8. c. 2 , and 5. H. 4. cap. 10. enact ; That the Prisons to which evill doors shall be committed for their evil offences , shall be in the most eminent & populous Towns of the County , where the Assises or Sessions are usu●lly kept , and where is most resort and repair of People , that they may be the oftner visited , the better relieved by their Friends and others ; and THAT NONE SHALL BE IMPRISONED IN PRIVATE CASES . And the Book of 21. E. 4. 71 , Brook Imprisonment 80 , is express ; That no Court can imprison any , but in their proper prisons belonging to them ; and that the Fleet is the proper Prison to the Star-chamber and Palace ▪ whither they ought to commit them : else men , through malice and Power , might be sent to obscure Castles , and remote Prisons , and there starved or destroyed for want of necessaries , or purposely * murthered out of malice or design be private Persons ; which they cannot so easily be in in common Goals , where are store of Company ; and the * common Goalers themselves ( sworn and bound by Law , to treat their Prisoners well , ) may be indited and punished for abusing them . Vpon which Statutes and grounds , the whole House of Common , resolved it thrice upon the Question , & afterwards the whole House of Lords thrice * voted , and adjudged , my imprisonment in Carnarvan and Mount Orgu●il Castles , Dr. Bastwicks in Lanceston and Syllye Castles , and Mr. Burtons in Lancaster and Gernsey Castles , both by sentence of Star-chamber & the old Council tables warrants , to be contrary to the Law and Liberty of the Subject . Your warrant therefore for my imprisonment in Dunster Castle , ( never yet a Prison ) under the Custody of Souldiers only , not of a Lawfull Gaoler ( especially being no Prisoner of war , nor ever in arms ) is diametrically contrary to these Statutes , Votes , Resolutions , the Law of the Land , and Subjects Liberties . And so much the rather , because , tho there be good Ayr , and prospect , in the Castle , yet there are no Provisions at all within it for the body or soul ; No meat to be had dressed , but at great distance from the Castle ; which is very chargeable and inconvenient to a close Prisoner : and no preaching Minister setled either in Castle or Town , to comfort , or feed the soul , or to which by your Warrant I may resort ; and it is above 50 miles distant from my house , where I have no Friend , nor accquaintance near to visit , or supply my wants : And so parallel to my close imprisonment in Carnarvan and Mount-Orgueil Castles , yea worse in one respect , ●hey being after a kind of publick hearing and sentence , in a Court of Iustice , and this onely by a priv●te warrant , before any hearing , examination , or accusation that I hear of , by those who have been my friends , and for ought I yet know , have no legal power to commit me in any case , as that Court had in some cases , though not in such a manner or to such Prisons as then , or now . 5. Your warrant is defective and illegal in the very grounds of my commitment , which are meerly gener●ll and uncertain : viz. For his seditious writings and practices against the common-wealth , without particularizing what these writings or practices are ; or when or where published , committed , or by whom or in what manner sugg●sted , or proved before you ; or , against what Common-wealth , or f●rm of Common-wealth in particular ; whether of England , Scotland , Ireland , or of any particular County , Corporation or Society , within them , which are * reall Common-wealths within themselves . Which generall uncertain charge and slander against me , so great an advocate for the true inter●st and Republick of England , as all my writings evidence ▪ imports just nothing , but either malici●us suggestions , groundless suspicions , or feigned pretences against me , to deprive me of my Liberty ; and were long since voted and adjudged in the Parliaments , of 3 , 4 , and 16. Caroli , in the cases of Sr. John Eliot and others , committed prisoners to the Tower , Fleet , and Gate-house , by the Lords of the Councill , by the Kings speciall command , for stirring up sedition and s●ditions Practices against the state ( the very same your warrant suggests against me ) to be too generall and ill●gal , and no grounds at all for a commitment ; no more then schismatious inveteratus , resolved to be too generall a cause of a clerk● refusall by the ordinary in * Cooks Reports . 6. Your Warrant chargeth the Governour , to imprison me in the Castle , and not to suffer m● to have conferenc● with any , but in his presence and bearing ; nor to send or receive any Letters , but such as he shall peruse . A clause of the highest restraint and oppression I ever yet suffered , or met with ; For if the Governour voluntarily , or necessarily absent himself , I must neither speak with , nor write to any man , upon what urgent occasion soever , nor receive any Letter of whatso ever importance ; be shut up a close Prisoner night and day , alwayes guarded when I take the air in the Castle ( as now I am ) and not repair to any Church or meeting , to hear , fast , pray , receive the Sacrament , nor send my own Servant out of my Chamber , or the Castle , ( as now I cannot ) for any necessaries , for fear of infringing this strict formidable Warrant , which puts me into the self same condition I was in at Carnarvan and Mount Orgueil Castles , and will prove as fatal to my own , and all Freemens liberties of England ( if not recalled and exploded with highest indignation ) as those my R●straints and close Imprisonments were ( with my Brother Bastwicks and Burtons too ) by the Votes and Judgement of both Houses , whereof I think meet to give you this full account . When I was first committed to the Tower by the Lords of the Council for my Histriomastix , ( suggested to be seditious and scandalous in the highest degree ) the words of the Lords Warrant to the Lieutenant were , * to require him to keep me safe Prisoner in the Tower , without giving free accesse unto me , until he should receive farther Order : yet this warrant , though all my friends had present free accesse to , and conference with me in publick and private , without any restraint or perusal of Letters to or from me ( not expressing any particular cause for my commitment ) was by the unanimous Vote of the whole House of Commons 20 Aprilis 1631. in these words , resolved to be illegal ; Resolved upon the question , That the imprisonment of Mr. Prynne ( in the Tower ) by a warrant under the hand of Thomas Lord Coventry , and others ( therein named ) IS UNJUST and ILLEGAL : And that they ought to give Mr. Prynne satisfaction for his damages sustained by that Imprisonment . And in my Brother Burtons case ● committed close Prisoner to the Fleet by the Lords , for preaching and publishing a seditious Sermon and Book ( as they termed it ) intituled ( For God and the King : ) the House of Commons the 12 of March 1640. passed this Vote , * Resolved upon the Q●estion , That the Warrant from the Council Boord , d ted at White-hall Febr. 2. 1636. for the committing of Mr. Burton close Prisoner , and the commitment thereupon ▪ IS ILLEGAL , AND CONTRARY TO THE LIBERTY OF THE SUBJECT : And that he ought to have reparations for his dammages sustained by this Imprisonment . And whereas we both , with Dr. Bastwick , for pretended sedit●ous Books and Practices ; were , after a kind of hea●ing in S●archamber , sentenced , and ordered To be kept close Prisoners in 3 remote Castle ; and after that , by * Order and Warrant of the old Council Table , removed into 3 Castles in the Ifles of Jersy , Gerxsey and Silly ; and there , for preventing the danger of spreading our ( pretended ) schismatical and seditious opinions , ordered , to be kept close Prisoners , and none to be permitted to have free conference with , or accesse unto us , but only such faithful and discreet persons as should be appointed to attend us ; and that no Letters or Writings should be permitted to be brought to us , or sent from us to any person or persons ; and if there should be any such brought or sent , that the same should be opened by the Governors , or their Deputies ; and if they contained any thing material or considerable , that the same should be sent to one of his Majesties principle Secretaries : ( the substance of your present Warrant , which seems but the Copy of it in this particular , ) the whole House of Commons three several times , upon the question resolved ; and the Lords upon our three distinct hearings , thrice adjudged , Those Sentences , Orders , Warrants , and restra●nts therein cont●ined , * TO BE AGAINST THE LAW AND LIBERTY OF THE SVBIECT , the Great Charter of England , and other fore-cited Statutes ; and that we ought to receive Dammages for the same , from those who had a vote or hand therein . Which illegal Sentences , Warrants of Restraint , and Exile ( as you and your associates well know ) were the principal occasion of Suppressing both the High Commission , Starchamber , and Council Tables exce●ses , by two special Acts of Parliament , and one principle charge against beheaded Canterbury . Wherefore , I cannot but stand amazed , to find you not only imitating , but in some sort exceeding them in this your Warrant , being privy to these Votes , and of Counsel to some of us , declaiming as bitterly against such illegal restraints , and the Authors of them , as any ; which yet now you practice with an high hand , against all these Votes , in my very case ; which will fall heavy on you . I beseech you therefore sadly to consider , what all my Friends , yea your best Friends , and Enemies too , will think , report of you for the present , and register to posterity ; and what our whole 3 Kingdoms and Forein Nations will judge of you and your Associates for this your warrant and close restraint of me thereby : Will they not report , publish to all the world , that you are more cruel , tyrannical , extravagant , unjust , than the beheaded King , ( condemned by your own Sentence for a Tyrant ) or than Canterbury , Strafford , the High Commission , Star-chamber , or old Council Table ; and that your little singer is now grown heavier than their whole loyns , not only to your Enemies but Friends ? Yea , that you deal worse with me , than the most bloudy Tyrant Nero did with Paul , when Prisoner under him at Rome ( though charged * for a pestilent fellow , & stirrer up of Sedition among the Jews throughout the World ; ) who yet * had there free liberty , without the least restraint , publikely and privately to confer with , send for , yea preach to whom he pleased , and to receive all persons ( and Letters too ) that came unto him , no man forbidding him : Acts 28. 14. to the end . Nay , worse than men by Law can deal with their Trespassers or ill-Tenants Beasts ; which ought to be kept in ●n overt open Pound , where the Owners , and all others may freely visit , feed , relieve , replevy them at their pleasures without restraint ; and not shut up in a close room , where none may see or feed them , but by the oversight and leave of others : as the Statute of 1 & 2 Phil. & Mary , c. 12. 5 H. 7. 9. with other Law-books resolve . Nay worse ▪ than the late Parliament dealt with Strafford , or Canterbury , when impeached of High Treasons of the greatest magnitude , against the King and Kingdom , by all the Commons of England ; who had no such restraints of Conference , or Letters on them , as you now lay upon me , but absolute freedom of both , and full liberty of the Tower , till Strafford endeavoured an escape from thence . And will you deal more rigorously with me , than the Parliament did with these Arch-Traytors ? Let not such an oppression , an exorbitancy as this , be ever heard of in † Askelon , or published of you in Gath , lest all your and my Enemies should rejoyce thereat . If you pretend necessity of State , or the publike Peace and safety , for these Illegal Proce●dings ; it is but the very same Plea the Prelates pretended for my close Imprisonment , and banishment heretofore ; the * King , for the Loans , Excise , Shipmoney ; and the Army for my last restraint , violence to both Houses , and their secured secluded Members : A plea which soon resolve● into , Scelera sceleribus tuenda , and necessitates men at last , to commit one violence , sin , & wickednesse , after another , till they perish in their villanies , and sink down quick into Hell , and is at this day the greatest Argument , Instrument , the Devil hath , to precipitate men ( formerly moderate , mercifull , just , religious ) into most ●xorbitant , scandalous , * violent unrighteous Actions , Designs , and to induce them to proceed impenitently from one extremity to another , which they formerly most severely censured , sentenced in others ; yet now approve and justifie in themselves , when they find their own interest concerned , or their carnal f●ars or jealousies of others really Innocent , suggesting any thoughts of some close designs against their wayes of violence and publike desolation , instead of sincere repentance , confession and reformation , of what their own consciences inform them secretly to be evill and unjust . Wherefore I desire you in this case , to beware of this most dangerous snar● of the Devill , and that maxim now in many mens mouths ▪ unworthy men or Christians : Over shoo●s , over Boots : We are engaged , and therefore can neither with honor , safety , nor prudence , recede from what we have done amisse : When as all our honor , safety , prudence , and eternall salvation too , consists only , in our * retreating , actuall repentance , and satisfaction to the parties injur●d , in suh c ases , by our unrighteous dealings a●d oppressions , because we have onely present power in our hands , to oppresse and injure them . 6. Your warrant orders them , to search all my Chambers ' studies and places in my house for Papers , Writings , Records , and before any accusation or conviction ; the highest strain of Regall , Prelaticall , high-Commission , and councill-Table Tyranny , * r●solved by the two late Parliaments and whole house of C●mmons , to be an high intrenchment upon the Subje●ts Liberties , and property , contrary to Magna Chart● , the Petition of Right , the Judgment in S●mai●s case ; much censured by Sir Edward Cook in his 4th . Institutes , in the Chapter of Justices of the Peace : and in the cases of * Mr. Cre● , Mr. Pym , and other members o● Parliament ● and such a one I yet am , if the former Parliament hath a being since the Kings beheading , the Lords suppression ▪ and most Common●●eclusion , as you hold it hath ) an high infring●●nt of the Priviledges of P●rliament , of which whosoever are , or shall be guilty , they are by several Orders , votes , a●d Ordinances of Parliam●●t , declared , to be En●mies both to th● Parliament , and Co●mon ▪ weal●h ▪ of England , ●nd to be appr●●ended and proc●●ded against as such . In all which respects your present Warrant , and the execution of it , being so diametrically contrary to the known * Laws and Statutes of the Realm , the votes and Declarations of both Houses of the Parliament , in mine own and others cases , and the late Declarations of Febr. the 11. and March 17. 1648. of those now acting ; I shall of meer Right , not any grace or favour , demand and expect from your self , and your Ass●ciates of the long Robe ( my quondam speciall Friends ) who know all the premises to be Law and this Warrant most illegall , a present revocation and condemnation ●hereof as such , and my present absolute inlargement , without any condition , restriction , caution or engagement whatsoever ; which I resolved never to enter into ( being liable only to punishment when , and if I do amisse , and am legally convicted of it , ) that so I may follow my Country affairs this harvest time , without any such future interruption and vexation . And withall to send me the names of my Accusers , and their particular Accusation , ( if there be any such ) that so I may rec●ive reparations from them or you , for this most injurious ▪ restraint , to my great trouble , cost and prejudice ; which I am confident you neither will nor can in Iustice or honor deny me . But if this will not be granted ; as this my unjust restraint , may then prove as prejudiciall to you , as my former Imprisonments did to the Canterbury , the Pr●lates , and Star-chamber , and will cry as lowd to heaven , against you as they did against them ; till God himself delivered me by some other means ; I shall then request this Justice only at your hands . First , that you would take care that my soul be not starved , for want of spirituall food , or free accesse unto it , when there are any sermons in the Town : where there is yet no setled Minister , but a Lecture at some times and days . A * Libert● enjoyed during my former Imprisonments . 2. That you will allow , and take care for my dyet , during my close restraint , if you will needs keep me up a close Prisoner ▪ my estate being exhausted by my former suffrings , the losse of my calling , publick Taxes , Free quarter , and scarce able to support my family at home ; now left like sheep without a shepheard . 3. That if you will not be so just and charitable ▪ that at least you will cause the 800 l. due unto me as contractor ( for which I never received o●e farthing , though it cost and lost me double the value , and I should never have demanded it , but upon this extraordinary occasion of expence ) with all the free quarter , certified to be due unto me for the last year , under 〈◊〉 Commissioners hands , and yet not satisfied , to be forthwith paid ; to help sustain me , during this my present extremity , ( which I hope you will * not delay , or deny ) I shall till then remain , Yours illegally restrained close Prisoner , WILL. PRYNNE . Dunster-Castle July 5. 1650. Mr. Prynnes second Letter to Mr. Bradshaw . SIR , I Informed you by my Letter the 5 of this instant Iuly , of the forcible breaking and searching of my house and Study at Swainswick , seising and carrying away my Person and Papers about Midnight , on the Lords Day , by a Party of Horse , and my close imprisonment ever since in Dunster Castle , by pretext of a Warrant signed with your hand ; the illegality whereof , and of its execution , I therein undeniably demonstrated , by Acts , Votes , Resolutions of Parliament in my very case , and proved them more exorbitant , then the worst first proceedings of the Prelates , High Commission , Council Table , or Star-chamber against me , under the late King , whom you your self a condemned to have his head severed from his shoulders for a Tyrant , demanding thereupon of meer right my present Enlargement from this unjust imprisonment , with reparations for the same . To which as yet receiving no answer , after above a fortnights restraint , contrary to expectation , and Magna Charta it self : Nulli negabimus , nulli differemus justitiam aut rectum : and hearing , that by a like illegal Warrant under your hand , made to Souldiers , not sworn Officers , they have broken open my Study , seised all my writings & Trunkes at Lincolns Inn , & carryed them to White-Hall , contrary to the Law of the Land , and Liberty and property of the Subject ; I am thereupon necessitated for the Defence of mine own , and the Nations Liberties , ( for which I have so deeply suffered , in Defence whereof , we have of late years spent so many Millions of Treasure , and Tuns of Gallant English blood ) to make this solemn Protestation to you , and all the world , That these Warrants and Proceedings of yours against me , are altogether illegal , tyrannical and exorbitant , contrary to Magna Charta , the Petition of Right , the Resolutions of the 3 last Parliaments , the b votes of both Houses in my very Case , and the Cases of my Brother Dr. Bastwick and Mr. Burton , the Law of the Land , the Subjects Liberties and Property , and many Declarations of the last Parliament , published to the World. To begin with the breaking up of my House , Study , seising of my writings and Papers , Records , and imprisoning my Person , before any hearing , examining , or legal accusation against me , by colour of your illegal Warrant ( the revived Exorbitances of the High Commission , and old Council Table , under which the Freemen of England formerly groaned , and most sadly complained ) I shall desire you and the whole Kingdom ( by way of supplement to my former Letter ) to take notice , 1. First , That in the cases of my Brother Dr. Bastwick , and Mr. Burton , ( whose Houses , & Studies were broken open , searched , and their Writings , Books , Persons seised , by colour of a Warrant from the High Commis . & old Council-Table ) the whole House of Commons , upon the report of their Cases , passed these two Votes c Feb. 24. 1640. Resolved upon the Question ; That the Precept made by the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury , and other high Commissioners for causes Ecclesiastical within the Realm of England , for apprehending the body of Doctor Bastwick ; and for searching for , and seising of his Books ; and the making and issuing thereof , and likewise the Messengers Act in searching Dr. Bastwicks House and Study , and searching and taking away his Books and Papers , by that Precept , ARE AGAINST ▪ LAW , AND THE LIBERTY OF THE SUBJECT . And March 12. 1640. Resolved upon the Question ; That the breaking open of Mr. Burtons House , and arresting his person , before any cause depending against him in the Star-Chamber ; and his close imprisonment thereupon , are against the Law and Liberty of the Subject . That Iohn Wragge hath offended in searching and faising th● Books and Papers of Mr. Henry Burton , by colour of the general Warrant Dormant from the High Commission ; and that that Warrant IS AGAINST THE LAW , AND LIBERTY OF THE SUBJECT : and that S●rjeant Dendy , and Alderman Abel have offended , in breaking open the House of Mr. Burton , and ought to make reparations to Mr. Burton for the damages he sustained by breaking open his house . And that Iohn Wragge ought to make reparations to Mr. Burton for the damages h● Justained by breaking open his Study , and seising his Books and Papers . 2ly . That after this , the whole House of Commons in their Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom , the 15 December , 1641. reciting many grievances therein complained of ( now acted over in a far d higher degree than ever they were under the beheaded King ) sadly remonstrated , e That great numbers of his Majesties Subjects for refusing unlawful Charges , Taxes , New Oaths and Judicatures erected against Law , have been committed t● long and hard imprisonments , and others have had their houses broken up , their goods seis●d , and some have been restrained for their lawfull callings . And that the very next day after the Parliament ended , the fifth of May , 1640. Some Members of both Houses , had their Studies and Cabinets , yea their Pockets searched ; which they declare to be contrary to the Law , and the Subjects Liberty . 3ly . That in the Case of Members ( and such a one I still am , if the Parliament or House of Commons be yet in being , as you do and must affirm ) the whole House of Commons 3 Jan. 1641. published and printed this Order , f It is this day ordered upon the Question by the Commons House of Parliament , That if any persons whatsoever shall come to the Lodgings of any Member of this House , and there do offer to seal the Truncks , Doors or Papers of any Members of this House ( which is lesse than to break open , search , and take them quite away by armed Souldiers , as in my case ) or to foise upon their Persons ; That then such Members shall require the aid of the Constable , to keep such persons in safe custody till this House do give further Order . And this House doth further declare ; That if any Person whatsoever shall offer to arrest or detain the person of any Member of this House , without first acquainting this House therewith , and receiving further Order from this House , That it is lawfull for such Member , or any Person , to assist him , and to stand upon his or their guard of Defence , and to make resistance , according to the Protestation taken , to def●nd the Privileges of Parliament . 4ly . That afterwards the Commons House in their g Declaration of the same January ( in case of the 5 impeached Members ) published to all the Kingdoms , further declared and ordered , That whereas the Chambers , Studies and Truncks of Mr. Denzil Hollis , Sir Arthur Haslerigge , Mr. John Pym , Mr. John Hampden , and Mr. William Strode , Esquires , Members of the House of Commons , upon Monday the third of this instant January , by colour of his Majesties Warrant , have been sealed up ( not broken up , searched , and carryed away as mine are , which is far more ) by Sir William Killigrew , and Sir William Flemen , and others , which is , NOT ONLY AGAINST THE PRIVILEGES OF PARLIAMENT , BUT THE COMMON LIBERTY OF EVERY SUBJECT ▪ Whereupon we are uecessitated according to our duty , to declare , And we doe hereby declare , that if any person shall arrest Mr. Hollis , Sir Arthur Haslerigge , Mr. Pym , Mr. Hampden , and Mr. Strode , or any of them , or any other Member of Parliament , by pretence or colour of any Warrant issuing out from the King only , he is guilty of the breach of the Liberty of the Subject , and of the Privilege of Parliament , and a publike Enemy to the Common wealth . And that the arresting of the said Members , or any of them , or any other Member of Parliament , by any Warrant whatsoever ( therefore by yours now ) without a Legal proceeding against them , and without consent of that House , whereof such Person is a Member , IS AGAINST THE LIBERTY OF THE SUBJECT , AND A BREACH OF THE PRIVILEGE OF PARLIAMENT ; And the Person that shall arrest any of these Persons , or any other Member of the Parliament , is declared a publike Enemy of the Commonwealth . And we doe further Declare , That the Privileges of Parliament , and the Liberties of the Subject so violated and broken , cannot be fully and sufficiently vindicated , unless his Majesty will be graciously pleased , to discover the names of those persons , who advised his Majesty to issue out Warrants for the sealing of the Chambers and Studies of the said Members , to send a Serjeant at Arms to the House of Commons to demand their said Members , to issue out several Warrants under his Majesties own hand to apprehend the said Members ; Whereupon those who sealed up these Members Studies and Truncks were committed Prisoners , and threatned to be put by their places ; as some of them then were . From all which Votes , Resolutions , Declarations ( to omit many h others of this Nature ) I must conclude and protest ; that if the breaking up , searching for , seising , and bare sealing up of the Doors , Studies , Trunks , Papers of Subjects , and Members of the Commons House , or apprehending their Persons by Warrants from the High Commission , old Councel Table and King himself , by Pursevants and Clerks of the Council Table ( who were sworn Legal Officers ) be such an high violation of the Law of the Land , the Liberty of the Subject , the Privileges of Parliament , and render such as are guilty thereof declared Enemies to the Commonwealth : Then your breaking up , searching my House , Studies , Trunks , and seising of my Writings , Papers , Person , by armed , unknown , obscure Souldiers , who are no Legal Officers ▪ after all these Votes and Declarations , must much more be against the Law , and Liberty of the Subject , the Privileges of Parliament , and render you , them , and all who were active in it , notorious Enemies to the Commonwealth of England , unlesse you give me speedy Satisfaction and Reparations for the Injury , and retract those violent Proceedings with shame and indignation ; which I Demand and expect of Right , without further delay . Next , I must acquaint you , that I and my Servant too , have now been kept up close Prisoners , and restrained from all Gods publike Ordinances , above this fortnight , by colour of your illegal Warrant ; whereas the whole House of Commons , in their i Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom , 15 Decemb. 1641. reputed and Declared this , as the Compleating of cruelty , under the late King , That some Members deteined close Prisoners , after the Dissolution of the Parliament 4 Caroli , were deprived of the necessary means of spiritual Consolation , in not suffering them to go abroad to enjoy Gods Ordinances in Gods house . Which soul-murthering cruelty I now suffer by your unjust restraint , and my Servant likewise . I beseech you sadly to consider , not only the great Scandal , but impiety and danger of such restraints from publike Ordinances . The Scripture defines the Devil himself to be the Original Author of such Imprisonments , Restraints of Gods Saints and Servants , Rev. 2 , 16. And further assures us , That k Christ at the last Judgement , will say to those who did but only not feed , cloth , and visit the least of his Saints , when they were in Prison ; Depart from me ye cursed , into everlasting fire prepared for the ●evil and his Angels : What an heavy Doom then will he passe against those , who ( against all Rules of Law and Justice , ) cast them into Prison , and will there neither feed , cloth , nor visit , but starv● their bodies and souls too , as much as in them lyeth , by depriving them of Gods Ordinances , and all means of livelihood , as you do me , after all my former great losses , and long-continued suffrings . I cannot as yet be so uncharitable , as to believe you design the ruine of my soul , body , and wasted Estate ; but if you de facto do it , by this injurious restraint , your sinne is as great , as if you did design it . If you think to justifie or excuse these Irregularities and unjust violent Proceedings against me , by pretext of Necessity and publike Danger , the only thing in Justification I yet hear alleged by your Instruments ; As this will be no Plea at all before Christs Tribunal in the great day of Judgment ; who l prohibits all kind of violonce , injustice , oppression , injury upon any Pretence what soever , and will severely punish it ; their m Damnation being most just who do evill upon this unrighteous ground , that good may come of it : So it will not hold water before mans Tribunal , being resolved , declared , by the n Judgement of both Houses , and an Act of Parliament in cases of Shipmony , Excise , Loans , to be no cause nor Justification of a Distresse , much lesse of an Imprisonment . And it being a Necessity and Danger of your own making , not mine , the Rule of Law is , o That noman shall take advantage of his own wrong to the prejudice of another . The late Beheaded King in his p Answer to the Petition of both Houses , 26 Martii , 1 642. is so ingenious , as to confesse , That the violating of Laws by his Ministers , and the mischief that then grew by Arbitrary Power , was made plausible to Us , by the suggestion of Necessity and Imminent danger ; and thereupon he gave both Houses this caution : And take you heed , you fall not into the same Error , upon the same suggestions ; which in his q Answer to the Remonstrance of the Lords and Commons of the 9th of May , 1642. he thus seconds , And therefore we had good cause to bestow that Admonition ( for we assure you it was an Admonition of our own ) upon both Houses of Parliament , to take heed of inclining , under the specious shews of Necessity and Danger , to the exercise of such an arbitrary Power they before complained of ; The Admonition will do no harm , and we shall be glad to see it followed . And therefore for you , or those now acting , after these two serious Admonitions , to pretend Necessity and Imminent Danger , for these , with other Arbitrary courses , Proceedings , condemned in and by the King himself , and the whole Parliament , must be the hight of Oppression , Injustice , and will render you r more detestable to the Nation and World , than ever they did the King , or his Evil Counsellors . To trouble you no further at present ; I shall only inform you . That the Commons in their ſ Remenstrance of the State of the Kingdom , Decemb. 15. 1641. Yea , both Lords and Common● in their Declaration of 4 August , 1642. among other Designs , Practices of the Malignant Party and Counsellors about the King , complained of this , as one of the most dangerous ; t That they endeavoured to make those odious , under the name of Puritans , who sought to maintain the Religion , Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom ; and such men were sure to be t weeded out of the Commission of the Peace , and out of all other imployments of Power and Authority in the Government of the Country . Many Noble Personages were Counsellors in name , but the Power and Authority remained in a ●ew of such , as were most addicted to this P●rty ; whose Resolutions and Determination● were brought to the Table for countenance and execution , and not for Debate and Deliberation ; and no man could offer to oppose them , without disgrace and hazard to himself ; Nay , those that did not wholly concurr , and actually contribute to the furtherance of their Designs , though otherwise Persons of never so great honour and abilities , were so far from being imployed in any Place of Trust and Power , that they were neglected , discountenanced , and upon all occasions injured and oppressed . The Laws were no Defence or Protection to any Mans Right ; all was subject to Will and Power , which imposed what payments they thought sit to drain the Subjects purses , and to supply those Necessities which their ill Counsels had brought upon the King , and gratifie such as were Instruments in promoting these illegal and oppressive Courses . v They who yielded and complyed , were countenanced and advanced ; all others disgraced and kept under , that so Mens minds made poor and base , and their Liberties lost and gone , they might be ready to let go their Religion , and submit to the subversion and alteration of the Laws and Government , which they designed . And whether your Proceedings in the self-same kind against my self , & others who have suffered and stood so much for Religion , Laws , and publike Liberties in the worst of former times , thus complained against ; and securing , restraining us to boot , in a more more violent way than the King and his evill Counsellors proceeded against us heretofore , will not draw a greater guilt , disreputation , heavier judgement upon you and your Associates , then they complained of did upon them , if you persevere impenitently in such execrable Machiavilian carnal Practices , I leave to your own Consciences to determine ? Sir , I was never yet a flatterer of any Person or p●rsons , how great soever in arbitrary and illegal w●ys , and my present extremities will be a sufficient Apology for this my boldnesse and plain ▪ dealing with you , as well as others heretofore in like cases , wherein the x whole N●tions Liberties are concerned as much as mine own ; wherefore I do once more , upon the premised Votes and Gro●nds of right , demand my present ●nlargement , the restitution of my seised Papers , Writings , Records , Books , Tr●●●ks from you and your Associates , with reparations for these injurious proceedings against me from your selves , 〈◊〉 the Origin●l Authors , and Principal Actors in them . And so exp●cting your undelayed Answer to my former and present Demands ( who amidst your manifold imployments , may spare as much time to doe me right as wrong ) that so I may know how to steer my course ; I must , and shall till then remain Your unjustly close restrained Captive , WILL. PRYNNE , For his quodam kind Friend Mr. Serjeant Iohn Bradshaw at Whitehall , these . Dunster Castle , 16 July . An. Dom. 1650. The third Letter to Mr. Bradshaw . SIR , I And my Servant attending on me , have for above 6 weeks space , against all Rules of Law , Justice , and the Votes of both Houses in my very Case , been already kept close Prisoners in Dunster Castle , debarred all free converse with others , by Discourse or Letter , and accesse to Gods publike Ordinances , by your illegal Warrant ; and although I have sent 5 several Letters to your self , and others of your Colleagues , declaring the illegallity , the extremity of these your Proceedings , and demanding nothing but Jnstic● from you , which not only one Christian , but Turk , Infidel , might justly challenge and expect from an other ; yet , I can neither receive answer , nor satisfaction from you in the least measure ; when as I never sought to the late King himself in my former troubles , for any thing I desired , but he ever gave me some positive answer or other , at the first , without one quarter of that sollicitation which you have had , who professed your self , my cordial Friend ; Yea whiles I was close Prisoner in Mount Orgueil Castle , he was so pio●s , as upon the very first motion of the Governour ( without any Petition from me ) to grant me free accesse to all Gods publike Ordinances , Sermons , and the Sacrament , which I cannot yet obtain from you ( pretending far more Piety and Liberty ) after so many Letters ; who are now so far from returning me any answer , that my Brother Bastwick ( my Sollicitor ) I know not by whose direction , informed me , he can obtain no admittance to your presence , being put off , or denyed entrance by your Attendants . A strange carriage of any Mortal towards his fellow Creature , but stranger in any Christian towards his Christiun Brother , and Professed Friend ; when a● the most high , most glori●us , ●mnipote●t , incomprehensible God , who dwelleth in the highest ( a ) Heavens , and in that light that no man can approach nnto ; though b b King of Kings , Lord of Lords , and a great King over over all the Earth , doth ▪ so far humble ▪ himself ▪ ( to teach the highest Mortals the like humility , and charity to their lowest afflicted Brethren ) as , always to give c fr●e accesse , a● d open ear , a e speedy audience , & ready answer to all the just prayers , & requests of the very mean●st of his Creatures , Servants here on earth ( especially in the times of their D●stresse ) and hath registred this comfortable Precept , backed with a Pr●mise , not only of audience , but Deliverance , for every faithfull Christians encouragement ▪ Psal . 50. 15. Call upon me in the time of trouble , I will deliver thee , and thou shalt glorifie me , The accomplishment whereof hath experimentally been made good unto them , upon all occasions , and is thus recorded to Posteriry by the Palmist in his own and others Cases . Psal . 34. 4 , 5 , 6. I sought the Lord , and he he●rd me , and delivered me from all my fears . They looked to him , and were lightned , and their faces were not ashamed . This poor man cryed , and the Lord heard him , and delivered him out of all his troubles . Whose celestial example you are so far from imitating , notwithstanding this Evangelical-Precept , Luke . 6. 35 , 36. Be ye therefore merciful , as your heavenly Father is mercifull ; for he is kind unto the unthankfull and evil ; ( then much more to the good ) that as yet I cannot find you so righteous , as that Dilatory f Judge , which feared not God , nor regarded man , who although for a while he refused to avenge the importunate Widdow of her Adversary , ●et afterward said within himself ; Though I fear not God , nor regard man , yet because this Widdow troubleth me , I will avenge her , lest by h●r co●●inual coming she weary me . And therefore you may justly fear what follows in the next ensuing verses . And shall not God avenge his own Elect , which cry day and night unto him , though he bear long with them ? I tell you , that he will avenge them speedily , of all those that injure , or refuse to doe them right , according to that memorable Scripture , Prov. 21. 7. The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them , because they refuse to doe judgement . If you still pretend , want of leisure to do me right ▪ I shall fi●st mind you , that Ki●g Philip of Macedon , giving this ans●er to a p●●r Petitioner , who demanded Iustice at his hands , that he had no leisure to do her right ; received this bold reply from her , g Noli itaque Regnare ; Be you then King and President no longer over us , but let those reign who will find leisure to to doe us justice ; Whereupon he immediatly did right , not only to this suter , but divers others . It shall be my reply to your Dilatory excuse , and I wish it may produce the like effects in you as it did in Philip. Next I find , that si●ce my imprisonment in Dunster Castle , you have found leasure enough to grant out an O●der for the slighting of it , and removing the Garrison thence to Taunton Castle , and therefore I conceive you might at the same time , have found leasure enough , had you not wanted will , for my release from thence , who now am like to be tossed up and down by you , like a Tennis-Ball , from one Castle , and illegal Prison to another , to my greater trouble and expence , as I was by the late Tyrannizing Prelates malice , contrary to Law , and the Subjects Liberty , as both Houses h voted in my very Case , which will be a further addition to my oppression , and your Injustice render you altogether as injurious , if not as malitious towards me , as beheaded Canterbury , & add very little reputation to your new Regency over us . And is this the only fruites of your pretended friendship and justice ? the only guerdon , recompense of all my former Labours , Losses , Sufferings , for the Commonwealth , and Liberty of the Nation , even in the worst of times ? is this the only Native English Freedom ▪ I and other Patriots of our Country must n●w enjoy , expect , after so many years sufferings , wars , prayers , tears , fasts , ( both publike and private ) so profuse an expence of our Treasure ▪ Blood , and exhausted Estates , to regain , maintain our hereditary Liberties against all invasions , to be now at last , without , before any legal pr●cesse , or Inditement , upon m●er general surmises , fears ▪ suspitions , thus violently pulled out of our houses , banished our habitations , divorced from our families , deprived of our Callings , disseised of our Offices , T●usts , Freeholds , attainted in new kind of Premunires , put out of protection of those very Laws to which we were born undoubted heirs ; sequestred from all free converse with our Friends , Country-men , by conference or writing ; debarred accesse to all Gods publi●e Ordinances , for the instruction or consolation of our Souls ; plundred of our Papers , Writings , Records , Horses , Armes , at the arbitrary Discretion of every Sowldier or New i Militia-man , carryed through the Country in triumph , like Turkish Galley-slaves , consined , banished , imprisoned , tossed up and down from one illegal Prison to another , from one illegal Judicatory to another , and ruined by uncessant new Taxes , Excises , Payments , without and against all rules of Law and Justice , contrary to so many solemn Protestations , Declarations , Remonstrances , Leagues , Covenants , ratified , subscribed in Gods sacred presence , with hands lifted up to Heaven ; And that by a few of our meer fellow-Subjects , who have not the least shadow of any lawfull jurisdiction over us from God or Man , much lesse of any such absolute , arbitrary , Tyrannical Domination over our Persons , Estates , Liberties , Lives , as they now dayly exercise : which the beheaded King , yea the most oppressive of his Royal Predecessors , never exercised , nor pretended to , but k absolutely disclaimed and protested against , as both illegal and tyrannical ? And must we still be constrained to pay heavy monthly Contributions , Excises , only to maintain Souldiers , to support such an oppressing l Self-created Authority , power over us , and execute all their iregal Warrants , to break up , search , command our Houses , ransack our Studies , writings , seise , in prison our persons , plunder our goods , disseise us of our Freeholds , take away our lives , and make us more absolute Vassals to our new Supremacie , than the most Slavish Turks are to their Grand Seignior ? Did ever the free people of England ( voted by the Army and those at Westminster the m only Supreme Authority of the Nation next under God ▪ and the only fountain of all lawfull Authority ) ever transferr such an exorbitant Iurisdiction as this , over themselves , or me , to those at White-hall , or any other , who stile themselves , their Representatives , or authorize them to do the least Action contrary to Magna Charta , the Statutes of 25. E. 3. c. 4 ▪ 42. E. 3. c. 3. the Petition of Right , the Statutes of 25. E. 1. c. 5 , 6. 28. E. 1. c. 1. 34. E. 1. De Tallagio non concedendo . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4. 14 E ▪ 3. Stat. 2. c. 1. 1. R. 3. c. 2. 35 ▪ E. 1. De Asp●rtatis Religiosorum , and other Acts , but lately made and assented to by the late be-headed King , An. 1640 ? And if not , as is most certain , then how can , or dare you , thus illegally ab●se , imprison , close imprison m● , and sundry others , as you have done ; and to levy n illegall Contributions , and Taxes , on me since my chargable imprisonme●t , not granted , nor imposed by the Common Consent of the Earls , Barons , Great men , and Commons of the Realm in full Parliament , by Act of Parliament , only to maintain Souldiers to apprehend ▪ secur● , impriso● my self , and th' other free-men of England , and Lord it ●ver us , by colour of your unlawfull warrants , contrary to the expresse Letter of all these Acts and Resolutions of our two last Parliaments ? Yet this is not all the Oppression I now groan under ; but as if the former had not been sufficient , some Malitia ( rather then Militia ) Gentlemen of our County , ( the originall Contrivers of my present Commitment , if I be not mis-informea ) in the prosecution of their further malice towards me , on Tuesday night last , sent a Warrant by the Constable to my house ( I know not by what new pretended Authority ) to send in an horse and man , ( such as they should approve of ) compleatly furnished , to their worships , at Wells ( 17. miles from my house ) the very next morning , without fail : To whom my Sister returned this answer ; that I was a close Prisoner , fifty miles off : that I had neither ●orse , nor Arms to send , and it was impossible to provide any at so short warning , neither would my estate bear such an heavy new Charge ( being not chargable with an horse , by their late instructions ) He replyeth , that no excuse would serve , but and horse and man must be sent , under I know not what heavy penal●y● ; & none beingsent upon these Grounds , I daily expect to hear of their utmost Ex●remitys against this my pretended Default , being encouraged thereto by my present restraint : The illegallity and dangerousnesse of which new Arbitrary Authority in these Commissioners of the Militia , arraigning , Assessing men with Arms & imprisoning , fining men at their arbitrary Discretion , without any legal tryal being largely argued , vored , resolved , 〈…〉 to the Kingdom , by the o Declaration of the Lords & Commons concerning the Distractions of the Kingdome , 1 ▪ 2. Iuly 1642. By the Petition of both Houses , 20. Iuly 1642. By his Majesties Declaration to all his Subjects , Aug. 12. 1642. and by the Lords and Commons 2. Declaration , against the Commission of Array , 12. Ian : 1642. I shall not dispute it here , but referr you thereunto . And for their present practice , in dis-arming many well affected Gentlemen and Yeomen of best rank and Quality , puiting their arms into Mercinaries hands , and not trusting them with their own or the Kingdomes Defence ; as it is against all Presidents in former ages , cited either by the late King or Parliament , concerning the Array or Militia ; so it was thus publickly declared against by the Lords and Commons in Parliament , in case of the King and his party , in their Printed p Declaration of 18. August 1642. A third observation is this ; That Arms were taken from the honest Gentlemen , Yeomen , and Townsmen ; and put into the hands of such desperate Persons as cannot live but by rapin● and spoyl . A fourth , That not withstanding all the Vows and Protestations to Govern according to Law , which have been dispersed throughout the Kingdome , to blind and deceive the People . THE MOST q MISCHEIVOUS PRINCIPLFS OF TYRANNY ARE PRACTISED THAT EVER WERE INVENTED ; that is , TO DISARM THE MIDDLE SORT OF PEOPLE who are the body of the Kingdom● , AND TO MAINTAIN SOULDIERS BY FORCED CONTRIBVTION TO CREATE A PROVINTIALL GOVERMENT IN THE NORTH ( but now throughout the Kingdom ) CLEARLY AGAINST THE COMMON LAW , AND THE JUDGEMENT GIVEN THIS PARLIAMENT , for taking away the Court at York . That the Contrivers and Instruments of ●h●se mischiefs , for th●ir better strengthning in these Designs , are about to joyn themselves in Association with other Counties ; That Directions are given that such as shall oppose and ●ot joyn with them , shall be violently plundred and pillaged ▪ of their horses and Ar●●es , at least , if not of their goods and estates . ) Vpon all which considerations , and unjust Oppressions , now imposed on , or threatned to me be reason of my present restraint , I do once more , of meer common right , Demand my unconditioned present Enlargement , that ●o my imprisonment may not survive my now Demolishing new Prison , where there are neer 300. Pioners at work to level , not only the Castle Walls ▪ but ●●●●lling house it self , to the very ground , by pretext of your fresh warrant ; though the best Seat in the County ; yea the antient habitation of an Eminent Gentleman , and his Ancestors , who have been always cordial to , & sustained many thousand pounds losse for the Parliament ; who yet , without any Notice , or 3 days warning , r must have his house pu●led down over his head , before , yea without any veiw , hearing , or recompence ; himself , his Wife and Family ▪ turned out into the Streets ( having no other habitation for the present , ) & instead of receiving recompence for his former Six thousand pound losses or more , be rewarded with neer ten thousand pound new Dammages , for his fidelity toward you ; to the great rejoycing and triumph of all the Malignants in the County , who laugh in their sleeves , to see how gratefully and bountifully you reward your best deserving friends , for all their losses and Services for the publick , with greater Injuries , Dammages , Affronts , Oppressions and restrai● is , than ever they received from the worst , and cruelest of their Enemies . Which is the present condition o● Mr. George Lutterell ; the owner of my Demolishing Prison of Dunster Castle ; and of Your much oppressed close Impriprisoned Vassall , WILL. PRYNNE . From my Demolishing Prison in Dunster Castle . The fourth Letter to Mr. Bradshaw , and his Assocîates . Gentlemen , THese are to mind you , that after all my heavy sufferings of three Pillories , a double losse of my ears , stigmat●zing on both Cheeks , two Fines of 5000 l. apiece , expulsion out of the University of Oxford and Lincolns Inn , degradation in both , the seisure of my Papers , Books , Estate , near 9 years losse of my Calling , above 8 years imprisonment in the Tower of London , Fleet , Carnarvan , and Mount Orgueil Castle in Jersey , through the Tyranny of the late Prelates , Starchamber and Council Table , only for my publike Defence of the Protestant Religion , Laws , and Liberties of the Kingdom , against Popery and Tyranny , in the worst of times , when few durst openly stand up on their behalf , to my Damage of ten thousand pounds at least ; After above 8 years , faithfull , painfull services , since my enlargement , in maintenance of the Kingdoms , Parliaments just Rights , Privileges , Liberties , against all opposers ; and other publike employments for the Common good , with the almost total neglect and losse of my Practice , and expence of many hundred pounds out of my purse ; After 3 Months costly , most injurious imprisonment by the Army , for discharging my duty , and speaking my Conscience in the Commons House , whereof I was then a Member ( and am so still , if that House be yet in being , as you affirm , and so not subject to your New Whit●hal Jurisdiction ▪ contrary to Law and the Privileges of Parliament ; After sundry other Affronts , Injuries , Pressures , for my sincerity , fidelity to my Native Country ( for all or any of which unjust sufferings , losses , meritorions services , by which our Religion , Republick , Parliament , Nation , received many great advantages , I never yet received one farthing recompense , nor the least advantage or preferment , of which I was never ambitious , ) I have ( to augment my former damages , oppressions , in stead of repairing them ) received this great accumulation to them , by colour of your illegal Warrants under Mr. Bra●sbaws hand ( who lately professed your selves my Friends , and lamented my former injurious sufferings , though senceless of my present ) before & without the least notice , summons , a examination , or legal accusation ; even a forcible infringement , search , rifling of my Studies , Trunks , Writings , Papers in Lincolns Inn , & house at Swainswick , by a company of armed Souldiers ▪ who ●e●sed sundry of my Writings , Papers , Bo●ks , 〈◊〉 Records , against Law , and sent them Whitehall ; together with a violent Attachment of my own Person , ( though no Fugitive , nor person in Armes ) not by any known , sworn , lawfull Officers , but a strong Party of unknown Troops , in my own house and Bedchamber , about eleven of the clock at night , on the Lords day , the 30 of June last ; who carryed me through the County in triumph , as their Prisoner to Dunster Castle , ( no ordinary Prison but a private Garrison ) 50 miles distant from my habitation , where I have been kept close Prisoner ( with my Servant who attends me ) by more than four Quaternions of Souldiers ( as b Peter was under persecuting Herod ) above 3 moneths space , though the walls thereof be demolished of late by your Order , to my ●xtraordinary expen●e ▪ and great damage , through my absence from my Family all the Harvest ; during all which time neither I nor my Servant have been permitted the least accesse to Gods publike Ordinances , on Lords-days , or Lecture dayes ; nor to stir out of the Castle ( where are no provisions at all to be had for any thing I want ) nor to speak with any Person , but in the Governours presence , or hearing ; nor to receive or write any Letters upon any occasion , but what he must first peruse . And although I have written at the least Seven Lett●rs to Mr. Bradshaw , and others of you ( my late i●timate f●iends , ●omol ining of this unparalleld Injustic● and Tyranny , answering all Pretences of necessity and publick Danger , to justifie or excuse it , and manifesting it to be contrary to MAGNA CHARTA c. 29. 25 E. 1. c. 12. 28 E. 3. c. 1. 5 ▪ E. 3. c 9. 25 E. 3. c. 4. ●8 E. ● . c. 3 37. E. 3 ▪ c. 18. 38 E. 3 c. 9. 42 E. 3. c. 3. 17. R. 2. c 6. 2 H. 4. Rot. Parl. n. 60. the Petition of Right & other Statutes , the very Common Law of England . the Liberty of the Subject , the Law s of God and Nature , the Resolutions and printed c Declarations of the 3 last Parliamen●s , the expressed d Votes of the Commons , & Iudgement of the Lords House , in my own particular Case and my Fellow Sufferers ; yea a Greater Cruelty and Tyin some respects , than ever the late King , Star-Chamber , or be headed Canterbury ●●flicted on me , who at first only summoned me by a Messenger , to appear before them , but never attached me by armed Officers or Souldiers ; accused me of a particular bock upon which they examin●d heard , before they restrained me , and never committed me close Prisoner at first , nor laid any such restraints , upon me or my servant , as you do now for above 4 years space ; permitting me free accesse to Gods publick Ordinances ; free conference in publick and Private , with whom , and Liberty to write to , and receive Letters from whom , I pleased , without any over-hearing or Jutervising ; and to send my Servant abroad , upon all occasions ( A Liberty which the Laws of England allow to all Traytors and Fellons whatsoever , and which beheaded Strafford , and Cant●rbury enjoyed , though impeached of the Highest Treasons by the whole Commons House , and yet deuyed unto me , by you , such Great Pretenders to Publick Liberty , both of Person and Conscience , though hitherto accused , impeached of no Crime ) yet notwithstanding , I can hitherto receive no relief , nor satisfactory answer to my just Demands from any of you ; Whereupon I have been necessitated to addresse this brief precedent Narrative of your harsh proceedings against me , to you all in general , to leave you without excuse , and thereupon , as a Free ▪ born English man ( who , as you well know , hath written , suffered more than any , or all of you , for the publick Liberty of the Nation , without the least reward ( upon which account I may Justly challenge , as great an Interest in the Laws and Liberty of the Nation , as any man this day breathing ; ) I shall make bold ( being thus inforced by you thereunto ) to make some Proposals unto you ( who have e Declared an unaccountable Power , or Officer in any State , to be A MONSTER both in Nature and Politicks ; ) for the publike and your own particular good , and my better relief , which I beseech you sadly to consider , because I fear , you now meet with more * Sycophants than Faithfull Friends and Monitors to inform you of your extravagances . First , whether these exorbitant Proceedings against me , contrary to all the forementioned Laws , Statutes , Declarations , Parliamentary Votes and Resolutions of both Houses in my very Case , be an inviolable maintaning , upholding , preserving of the fundamental Laws of the Land , Liberty and property of the people , according to the f Solemn Protestation , Vow , Covenant , you have made , subscribed , in the presence of the everliving God , with a real intention to perform the same , as you shall answer the contrary , at the great day of Iudgement , or of your own g former late printed Declarations , published to this Kingdom , Nation and the whole world ? And by what authority derived to you from God , or men you can justifie or excuse this extream violation of all these Laws and Premises , contrary to the very Letter of your Protestations , Covenants , and publike h Declarations , in this second year of Englands pretended Redemption from Tyranny and Slavery , which never felt , nor complained so much of both of them , as now under you . 2ly . How you , who professe your selves such Eminent Saints , yea Patrons of publique Liberty and Piety and justifie the casting , detaining of Saints in Prison , which is the proper work of the Devil , and his Instruments . R 〈…〉 Isay 14. 17. Acts 5. 18. c. 12. 3 , 4 , 5. Mat. 14. 〈…〉 17 18 , 21. but the opening of Prison doors , the loosing , releasing Prisoners , the proper office , work of God , Jesus Christ , and all good Angels , Psal . 146. 7. Isay , 61. ▪ 1. Acts 5. 18 , 19. c. 12. 5. to 20. ●he debarring me and my Servant above three moneths space , from all Gods publike Ordinances , on Lords days , and week days , and denyal of me so much freedom , Liberty , under your New Gaolers and Free-State Government in Christian England , as St. Paul ( though accused for a i Pestilent Fellow , and a stirrer up of sedit ion amongst the Jews throughout the world ) enjoyed under the Pagan , bloody persecuting Tyrant k Nero in Heathen Rome it self , Acts 28. 15. to the end : Yea , as all publike Traytors , Malefactors whatsoever , by the Laws of the Kingdom 〈◊〉 enjoy , and all late restrained Cavalliers in Armes have enjoyed ? And how you will at last escape that heavy Doom denounced against such , as do but only , not visit Christs imprisoned Members ; or such as trouble and oppresse , without imprisoning them , recorded Mat. 25. 41. to the end , 2 Thes . 1. 4. to 10. if you thus close imprison , starve , undoe me , without any just or real cause , only because you have present power in your hands , and the longest sword ; against which practice and ground of present power , there is an heavy woe and judgement particularly denounced , Mich. 2. 1 , 2 , 3 , &c. Which I desire you will seriously read and consider . 3ly . Whether it will not be esteemed an argument of extraordinary Cowardice , Guiltinesse in you , who have all the Militia and power of the Kingdom , both by Land & Sea , in your hands , and such great successes , as you publish ; to stand in fear of such a mean , unarmed , despicable Person as my self ; and thereupon only to mue me up close Prisoner , as you doe , in a remote private Castle , against all Rules of Iustice , l Law , and Christianity ? 4ly . Whether ▪ if you pursue , equal , exceed the Injustice , oppressions , Tyranny & greatest Exorbitances of beheaded Canterbury , Strafford , the suppressed Star-Chamber , Council Table , or late King ( condemned , executed by you so freshly , for a Tyrant , must you not in all justice , reason expect , and in gods due time undergo the self same , or far worse Tragical , fatal ends , as they have done , with eternal Damnation to boot , notwithstanding your present power , Greatnesse , not half so well settled , bottomed , backed by Law , or otherwise , as theirs was , when they sare and acted in State , where you doe now ? For which I intreat you , advisedly to peruse , with sincere hearts . Rom. 2. 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24. Ezech. 18. 12 , 13 , 24. and Isay 14. 4. to 24. These Proposals premised , I have only as ma ny Demands to make unto you ; to which I desire your undelay●d answer , not out of any favour , but meer right and Justice . First , that if you have an● ●riminal or Capital Charge against me , by any known Laws or Statutes of this Realm ( as I am sure you have none ) you will then bring me to a speedy , Just and Legall Tryall for it , upon an Inditement or Presentm●nt of the good and Lawful People of the Neighbourhood , where my pretended Offence was c●mmitted , before a Law●ull Tribunal and Legal Iudges ; ( if there be m any such now in being : ) and that I may be tryed by the Lawfull Judgement of my Peers , according to the good old Laws of the Land ; and have all just exceptions and challenges allowed me ; and not to be murdered , destroyed as some lately have been , by Tyrannical and Arbitrary Courts ▪ Marshal , or mi●-named ▪ New Courts of high Iustice , set up in direct opposition subversion and destruction , of the very n Common Law of England , ( the Highest Liberty of the Subjects , the very safety , preservation of their Lives , their o c●ief●st Bulworks against all Arbitrary Powers , which are all now prostituted to the Lawless wils of others ) & the expresse Statutes of Magna Charta , c. 14. 29. 25 E. 1. c. 1 , 2 , 3. 28 E. 1. c. 1. 1 E. 3. c. 19. 2 E. 3. c. 1. 4 E. 3. c. 1. 5 E. 3. c. 1. 9. 10 ▪ E. 3. c. 1. 14. E. 3. c. 1. 15 E. 3. c. 1 , 2 , 3. 20 E. 3. c. 1. 3. 28 E. 3. c. 2 ▪ 4. 28 E 3. c. 1. 31 E. 3. c. 1. 37 E. 3. c. 1. 18. 38 E. ●3 . c ▪ 1. 9. 42 E. 3. c. 1. 3. 45 E. 3. c. 1. 50 E. 3. c. 2. 1 R. 2. c. 1 2 R ▪ 2. c. 1. 3 R. 2. c. 1. 5. R. 2. c. 1. 5. 6 ▪ R. 2. c. 1. 7 ▪ R. 2. c. 2 ▪ 3. 8 R. 2. c. 1. 9 R. 2. c. 1. 12 R. 2. c. 1 13 R. 2. c. 2. 5. 14 R. 2. c. 1. 12. 1 H. 4. c. 1. 10. 2 ▪ H. 4. c. 1. 11. 19. and Rot. Parl. n. 60. 4 H. 4. c. 1. 7 H. 4. c. 1. 9 ▪ H. 4 c. 1. 13 H. 4. c. 1. 2 H. 5. c. 6. 8 , 9. 2 H. 5. Stat. 2. c. 3. 3 H. 5. c. 1. 7. 4 H. 5. c. 1. 7 H. 5. c. 1. 2 H. 6. c. 1. 6 H. 6. c. 1. 8 H. 6. c. 10. 29. 9 H. 6. c. 3. 10 H. 6. c. ●0 . 14 H ▪ 6. c. 1. 15 H. ● . c. 5. 18 H. 6. c. 12. 20 H. 6. c. 9. 31 ▪ H. 6. c. 1. 33 H. 6. c. 2. 1 R. 3. c. 3 , 4. 11 H. 7. c. 1. 11 H. 7. c. 21. 4 H. 8. c. 2. 6 H. 8. c. 6. 22 H. 8. c. 2. 14. 23 H. 8. c. 3. 13. 25 H. 8. c. 6. 22. 26 H. 8. c. 5. 6. 13. 27 H. 8. c. 4. 24. 26. 28 H. 8. c. 1. 7. 15. 32 H. 8. c. 4. 33 H. 8. c. 12. 20. 23 ▪ 24. 35 H. 8. c. 26. 35 H. 8. c. 1. 2. 37 H. 8. c. 5. 6. 8. 1 E ▪ 6. c. 1. 10. 12. 2 and 3 E. 6. cap. 1. 2. ●4 . ● & 6 E6 . c. 4. 9. 〈◊〉 11. 14. 1 Mar. c. 3. 6. 1 & 2 Phil. & Mar. c. 10. 4 & 5 Phil. & Mar. c. 3. 4. 1 E. c. 1. 2. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 4 ▪ 10. 11. 15. 21 Eliz. c. 3. 4. 13 El. ● . 1. 2. 14 Eliz. c. 1. 2 ▪ 3 ▪ 18. Eliz. c. 1. 2● Eliz. c. 1. 2. 27 Eliz. c. 1. 2. 29 Eliz. c. 1. 35 Eliz. c ▪ 1● . 39 El. c. 15. 43 El. c. 13. 1 ●ac . c. 28. 11. 12. 27. 31. 3 Jac. c. 2. 4. 5. 13. 4 Jac. c. 1. 7 Jac. c. 1. 6 10. 13. 21 Jac. c. 4. with p sundry other Acts , and the very Letter of the Petition of Right ( so highly magnified fo● the most excellent ▪ most just , free and equal of any other Laws in the World , by those now sitting at Westminster , in their Declaration of March 17. 1648. for setling the present Government in way of a Free State , wherein they solemnly engage inviolably to maintain them ; and yet now trample them all under feet by these illegal arbitrary ●udicatories , so much q declaimed against heretofore ) of purpose to destroy all sorts , degrees of Subjects , and Freemen of England , ) Though no Souldiers under Military Discipline , contrary to all these Laws and Franchises of the Land ; when and where , no Legal Iury , nor Court of Iustice ; will or can condemn them ; adju●ged wilfull murder here●ofore , and so resolved ▪ in P●rliament , as Sir Edward Cook r informes us in his 3. Institutes ( printed by Order of the House of Commons , ) and so esteemed by G●d himself , though coloured by a ●re●ext of Law , Psal . 94. 20 ; 21. 1 ▪ Kings 21 ▪ ●●o 2 ▪ 5. Iohn 19. 7. 16. 18. compared with Acts 2. 23. c. 3. 14 , 15. c. 7. 52. yea a more transcendent publickly avowed Act of absolute Arbitrary Power ; and Tyranny , than ever the late King or any of his Predecessers were guilty off , which endangers every mans life , and chopps off every mans head , in taking off any ones , yea ▪ such , as in conclusion , may prove a new Perillus his Bull , to torture , destroy the first ●uve●tors by Gods just judgements ; the Heathen Poet ●vi● observing , — N●c ●nim Lex justio● ulla , Quam necis artifices Arte perire sua . Whereof we have a memorable Scripture President in that Tyrant , Adonibezek , Judg. 1. 6 , 7. and in the shedders of the blood of Saints , Rev. 16. 5 , 6. seconded with four s formidable Comminations both in the old & new Testament , G●n . 9. 6. Ezech. 35. 5 , 6. Obad. 10. 15. &c. Jam. 2. 13. Rom. 2. 1 , 2 , 3. and with a most observable example in Thomas ▪ Lord Cromwell , recorded by Hall , and Sir Edward Cook , in his 4 Institutes p. 37 , 38. who in the height of his greatness & power , endeavouring to procure an Act of Parliament , to take away some other m●ns lives , without any Lawful Inditement Tryal & by their Peers , contrary to the forementioned Laws , by the meer Legislative power of the Parliament , was the first and only man that suffered and l●st his head , wi●hout any Legall Tryal , by a bare Act of Parliament . 31. H. 8. c. 3. which kind of illegal taking away mens lives , being next degree , & very near of kindred to a private Assasination , or Publick Massacre of those we fear or ●ate ; and in one respect worse than either of them , because disguised with a pretended shew of Justice , is for ever to be abominated and exploded by all Pretenders to Piety and Publick Freedome , and not ▪ to be tolerated in any free Monarchy or Republick upon any pretence of necessity or Publick safety whatsoever : and so much the rather , because the blood of such so murthered and destroyed , will t cry loud to God for exemplary Vengeance , as Naboth● did , 1. Kings . 21. 10. to 25. And if he that only hateth his Brother , be a Murderer and hath not ●ternall life abiding in him . 1 John ▪ 3. 15. Then certainly those who thus not only hate , but illegally destroy and execute their Christian English Brethren , yea s●ay their B●ethren in Covenant , by thousands , with a rage reaching up to Heaven , 2. Chron. 28. 9. 13. must much more be bloody v Murderers in Gods accoutnt , and sha●● never inherit eternal Life , unlesse they seriously repent and abandon all such Barbarons Cruelty , and new Butcheries of men , which every Heroick Christian and true English Spirit cannot but with highest indignation p●otest against , out of zeal to Gods Honor , his Native Countrys , hereditary Liberties , his own and posterities safety , which I desire you to ●ay close unto your spirits , as you will answer the contrarie before Christs Tribunal at the last , upon the seasonable information and admonition of him , who hath suffered so much for his Countries Freedome , and would rather dye ten thousand de aths than see it ( after so much expence of Treasure . blood in defence , of the for ecited Laws , and publick Freedome ) enthralled to such a strange new Butchery and Tyranny , as this ( and that in Westminster Hall it ●elf in the highest Court of Law and Justice in former times ) under the monstrous contradictory Title of High or Highest Iustice ; true only in the Proverbs sence , * Summum jus summa Injuria . 2. If you have no particular Charge or Crime , for which by Law you can thus restrain me ; that you will then immediatly enlarge me , without any limitations or conditions whatsoever ; and render me full Dammages for my false Imprisonments past ; and not thus mo●est and oppres●e me for the future , against all Rules of Iustice and Piety . 3. That you will presently restore all my seised Trunks , Books , Records , Papers , Writings , being most of them my own peculiar ; the rest the only x Iustification and Defence I have● , if ever I should be hereafter questioned for any Treatises I have published concerning the late King , Canterbury or others ( out of my s●ised Originals or Transcripts ) for the Common good ; which certainly deserve a far more honourable reward , and gratefull requital , than such a violent publique search of my house , studies , seisure of my Truncks , Papers , by Souldiers , and so long strict , chargeable a close imprisonment of my Person , as I have sustained . 4ly . That , if you will still close imprison me against Law & Conscience , you will then either defray the charges of my imprisonment , or else cause the Treasurers of Bishops Lands immediatly to pay me the 800 pounds salary due unto me as a Contractor ( for which I never yet received one cue , and should never have desired any thing , but upon this extraordinary occasion of expence ) and the Committee for your Army , to pay me all such moneys , as are or shall be certified to be due unto me for free quartering of your Souldiers , to help support me in Prison , and defray those Debts , which your present oppression , the losse of my Calling thereby , and your illegal heavy Taxes have contracted , in stead of receiving any recompense for my former illegal sufferings , damages , and manifold faithfull Services for the publique , according to y former publique Engagements and Votes . And so expecting your undeferred positive answer to all these just demands , I shall till then remain , Your over-oppressed close Prisoner and Captive , WILL. PRYNNE , To Mr. Iohn Bradshaw Serjeant at Law , and the rest of his Assessors at Whitehall , present these . Dunster Castle , Octob. 30. 1650. TO Mr. IOHN BRADSHAW , AND HIS ASSOCIATES AT WHITEHALL , ( Stiling themselves the The Councel of State ) his Imprisoners . The Remonstrance of several Grievances , and Demands of Common Right by William Prynne Esq their 2 years and 3 moneths Close Prisoner under Souldiers , in the remote Castles of Dunster , Taunton , and Pendennys in Cornwall , before any Legal Accusation , Examination , Indictment , Tryal , Conviction , or Objection of any particular Crime after above 8 years former Imprisonments , and unrecompensed great sufferings , Losses for the Publike and Religion under their White-hall Predecessors , and all his Faithfull , Unmercenary Services for the Publike Laws , Rights , Privileges of the English Nation Shewing , THat although he be a Freeman of England , both by Birthright , and Dear-bought Purchase , having a formerlysustained above 8 years imprisonments , and more heavy Sufferings in his Person , Calling , Estate , than any of this Nation ; meerly for writing in Defence of the ●ust Laws , Liberties , Franchises of the Land , and true Protestant Religion , in the worst of former times , against the Invaders thereof , and spent the greatest part of his life and estate in painful studies , S●rvices , Sufferings , Duresses for the Publike ( without the least Recompence , Reward , or Self advantage ) our of a sincere Publike Spirit , unbiassed with private ends . And hath in all his Relations , as a Lawyer , Magistrate , Committee-man , Member of Parliament , of this Kingdom , and a Christian , diligently endeavoured b to keep a good Conscience always in all things void of offence toward● God and Men ; never to his knowledge perpetrating any Crime , deserving Bonds or close Restraint , by any known Law of this Land , nor acting or writing any thing , but what his own deliberate Judgement , Science , Conscience , clearly resolved him , to be agreeable to , and warranted by the sacred Oracles of God , the Principles of our Reformed Religion , the Fundamental , Common Statute-Laws , Franchiscs of England , the Resolutions , Judgements , Declarations of our ancient and late best Parliaments , and c B●oks Printed by their Authority ; and those solemn , serious Oaths , Protestations , Covenants , imposed on , and oft taken by him , by Parliamentary Authority ( which still lye as d immnutable , inviolable , divine obligations on his Soul , till otherwise convinced of his total and final Absolution from them , by the brutish Arguments of the longest Sword , and long , illegal , close imprisonments under Sword-men ) in pursuance of his bounden duty to God , his Lawfull Superiour Powers , and beloved Native Country , whose truest , greatest , weal , Peace , Settlement , he hath ever studied , advanced to his utmost power , by all Christian , honourable , just and righteous means , though incountred therein with many Discouragements , and ingrate requitals from most sorts of men . That although by the expresse provisions of the Common Law , the Great Charter of England , ch . 29. ( confirmed in about 40 several Parliaments ) the Statutes of 25 E. 1 ▪ c. 2. 28 E. 1. c. 1 , 2. 1 E. 3. c. 5. 5 E. 3. c. 8 , 9. 25 E. 3. c. 4. 28 E. 3. c. 3. 35 E. 3. rot . Parl. n. 20. 37 E. 3. c. 18. 42 E. 3. c. 1 , 2 ▪ 3 ▪ & rot . Parl. n. 42. 2 H. 4. rot . Parl. n. 10. 4 H. 4. c. 13. 5 H. 4. c. 10. 23 H. 8. c. 2. The Petition of Right , 3. Caroli . The Act for In pressing Souldiers 17. Caroli , with sundry other Statutes ; the e printed Decl●rations , Remonstrances , Iudgements , Votes of all our late Parliaments , and the known Rules of Common Iustice , no English Freeman may or ought to be arrested , imprisoned , exiled , outlawed , or deprived of his Liberty , Freehold , Writings , Papers , Members , Life , Franchises , without due Processe of Law , Indictment or Presentment by his Lawfull Peers , executed by f known , Lawfull responsible sworn Officers of Justice ; after a Legal Accusation , Examination , or Conviction of ●ome partic●lar Offence ; nor enforced to goe out of his own Country , against his will , or imprisoned in any private or forein Castles , but only in Common usual Prisons , under sworn Gaeolers , without debarring free Accesse of Friends and Letters to or from him , or searching his House , Study , Truncks , Pock●ts for Writings , Letters , Books , to pick out matter of Accusation against him , or examining himself , or others ▪ Ex officio , to that end , in an extrajudicial manner , before any Legal Charge exhibited ; Nor yet translated from one unusual Prison to another , without hearing , or bringing him to any just , lawfull Tribunal , the next g General Assizes or S●ssions held within the Country , wherein he is imprisoned , or releasing him the next Goal delivery , if not then indicted and Legally prosecuted for what he is imprisoned . That albeit his former professed , oppressing Enemies , the old Councel Table , Star Chamber , High Commission , Lords and Prelates h ( condemned , suppressed , and some of them executed by most of your concurrent suffrages , as the greatest Tyrants , the last Parliament , for their extravagant , unjust Censures , and some exorbitant Proceedings against him and others ) were even then so candid and honourable towards him , at first ( though accused of pretended scandalous , seditious Passages in his Histriomastix against the King , Queen , Court , State , Government , Prelates ) as not violently to attach by Troopers in the night , and close imprison him in remote unusual Castles , without hearing , but only summoned him by a single n●armed , known , sworn Messenger , to appear before them the next day , and upon his appearance charged him for writing a particular pretended offensive Book , then produced and heard him concerning it , before they committed him ; and after sent him Prisoner at large to their usual Prison , the Tower of London , under an honourable Gardian , near his then residence , and friends , who with all others had free accesse to ▪ and conference with him , both in publike and private , without restraint , or any Evesdroppers , appointed to over-hear their discourses with h●m , and supervise all Letters , Writings , Papers to and from him ; which Liberty he there enjoyed , even after his first severe Sentence , till the second Bill against him . And when after they caused his Study and Chamber to be searched , imployed only Mr. Noy , then the Kings Attorney , and two Clerks of the Councel ( Responsible Persons of eminency , learning , judge ment , able to judge of Books , and writings fit for leisure , not rude illiterate Souldiers ) in that service ; who never finally ransaked his Pockets , nor seised any Notes , writings , Letters , Books , not relating to his Charge ; which they speedily prosecuted in a usual Court of Iustice , continuing him , even after their first Sentence , a Prisoner at large in the Tower. After which they i exhibited a second Bill against him , Dr. Bastwick , and Mr. Burton in Star-chamber , concerning particular Books thereto annexed , and heard them ( in a sat ) at the Barre , before , they sentenced them to be kept close Prisoners in remote Castles , and upon their removals thither , gave them convenient notice , to provide necessaries , provided Horses , Coaches at the Kings own cost , to carry them Prisoners thither , and afterwards provisions and Ships to transport them to Jernsy , Garnsey , and Silly Castles , promising to allow them competent diet , during their close restraints ( which the other two ordinarily received , and he but for 3 weeks only in the Tower ) never placing armed C●nti●els day and night at their doors , dogging them at the heels , when ever they stirred out thence , but to suck in Prisonair , or exonerate Nature , during their closest Restraints ; yet notwithstanding , such is his strange late unhappiness● , after all his pristine Martyrdomes , and unmercenary eminent Services for Religion , Laws , Liberties , and his Country , instead of receiving the least voted satisfaction for them ; as that by colour of several illegal warrants from you ( though for the most part his late professed Christian Friends and Servants too in verbal complements , as he was really some of yours , and the publikes upon all occasions to his power ) issued under Mr. B●andshaws hands , not to Legal ▪ known , sworn , responsible , publike Officers of Justice ( as by our k Laws they ought to be ) but to unknown , unusual , unsworn , obscure , ignorant Souldiers ( unable to judge of scandalous or seditious Writings , Letters , Papers , Books , Records , and never raised nor paid by the Nation for such unlawfull empIoyments , subverting all the foresaid Laws , and Subjects common Liberties ▪ for whose real ( f ) Defence they were first waged by the Parliament , as violently to force and ransack Mens Houses , Studies , Papers , arrest , imprison their Persons in private Castles , now turned into Common Gaols , and they into Gaolers ) his Chamber , Study , Truncks at Lincolns Iune ▪ during his absence thence , by a party of Souldiers ( to him yet unknown ) before the least Summon● , accusation , examination , or objection of any special Crime against him , on the 26 of June 1650. were forcibly searched , ransacked , and all his Writings , Papers , Records , Letters , Truncks ( as he was informed ) carried away by them thence ( without giving any Inventory of them ) to White-●all , with some printed Books . A●ter which , on the 30 of that Month , being the Lords day , a strong party of Hors● , near Midnight , beset and forced his House at Swainswick in Somersetshire ( though he then openly resided , being never a Fugitive , nor afraid to look any mortal or Tribunal in the Face all his life ) seised his Person in his Bed ▪ Chamber , searched all his House , Study , Truncks , with his Sisters and Servants Chests , & Boxes for Writings , Papers , Letters , Records , Books , taking away what they pleased ▪ and then bringing him Prisoner to their quarters ▪ carryed him out of the way , through the whole City of Bristol , as their Prisoner , in the head of two Troops in triumph , with Trumpets sounding , like a transcendent Malefactor ; After which they delivered him over to Dragooners , who conveyed him clos● Prisoner to Dunster Castle ; ( a Garrison 50 miles from his house ) w●ere he and his Servant attending him ( though he could get no provisions dressed in it ) were by your pretended Orders , detained close Prisoners , under armed Guards , denied liberty to speak with any of their friends , or others , about any occasion , but in the presence and hearing of captious Evesdroppers , observing every word they spake , or to receive or send any Letters ( though to your selves , by their Gardians own hands ) or read any Books , but what they first perused and approved , who were there his supreme Governours , being two late beardlesse Apprentices , the one to a Baker , the other to a Cutl●r in London , understanding neither Latin nor Law ; nor able to write true English , yet one of them a constant Chaplain to his Souldiers ( who for the most part seldom resorted to any Ordinances in publike , reviled our Ministers , Sacraments ; some of them openly asserting , by word * and writing , the mortality of mens soules , as being nought else but flesh , and dying with their bodies , with other erroneous Arminian and Iesuitical Te●e●ts ) who most unchristianly debarred him and his Servant from all Gods publike Ordinances , notwithstanding many fruitlesse complaints unto you for redresse of this m Soul-murthering cruelty ▪ And so over-officious were they , as ( without and beyond your Orders ) to keep a constant Court of Guard at his Chamber door , to his great disturbance , and others there , to search , and six days imprison one of his Servants , who brought him necessaries from his own only Sister , meerly , for offering to her by his command , a Copy of your Order for his imprisonment , and of ▪ a Letter to you for his enlargement , ( formerly perused , allowed , and sent to you by them ) for her satisfaction ; denying her afterwards ( when she had taken a long winter journey thither , only to visit him ) the least accesse unto him for an whole night and day ; and at last , upon her resolution to depart without sight of him , admitting her to visit him , upon this precedent promise and condition , not to stay with him above one quarter of an hour , though in their Supervising , over-hearing presence ; albeit she was formerly admitted to him , without delay , scruple , Evesdropper , and to continue with him many times , for sundry hours together , whiles he was close imprisoned in the Tower , by the Star-chamber Lords and Prelates . After which , ( upon their mis ▪ informations ) his Laundresse Mrs. Carre in London , Mr. George Gear his Sisters Husband were both examined , and committed Prisoners , and Mr. George Luttrel and his wife in Dunste● Castle strictly examined , upon special Articles by your Order , of purpose to sift out , post factum , some matter of accusation against him , to justifie these Antecedent injurious Proceedings ; and himself for the same end , was there sent for to be examined ex Officio by Collonel ▪ Pyne ( his greatest causelesse Enemy and Prosecutor ) concerning things done , and * Pamphlets printed in London , after his close Imprisonment at Dunster , which he never heard of , nor saw before ; to which revived Prelatical , High-Commission Proceedings ( condemned in all ages , as unrighteous , tyrannical , and so lately damned in full Parliament as such ) he refused to submit , for the Reasons mentioned in his Protestation , drawn up , and then promised to be sent unto you by Iohn Pyne his Examiner . Besides , his Servant there attending him , was sollicited by some of your Agents , not only to desert his Service , but also to betray his Secrets and him , Souldiers there set , not only to listen at his Door , Windows , but to creep behind the hangings ▪ in his Chamber , ( whereof they kept the Key ) whiles he and his Servant were at their private Prayers , to pick matter from them to accuse him ▪ And not only his Prison Chamber , Bed , Bedding , Cloaths , Hangings , but even his very Pockets were there forcibly searched by his armed * Gardians , by pretext of your Order , and the Copies of his Letters , in answer to theirs , with his very Collections out of , and Tables to the Books he there read , violently taken away without Restitution , notwithstanding his Resistance , Protestation , and reading of sundry n Declarations of Parliament there against it ; declaring such searches , not only against Law , and the Common Liberty of every Subject , which they might resist with force , but those to be publike Enemies to the State , who attempted them : Whereunto his Gardians replyed , * They were commanded by you to do it ; and therefore must obey without dispute against thes● Declarations : Adding , that they must and would † kill , hang , or cut his throat ( though never ac●used , nor condemned of any offence ) if enjoyned by you so to doe , so well were they versed in the Jesuites Doctrine , and Practise of blind Obedience , and Assassination too , upon all occasions ; Of all which particulars , though he earnestly complained to all and sundry of you , by divers Letters , yet he received not the least redresse : But was ( to Mr. Lutterils and the Countries great charge and oppressing ) kept ▪ there still clōse Prisoner in Mr. * Lutterils domestick Castle Lodgings , with 20 Souldiers purposely to guard him sundry Months after the Castle walls and out-Houses there demolished ( before any notice , or without the least ●atisfaction , given to the owner thereof ▪ Mr. Lutteril , damnified above 4000l . thereby to recompense his former 6000l . losses by the Kings party , for his fidelity to the Parliament , whom he served gratis as a Collonel ) and the Garrison thence removed by your specia● Order ; which in Law ▪ reversed your Warrant for his Imprisonment there , and set him free . After which on the 12 Iune 1651. by a Warrant from Colonel Desbrow , without any from you , to increase his expences and vexation , he was translated to Taunton Castle ( notwithstanding his Protest against it , as being then set at Liberty in point of Law , by Dunster Castles dismantling , and that Garrisons dissolution , to which only he was confined , and no Prisoner to this Collonel , nor subject to his Military Power , by any Law he knew ) whither being brought close Prisoner , he was for want of Bedding ( which the Governour could neither borrow nor hire in the Town , so much did they detest his causelesse close imprisonment there ) mued up close Prisoner in an Inn over against the Castle ( even when some Collonels formerly in armes for the King were there set free ) with two Souldiers to guard him , who had so much good manners , as not to permit Captain Georges ( though then a Collonel of the County Militia Horse ) to see or speak with him in their presence , unlesse he would first seek out his Governour at the Castle , and gain his license ; two others of them having the like rudenesse at Dunster Castle , as to quarrel with and affront two Devonshire Gentlemen of quality ( there visiting Mrs. Lutterel their Kinswoman ▪ only because one of them passing by your Prisoner , as he was walking , moved his hat , and said , God blesse you Sir , without the Governours previou● licence ; and the other recited only a consolatory Latin verse to him out of Virgil , whereupon they saucily told him ; he ought to speake no word or language but what they understood , & should answer it to you if he did . And whereas he desired the Governour at Taunton , being very near the Church , to permit him to goe to the publick Ordinances there , he having no Order to restrain him from them , or so much as to imprison him there from you ; he peremptorily refused it , whereupon he demanded leave to send a Note to Taunton Church , to desire the Prayers of that Congregation from which he was debarred , to this effect ; Mr. William Prynne having for 12 Moneths space last past , been totally deprived of , and debarred from Gods publike Ordinances ( which he enjoyed in his former close restraints ) and from free converse with men , without any particular cause yet declared to him for this his strict restraint , desires the publike and private prayers of this Congregation ( whereto he is now denyed accesse ▪ ) for restitution to Gods Ordinances , and his just Christian and Civil Liberty , after full ten yeans imprisonments and sufferings , for Defence of our Religion , and the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdome and Nation , which Note he inclosed in a Letter to his Governour , proving it to be a chief part of Christian Liberty , and a Gospel Duty , for him to desire , and them to make their publick , private Prayers to God for him in such a condition , By Acts 10. 5. 12. Rom. 15. 31 , 32. 2 Cor. 1. 9 , 10 , 11. 2 Thes . 3. 1 , 2. 2 Tim. 1. 2 , 3. Adding , that all the world , and his own Conscience , would cry shame on , and condemn him , if he should now deny him the benefit thereof . Upon which his Governour was so surprized , that to prevent the infamy of stopping this Note , or reading it publikely in the Church if sent ; he ordered his Lieutenant to accompany his Prisoner to the Congregation , with his two other Guardians . About two weeks following , upon a bare Information , That Taunton was an unfit place for his restraint ( because he had some acquaintance , and good accommodations for Soul and Body there , and was nearer his friends than before ) though not unfit for Collonels of that County , formerly in Armes against the Parliament , there lodged in Innes and private houses , walking about the streets at pleasure , with one single Soldier only to guard them ) he was about the 27 of June 1651. by your fresh warrant , upon few hours warning ( before he could procure a horse for his Servant , or necessaries for so long and costly a journey ) ( notwithstanding his special open Protestation against his transcendent vexation , and reading the late unanimous p Votes of all the Commons ( and most of your selves ) in Parliament against it ( in his own aud his former fellow sufferers Cases ) to his Condnctors ) mounted against his will upon a Troopers Horse , without his Servant , cloaths or Linnen , by a party of Captain Warringtons Troop , and by them carryed close Prisoner that night to Crediton in Devonshire , and from thence by other fresh Parties of other Devonshire and Cornish Troops ( who were all generally very civil to him , some of them having formerly conducted him voluntarily towards London in his return thither from his pristine close restraints in ferein Castles , and lamenting they were now forc'd against their wills , to conduct him to a new close Prison , without an cause or crime at all expressed in their Warrant ; ) He was on the 2 of Iuly 1651. brought close Prisoner to Pendennis Castle , near the extremest parts of Cornwall ( 50 miles further than the Star-chamber Lords , by their last severest sentence sent q Dr. Bastwicke and him , whether his very trespassing Beasts could not be driven by Law ) being above one hundred and fifty miles from his house , near two hundred and fifty miles from his Library , and usual Residence at Lincolns Inne , out of all common roads ; where his kinred , friends , at such a vast distance can neither conveniently visit , send to , hear from , nor supply him with necessaries , where he can have no accommodation of Books to read , nor of Physick , Physicians , or other conveniences in case of sicknesse , nor lodging fit for a Gentleman , being for three Months space imprisoned in a narrow Chamber , newly made for him ( for want of other Lodgings ) just over and besides the Souldiers main guard ▪ from which it was severed only with a few thin borders ) where , by reason of the guards continuall noise , walking , talking , releasing , drumming , and the like , he could enjoy no rest nor sleep , day or night ; to the great impairing of his health , eye-sight , and interruption , not only of his Studies , but Meditations and private Devotions . After which ( upon the enlargement of the Cornish Gentlemen , formerly in Armes against the Parliament , there secured ) he was removed to the best Chamber the Marshalsee there afforded , being but mean , low , small , and by reason of the natural situation of the place ( upon the Top of an Hill next the Sea , near surrounding it , without any tree or other shelter ) is so exposed to winds , storms , tempests , driving the rain through the Windows , Tiles , Chimney , and Fire oft times out of the hearth ; and so subject to smoak , that the last tempestuous winter , his Chamber was sundry times near over-flowen with water , and he forced to set therein many whole , wet , cold days and weeks together , without fire , and sometimes to extinguish it when kindled , lest the smoke should su●focate him ▪ or put out his eyes , ( it being so moist withall , that it presently moulds and rots , Cloaths , Books , Shooes , Vnguents , and other things ; and so dark in Winter , and cloudy weather , that he can hardly see to read therein at Mid-day ) By reason whereof his health hath not only been impeached , but his very life indangered , he having no place to walk within doors , and there being no walking without doors in wet and windy seasons , here very frequent . And whereas some of the Cornish Gentlemen here secured by your order for ▪ being Colo●els and Officers in the late Kings Army against the Parliament , had so much liberty from Captain Charls Shrubsoll ( Deputy Governour of the Castle here under Sir Hardresse Waller ) as in those pretended dangerous times of the feared Scotish Invasion , to repair home to their Friends and Houses only upon their Pa●olls , to walk abroad out of the Castle , both about their occasions , and for their recreations , to visit their fellow Pris●ners in Armes at St Maurs Castle ( who likewise oft repaired to visit them here ) and to consult together , and write Letters concerning their enlargements , without any restraint ; which liberty ▪ I no ways envy or dislike ; yet such was his strange severity towards your Prisoner ( though a constant Servant , Friend , Adherent to , and Member of the Parliament ) as not only to place special m Centinels at his door day and night ) who followed him with their Matches lighted , Musqusts at his heels , when ever he stirred out but to ease Nature , or walk before his Chamber door , in the view of other Centinels and Souldiers , though he had the Marshal and his Servant besides to guard him ) notwithstanding his Protests against it ( being no Prisoner of War ) as a new Military Oppression , Innovation beyond your Orders , and contrary to Law , exposing him to the custody of as many new Gaolers , every day , as there were fresh Centinels , never imposed on him in the Tower or other Garrisons , whiles close imprisoned in them by the Prelates , ( which yet he still continued ) but likewise to debarr him from repairing to the Parish Church to Gods publike Ordinances and Sacraments , though there be no Chapel nor Minister in Orders in the Castle , but only private meetings in the Store-house , where a Chaplain never in orders , and sometimes Soldiers pray and speak ( as they phrase it ) upon some Scripture Text , without reading or singing any Psalm or Chapter , or using any Sacraments , ( And although this Captain and most of his Officers , seldome or never resort to these , nor yet to any other Meetings , from which they withdraw themselves , as being either above or against all Ordinances ) yet he would by no means permit this Remonstrant to resort to Gods publique Ordinances at the Parish Church , contrary to the expresse word and meaning of your Warrant for his removal hither ( occasioned by his forecited Note to his Governour at Taunton ) to permit him Liberty to repair to the publike Ordinances of Gods worship , if he shall desire it , which restraint he continued to his great spiritual prejudice , oppression , and discomfort , notwithstanding his often desires and expostulations too ( till Captain Cosens upon the receit of your late explanation in August last ) permitted him this Liberty . And not content herewith , this Shrubsoll peremptorily denied him Liberty to send any Letters to your selves , or other his Friends in London , to demand his Freedome , or procure his enlargement , or to complain to your selves of these his unparalleld Injuries , even after his perusal of the Laws , unlesse he would likewise first give him Copies of them under his hand , and also trust him with their conveyance , when and by whom he pleased ; which restraint of Letters ( beyond and against your Orders ) this Captain obstinately continuing above 8 moneths space , notwithstanding his Remonstrants , several expostulations with him , and protests against it , as most injurious , unreas●nable and tyrannical , never formerly imposed on himself , or other Prisoners , by any Gardians of late , nor yet antiently on the Prophet n Ieremiah himself , when imprisoned under impious K. Zedechia , as a Traytor to him and his Kingdom , wh● writ and sent abroad his Prophecies against the● in his very Prison , and n●w writ and disp●sed them abroad again , with many additions , when bu●nt by the King , without such restraint● ; nor yet on St. Paul by the bloodiest Pagan Tyrant Nero in heathen Rome it self , when sent Prisoner thither , and publiquely accused by all the Elders and High Priests , for a o Pestilent fellow , and mover of sedivion throughout the world , &c. who p writ most of his sacred Epistles to whole Churches , and particular persons in , and sent them by his own friends and sp●●ial Messengers from his prison in Rome , without his ke●p●rs supervisal , or demand of their Copies , trusting him alone to send them at his pleasure ; No● yet by the cruel Pagan Emperour Domitian the Persecutor on St. Iohn , when confined by him to the q Isle of Patmos , from whence he writ , if not his 3 Canonical Epistles , and Gosple ▪ too , yet his Apocalyps and 7 Epistles to the 7 Churches of Asia , and sent them by his own Messengers , without any perusal or restraint by his Heathen Gardians , ( a tyrannical project ▪ which would have suppressed a great part of the sacred Scripture , if then in use , as now of late ) nor yet imposed by the last Parliament on Strafford , Canterbury , or any others , when impeached , condemned for High Treason , nor on the vilest felo●s in our Common Gaols , nor the very Gally-slaves in Turky , who ever usually freely write and send Letters thence to their friends , to ransome and enlarge them thence ; Upon which considerations , he told him , He would rather die in prison ▪ than submit to this his worse than Turkish Vassalage : Thereupon after so long a fruitlesse Patience , this Remonstrant was necessitated for his relief herein , without this Tyrants privity to use meanes to convey a Letter to Sir Iames Harrington ( one of your society ) formerly , twice perused , and stopped by this Captain , Gardian , upon the termes forementioned , to demand his Liberty , or removal hence from u●der the power of such an Oppressing Gardian , who not only sta●d his perused Letters , and detained him , from Gods Ordinances against your Orders ; but denyed him leave so much as once to go with the Marshall into the Castle fields to gather herbs , which ▪ others ●new not , to make ▪ Salves and Medicaments for lame Impoten● Souldiers of the Garr●son , and other poor People , out of meer Charity , and debarred sundry lame diseased People of this County ( where is neither skilfull Physitian nor Chirurgion near , that could or would help them ) and amongst others , two poor Eisher-men kept near 5 years Gally-slaves in Turkey , lately returned thence with dangerous Vlcers in their Eys , the least accesse unto him even with a guard , to dresse or direct them how to cure their Maladies , to their great grief , only because ( as he afterwards pretended ) they had not taken the Engagement , though never in actuall Arms. A more then Turkish Bar●arisme , not only against the expresse r Precepts , Presidents of the Gospel , the Rules of common Charity , Humanity , but the very Laws of God , of Natnre , of Nations , and War it self ; Which oblige all men to s feed , dresse , cure , and suffer to be fed , dressed , cured the very peirced wounds of Strangers , of t●eir Professed Enemies taken in open battell in the field , and make them liable to severe Punishments if they neglect or refuse it ( for which Sir. Iohn Owen was of late criminally questioned for his life : ) much more then was he obliged to permit poor English Christian ▪ Neighbours , and late Turky Captives , wounds , and Vlcers ( never in Arms ) to be dressed by a charitable Prisoner ; seeing the very Pagan Roman Centurion , who carried St. Paul Prisoner to Rome , gave him both free Libertie and encouragement in his voyage thither , to t to cure Publius Father , and all others diseased Peopl● in the Isle of Melita , who frely resorted to him , and afterwards in Rome it self , without restraining them or him from so charitable a work , and the very Samaritan commended in the Gosple by Christ himself , v who went about doing good , healing all diseases of the ungratefull people in all places ; and x healed Malchus his Ear , who came out to take him , whiles a Prisoner under the High Pr●ests Officers and Souldiers , ( for our Christian imitation ●n like cases ) did so farr compassionate the man wounded and left half dead ●y Thieves in the high way ( though a meer Stranger to him of author Nation , ) as to go to him , bind his wou●ds , powring oyl & wine into them , set him , on his own beast , bring him to his Inne , take care of him , and pay for his expences and cure , whose example is thus backed with Christs own Gosple-Precept to every one of his followers and others , Goe , and DO THOV LIKEWISE . Luke 10. 29. to 38. Which Presidents and Scriptures though urged to this Barbarian , could not prevail on his stony heart for his admission to him for their cure ; nor yet for Engagers themselves with out speciall Officers and Souldiers , beside the Marshall appointed to supervise his dressing of and directions to them ; as if this his very Charity and Compassion to p●●r y distressed People , he never knew nor saw before , might prove Treasonable and destructive to your free Estates . Sir Iames Harrington receiving this Letter , & information , and moving you on this Remonstrants behalf , acquainted his Friend who delivered it ; you all declared , that he had free Liberty of the Castle granted him , and of Letters to and from him , without restraint , who writing him word of the delivery of his Letter to Sir James , and this his Answer thereunto , this Governour upon perusall of the Letter ( first brought to him ) instead of taking off these his former injurious Restraints , like an inhuman Procrustes , reinforsed them all with greater severity , and withall commanded the Marshall forth with under Pain of forfeiting his place , to lock your Remonstrant up close Prisoner in his Chamber , ( which was never done before , ) besides a Centinell always placed at his Door , to keep all Officers , Souldiers of the Castle , as well as others , from him ; and not to permit him to stir out of his Chamber with a Centinell but in his company , or speak with any but in his presence ; Which being accordingly executed with all rigour , the Remonstrant thereupon first by Letters , and afterwards by discourse before Officers , expostulated with him concerning this New Oppression , as not only against your former Warrants , which ●ad not the words ▪ close Imprisonment , much lesse in his Chamber , z in them , as the Order for his close Imprisonment under the old ●ouncel Table Lords had ) but as an high contempt of your authority , and new Declaration ●ignifi●d by Sir James , desiring him , either presently to right him therein himself , or to give him leave to compl●in thereof to you by writing ; Whereunto he replyed , He would not take off these new nor the former restraints , but if he would complain thereof to you , and state the matter of fact truly ●y writing , he would not only f●eely send , but assist it too : Which he doing accordingly , and directing it to Sir Iames to communicate to you , on his be●alf , sent the draught thereof to him by the Marsh●l , to peruse and rectifie , if m●staken in any thing ; a●d then to send it away according to his prom●s ; who after persual thereof , peremptorily refu●ed , either to send , correct , except against , or restore it ; stopping his other Letters to Sir Iames ( though twice alterd to his mind ) complaining of this miscariage , & intreating him , to certifie under his hand , whether he used any such words or Declaration to his friend or no , as aforementioned ; he having in a bravado , to palliate this his Tyranny , laid 5l . to 12 d. with the Prisoner ( who delivered him 12d . in the presence of his Officers , which he was to make 5 l. in money , if such words were used ) ●hat Sir Ja. never spake such words to his F●i nd as were contained in his Letter , promising to give him leave to write to Sir James and his friend to that end ; and yet staying his Letters to both , when written , and denying either to alter them , or write himself to that purpose , or restore the 12 d. received , or to draw up the differences himself , and present them to you ; continuing him thus above 6 weeks Prisoner under lock and key , in his close littl● Chamber , to the great impairing of his health , ( so as his appetite and digestion was quite lost for several weeks , insomuch that he could not eat or ●igest the Leg or Wing of a Chicken , nor any meat else but a little broth ) and leaving him ( so remote from his friends ) in this sad condition , destitute of all means of complaint or relief herein , till Captain Cosens Deputy Governour in his absence ( using him more civilly like a Gentleman ) since Shrubsols occasions drew him hence to London , enlarged him from this close restraint , to enjoy the freedome of the Castle , the purity of Gods publick Ordinances , and sending of Letters , when first approved by himself , such a Ward and School boy is he , yet to this very hour , under your Free-State , even after the Court of Wards quite voted down . And whereas all Collonels and Gentlemen heretofore in actual Arms against the Parliament here , or elsewhere , secured ( in their proper Counties only , not in foraign ) in the late times of danger , were a full year since enlarged from their far more favourable restraints than his , by your general Order , and many Theeves , Felons , legally deserving death , both pardoned and set free , without any Petitions to you from them ; and not only diverse Popish Recusants in A●mes , but some Popish Pr●ests and Jesuites , imprisoned before your Government , absolutely released under it , yea exempted from the very Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance a ( specially provided , prescribed by the wisdom of many pious Parliaments , for the detection and prevention of their manifold treasonable practices against our Realms , Princes , Parliaments , Government , Laws , Liberties and Religion ) from some if not all old penal Laws , formerly made , and those b 5 new excellent Bills and Oaths of Abjuration ▪ for their better , speedier discovery , a●d suppression , so c earnestly pressed by our late zealous Parliaments , and consented too by the late King ( so d much taxed by you for indulgence towards them ) in the last Treaty without scruple , yet since quite buried with ●im in oblivion , and some of them ( unwittingly , as is conceived ) entertained as Troopers , Souldiers in pay in your very Guards , for want of such strict inquiries after them , and such meanes to prevent their coming over , and to detect them as formerly ; and not one of them ( for oug●t he can hear ) close imprisoned ( if imprisoned at all ) in remote Castles , under such Guards , Centinels , Restraints , as his forementioned ; though in e near one hundred printed Declarations of Parliament ▪ remonstrated to the World , to be the Original Contrivers , the chief Incendiaries , Fomentors , Promoters of the first late Warres between Scotland and England , and the late King and Parliament , of purpose thereby to subvert the Protestant Religion both at home and ab●oad , destroy that last , and all future Parliaments , our Lawes , Liberties , and former setled Government , and introduce Popery , Anarchy , Slavery and Military Tyr●●y in their pl●c●s : Whereupon they are grown so audacious , as not only secretly to infuse their Jesuitical Tenents , Pract●ces , Poli●icks of most dangerous consequence ( expr●ssed in sundry former f Acts of P●rliament purposely enacted to prevent them ) into the Souldiery a●d Pe●ple ▪ now much infected with them , but likewise by their instruments , to translate , print and vend publiquely , throughout the Nation ( without Inhibition or Punishment ) their Jesuitical Books even in folio ; professedly ass●rting , both th● Popes Sup●emacy , pra●ing to Saints and Angels , Purgatory , Masse , Transubstantiation , and all other points of grossest Popery for undoubted Truths necessary to Salvation , and also positively maintaining our true Protestant Religion to be grosse Heresie , and our late famous Queen Elizabeth , with all true professors thereof , to be damnable Hereticks : Witnesse the Jesuite Edmond Causin his Holy Court , printed in several folio Tomes in London it self ( translated into English by Papists , Jesui●es , and dedicated to the two greatest Female Papists ▪ Queen Mary , and the Dutchesse of Buckingham ) sold publikely under your Noses , and elsewhere , with the very Jesuites badge S. I. ( S●cietatis Iesis ) in Capitals , in the Title Page ; and this bold subscription , Printed at London by William Bently , Anno 1650. ( since his close imprisonment by you ) and are to be sold by Iohn Williams in Pauls Churchyard ; where all these Popish Tenents are largely maintained , to the great Scandal and Offence of all true Protestants , as you may read at leisure ▪ Tom. 1. p. 30 to 38 ▪ 63 , 64 , 68 , 74 , 75 ▪ Tom. 2. p. 168. Tom. 3. p. 425 to 430. 461 , 462. Tom. 5. p. 173 , 174. 304 to 319 The Angel of Peace to all Christian Princes , p. 10 , 11 , and elsewhere ; to omit all other Iesui●ical , Arminian , Popish Erroneous Books against our Religion , now publikely written , printed , vended * ( by thousands ) under you with impunity , though so lately charged , pressed by the whole House of Commons * against Canterbury as an Article of High Treason , for which amongst others he lost his head , by Iudgement of Parliament , and your own concurrent Votes and Approbations . Yet he who out of pure love , zeal to his God , true Religion , Country , Parliaments , hath constantly stuck unto , and written most of any man in times of greatest need and danger , in defence of the just g Power , Rights , Privileges of our true English Parliaments and Nation against all Opponents ; against all late introduced h Arminian , i Popish , Iesuitical Errours , Doctrines , Ceremonies , Innovations , Books , and made the first , the fullest discoveries of and Oppositions in print of any man ( with no little pains ▪ cost , losse , danger ) against their manifold dangerous Books , Practices , Plots , Conspiracies to undermine our Religion , Parliaments , Laws , Liberties , Government , and involve all Protestant Kingdoms , States , Churches , in bloody intestine wars , to their own mutual destruction , but these Iesuites insultation , exul●ation , and that by approbation , authority of Parliament , and most of your applauses ; And hath particularly informed some of you by Letters , since his restraints , of admired indulgences towards Priests , ●esuites ; of one particular noted Iesuite ( who for a fortnights space together disputed with a friend of his at St. Omers , with 5 other Iesuites more , about August 1649 , since listed a Trooper ) in your Guards , and of this late printed Iesuites folio Book , without any reformation or suppression of either , upon his complaints thereof ; during this their licentious Liberty and Freedom ( to their grand Rejoycing Advantage , and the great Grief , Offence , of most really affected to our Religion , or the publike weal ) without any cause , hearing , or release , must be shut up and continued close Prisoner by you , year after year , and sent from one remote Castle to another ▪ remoter and worser than it , and there kept under strictest Guards , Centinels Restraints , and most injurious Duresses , as aforesaid , without any hopes of release ; notwithstanding his manifold Letters and Addresses to you joyntly and severally ( in such a way as becomes him , though not by unworthy complyances in submission to the self-created new Powers and Titles ) complaining of these fore-remonstrated Proceedings , Searches , Imprisonments , Translations and Restraints in forraign Counties , Castles , under Souldiers , without any precedent Indictment , Tryal and Crime yet specified , and undeniably manifesting them to you , to be co●trary to all Laws of God , Nature , Nations , the Common L●w and Great Charter of England , and other forecited known Statute● , Iudgement● , Declarations , Resolutions , R●monstrances , of all our late Parliaments , the expresse k Votes and Resolves of both Houses of Parliament , in his own late particular case and others ; the indubitable Birthright , Franchises of eve y English Freeman ; of very dangerous President , Conseq●ence to Posterity , and in sundry respects far more exorbitantly unrighteous than his former Grievances and Imprisonments under the worst of your discarded , condemned , decapitated Predecessors at Whitehall ; as your own Judgements , Consciences , upon perus●l hereof , cannot but acknowledge , before all Tribunals of God and Man. And although he hath hereupon earnestly pressed you joyntly and severally from time to time , both by Letters and Friends , for his own and the worlds satisfaction , to specifie the true cause of these your rigorous , anomolous Proceedings , and wrongfull long Restraints ( inconsistent with your manifold printed * Protests , for advancing every m●ns publike Liberty , and abandoning all Approaches towards abolished pristine Tyranny ) And if it be only for difference in Iudgement and Conscience from you , concerning our late publique Charges and Affairs ( the dangerous bloody Consequences whereof since experimentally verified , he truly predicted in his printed Speech in Parliament , and other writings , not then credited by you ) as he and others conjecture ; that then he , and those of his opinion , being the far greatest part of the late undoubted Parliament and English Nation , and having by all Laws of God and Men , as just , as true , as real , full , large ( if not l larger ) an interest in the Republike , as those in greatest present power , and all others of a different Perswasion , being all m equally English Freemen and Peers herein , with you and them may not be prejudged , convinced , without a free Legal publike hearing , by meer Tyrannical violent Iron Arguments and Prisons alone , as hitherto we have been , but that you would like rational men pious Christians , A●sertors of Liberty of Conscience and Common Freedom , admit him , for his own and their conviction and satisfaction ( it mistaken or erronious in our Judgements or Consciences ) to debate these our D●fferences of highest publike Concernment , in a free publike manner , by word or writing , in point of Divinity , Law , Reason , and true Sta●e-Policy , with all or any of the ablest Divines , Lawyers , Scholars , Statesmen of a different Judgement from him , or else quietly to enjoy and follow the D ctates of his own resolved Conscience and Iudgement therein , without molestation , in this age , when not only Liberty but Licentiousnesse of Conscience , in the chiefest Principles of Religion , and most other thin gs , are so much practised and patronised : Or , if it be any real transcendent Crime against any known Law of the Land , deserving such severities before hearing or tryal , or a Capital punishment after them ( whereof he believeth himself really innocent in the impartial verdict of your own Consciences ) that then you would of Common Right and Iustice , according to Magna Charta , and other forecited Laws , without further delay or denial , bring him to a lawfull fair publike Tryal , by his Lawful Peers and Legal Iudges , in some usual Court of Iustic● , before all the world , where he might openly make his full defence against your Charge ; and thereupon be either justly condem ed , if guilty ; or immediately enlarged , repaired for all his forementioned injurious Sufferings , Imprisonments , and his Dammages thereby sustained , if found Guiltlesse ; or else absolutely released ( as well as imprisoned by you ) without tryal , and repaired by his yet unknown clandestine malitious Accusers , if you have no such real actual Crime to charge against him ; Or , if neither of these might be granted under your Free-State , never yet denyed any English Freeman under the greatest former Regal Tyranny ; that then you would either permit him Free Liberty to transport himself into some strange foraign Climate , if unworthy to breath freely in his own Native Country , after all his unrecompensed faithfull eminent Services , Losses , Sufferings for it , where he hopes to find better usage , and more Freedom , Iustice , amidst meer Strangers and Foraigners , than he had yet enjoyed under professed Popish Prelatical Enemies heretofore , or pretended late Christian reall Friends in power since ; Or otherwise , if you are resolved to wear out the short Remainder of his expiring Life in remote obscure Prisons with●ut tryal or hearing , of purpose to hinder him from doing the Church of God or his Native Country any further service in this world , when others are acting so much mischief and treason against them both ; that then , according to Iustice and ancient Practice under our Kings , you would afford him a Competent Allowance of Diet , in some more convenient usual Prison than this , where he might have all fitting Accommodations in health and sicknesse : Or otherwise forthwith pay him the 800l . publike Debt long due unto him as a Contractor ( for which he never yet received one farthing , though he thereby lost and expended many pounds , besides his pains ) or order him some of his voted Dammages to be paid him by his former unrighteous Censurers sitting amongst you , to help defray his Debts , and extraordinary Prison expences , having exhausted his private estate for the publike , and to defray his extraordinary Prison expences , and lost the Practice of his very Calling , to support him , by your strict Duresses ; And albeit his only Sister ( out of her natural affection to him , without his privity ) hath thrice humbly Petitioned you ( as he hath heard ) and others of his Friends oft earnestly sollicited and petitioned you on his behalf to the like effect ; yet hitherto ( such is his unhappinesse , or rather your hard-heartednesse , as some esteem it ) that he and they could never hitherto receive the least satisfactory Answer , to all or any of these his just Demands , being still continued a close Prisoner by you , in sundry respects , in this remote incommodious Castle ; yea that which adds exceedingly to the Transcendency of your In ustice , Oppression , and Tyranny towards him , is this ; That instead of enlarging , relieving , or answering his Sisters late Petitions to you in his behalf , you have very lately ( as he is credibly informed ) voted him out of his poor Recordership of the City of Bath , to which he was about 5 years since ( without his privity or sollicitation , freely elected by the unanimous Vote of the whole City ) and by two several Letters under all the Aldermens and Mayors hands importuned to accept it , er● he would imbrace it And that on no other ground or cause , but only because you have so long imprisoned him against all Law , without any cause yet expressed , before the least hearing or complaint , against the expresse Letter of Magna Cha ta and other fundamental Laws ; and that upon the motive of one of your Whitehall Members ( his pretended great Friend and Servant ) then in the Chair who by his Letter in your Names writ to the City to elect a new Recorder in his place , being disabled to execute it by your imprisonment of him and withall particularly recommending his own Son in-Law Iames Ash ( a Westminster Memb●r ) to the Office which being seconded by his own Fathers sollicitation ( another sitting Member , his near Neighbour ) thereupon he was without any justice , hearing , or other cause or tryal , contrary to the Great Charter , Petition of Right , and all Rules of Iustice , outed of his Recordship , his 4 years salary of x ls . per annum then in arrear detained from him ( and never since paid him by the City ) and this other Member intruded into his Place su●h is your new Free-State Whitehall transcendent Iustice ( worthy to be registred for your Honour to all Posterity ) towards this Remonstrant ( instead of recompencing his former voted Dammages , Losses , Services for the publick ) to his extraordinary Prejudice and Oppression , the exceeding grief of his kinred , friends , and most religious truly publique spirited men ; to the great rejoycing of his Iesuitical and Prelatical Malignant Enemies , and no great honour to your Iustice or Government ; And that only ( as most conjecture ) in imitation of the n Prelates heretofore , of purpose to disable and ●inder him from writing or publishing any thing more in Defence or vindication of our endangered , invaded Religion , Government , Laws , Liberties , Franchises , Properties , Freeholds , Lives , against the manifold new encrochments on them , and subversions of them under pretext of their support : or making any fr●sh discoveries of the Jesuites , Papists and their confederates , various plots and practises ( now very rife and visible ) to undermine them ; and engage our own and all other Protestant Kingdomes , States , Churches in destru ctiveunreconcilable Wars and differences , agreeth either to their mutuall and the Protestants Religions ruine or to countermine these their designes , ( as he hath done formerly to his power ) Or else ( as others conceive ) to force him by tedious uncomfortable imprisonments , and extreame penury to turn a practicall Apostate and perjured abjurer of all his former Orthodox loyall Principles , Writings , Books , Oaths , Covenants , Protestations concerning King , Kingdome , Lawes , Liberties , Properties , Taxes , Parliaments , Government , o Lords hereditary just right to sit , vote , judge in our Parliaments as Peers , and thereby to verifie all the Prelates malicious p Aspersions upon all Puritans in generall , and himself in particular , in their two late Star-chamber Bils and Speeches there exhibited against him , and render him really guilty of beheaded Canterburies Treasons in an higher degree then he , ( after his injoyned printing and publication of his ; ; ; ; ; ; q Charge , Tryall and Condemnation for them , by the Commons House speciall Order ) to his eternall infamy here , and damnation hereafter ; neither of which , through the assistance of heaven , no Prisons , Tortures , Powers on earth , shall ever compell or perswade him to do ; or in case of his resolved Non-compliance herein , under seigned Machivilian pretexts of his wilfull obstinacy , and contempt of your new-created authority ( whose legality it must be no lesse then High Treason , for him to dispute in law or conscience , being now as absolutely to be submitted to by all men as the Popes it self in Rome , by an implicit faith , and blinde obedience ) even to r break his heart with grief , if possible , by depriving him of the comfort of his Friends , Kindred , Books , Calling , all free converse with men by Letters or conference , all publick Trusts , and private usefull imployments , to passe ▪ away his solitary houres , laying him quite aside , like a ▪ ſ broken uselesse vessell , restraining him under strictest Gards , as the most dangerous enemy , instrument to his Countries weal , after all his reall losses , studies , sufferings , for its benefit ; whose truest welfare he hath ever cordially studied to his private prejudice , ( whiles others under pretext thereof , have t wholly sought their own particular emoluments , to its irreparable dammage , if Vox Populi be truth ) and by such ingratefull usage , ill requitals of all his former merits , by his very late pretended u friends , to hasten his passage from these strong earthly purgatives to a better world . Or else if this plot prevail not , through Gods x supporting power , as hither it hath not ; to starve or kill him outright in forain incommodious prisons , for want of legall matter or proof , to take away his head , after your Whitehall Predecessors double cropping off his ears , as some of his friends conceive : You having of late refused ( as he is informed ) to receive any more Petitions in his behalfe , from his own Sister or any others , or to release or remove him from his ill winter prison ; or to pay his publick debt , allow him diet , or do him any common right , or justice ; ( which though due y Ex officio mero from all Kings , Powers , Governments , Magistrates whatsoever ; by the z Lawes of God , Nature , Nations , and Oaths to their meanest subjects ; and particularly by our own Kings , Judges , Justices , and great Officers ▪ usuall a Oathes ; the great Charters and other Statutes resolutions , to every English freeman ) upon their respective demands of , or motions for it , ( yea upon bare information from others b without any suit or motion by , for , or from the oppressed , injured parties , ( in such cases as his is ) without any formall Petition to them for it , as the c Formes of most legall Writs ( sued forth of course ) and most Plaints and Declarations manifest ; every reall demand of right by word or writing being in truth , a reall Petition for it ( and every Petition of Right but a more bashfull demand thereof ) as all d Dictionaries in the words , Peto , Petitio ; the usuall Law phrases e Petere Debitum , Petere Judicium , &c. the ordinary motions of the Councell or Parties in all our Courts of Justice , for Law or Right , without written or verball Petitions for them ; and the f Scripture it self resolve ) yet such is your unparalleld injustice toward him that unlesse he will present a submissive Petition to you , after the new mode ( wherewith he is unacquainted ) subscribed with his own hand , you will neither release nor right him in any kind . Which , as it seems very strange unto him , he desiring not meer grace or mercy from you , but only common known right and Justice against undeniable oppressions by your selves and instruments ; so all his former Letters and his friends addresses to you , being reall , legall , though not formall Petitions for right and justice ( yet denied him ) and formall Petitions even for right it self by the resolution of our g Law-books , the Records of our ancient Parliaments , and late Petition of Right ; Petitions of this nature being originally due to our English Kings alone , as their unseparable regall prerogative ; not to any Subjects whatsoever , nor yet to the very House of Lords , Commons , or any other Courts of Justice , Councell , Judges , Justices , Great Officers or Grandees whatsoever , being no King but Subjects ; which anciently were but the inferiour peoples hands , or Masters of Requests to h receive and present their formall Petitions to our Kings both in and out of Parliament ; and had no other Bils of Parliaments , but meer Petitions of Right or Grace to the King , whose i Royall answer to them ( by way of concession ) made them Acts , Lawes , and his disassent meer Nullities , as our old Parliament Records , and the late Petition of Right 3. Caroli , resolve . Which transcendent Prerogative of our Kings alone , by Law ( of meer Right , incommunicable to any other Subjects ) he hopes you will not now arrogate to your selves , by enforcing him through duresse to a formall submissive Petition to you as his Soveraignes , before you will enlarge , or do him common right or justice , having both abolished , and publickly engaged your selves , and also others to your power against Kings and Kingship , as Tyrannicall , and overmajesticall ; and with them ( as he conceives ) both exploded and engaged against this their sublime Prerogative of suing only by Petition even for common right ; and that you will not still detain him close Prisoner upon this account alone , for not suing to you by Petition , for what is due to him , ex officio mero , as his k birthright without any suit at all , by all Laws of God and the Land , before any new Law or Statute made justly intitling you to this old regall preheminence . The rather , because the Heathen Magistrates of Philippi , when upon the peoples bare accusation of Paul and Silas , as l Disturbers of their City , and teachers of customes contrary to their Government , had taken and cast them into Prison , and commanded the Jaylor to keep them safely , without any legall Indictment or tryal , but for one single night , were so just and reasonable , as the very next morning ( without their Petitioning for liberty ) to send their Sergeants voluntarily to the prison to release and tell them , that they might depart their City in peace : And when as Paul ( like a true magnanimous Christian , carefull to preserve his own liberty , yea and all the Romans too invaded by this injurious proceeding ) thereupon replyed thus to their Sergeants ; They have beaten us openly , being Romans and UNCONDEMNED , and CAST US INTO PRISON ; and now do they thrust us out privately ? ( without reparation of this our indignity and shamefull usage ) Nay verily , but let them come themselves aud fetch us out ( with honour and confession of their injustice , as they have cast us in with shame ) Whereupon the Sergeants relating his words to these Magistrates they m feared , when they heard they were Romans ; and in stead of expecting a Petition from them , by reason of their high Magistraticall authority , they came presently to the Prison , AND BESOUGHT ( or petitioned THEM ( to pardon and passe by this great injustice ) AND BROUGHT THEM OUT OF PRISON , AND DESIRED ( not imperiously commanded ) them to depart out of the City . And hereupon they went out of the Prison , and entred into the house of Lydia , visited and comforted the Brethren there , and then departed , Act. 16. 12 , to the end . And should not you then who professe your selves Saints of the highest forme , after your injurious searches , apprehensions and other indignities offered to an English Freeman , Parliament-man , an eminent Servant too , and Martyr for the publick , a Christian , a Patron of Religion , a Bencher of an Inne of Court ( as honorable in each respect as any ancient Roman , and as much priviledged by our Lawes ) and that not for one night onely , but two whole years and three months close imprisonment of him , even under stricter Gards then they , in three severall Garisons , now incite and engage you voluntarily to send your Officers hither , then enforce him to send to you , to set him free ; and because you have so much oppressed him , being better then a meer Roman , and so long cast him into Prison unheard and uncondemned , that you should not now privily release , nor extort an unworthy Petition from him before you set him free ; but out of a conscientious consideration of your apparent injuries and injustice to him , and a true Christian fear of a strict account for it both to God and Man , if unrepented or unrepaired by you , imitate these Heathen Philippian Magistrates ( whose president is recorded in the very Gospell for this end ) and now at last come your selves in person , and in stead of expecting his petition to you ( who have done him so much injury , and more invaded the whole — English Nations , Priviledges , Liberties in his unrighteous sufferings under you , then the Philippians did the Romans or St. Paul under them ) beseech and petition him to pardon and not to persecute these your illegall extravagances , upon your unfeigned sorrow for , and publick acknowledgement and reparation of them , and then to bring him out of his present Prison , with as much publick joy and honour into London , as he was formerly brought in thither by some of your selves , and n thousands more from his long close imprisonment by your Lordly Whitehall Predecessors , to all honest mens rejoycing , and the whole discontented Nations satisfaction , as well now as then , and Reparation of all violations of their common Rights and Liberties by the dangerous president of his late restraints , your yet unrevoked , uncancelled illegall warrants , deserving as heavy a Parliamentary censure of condemnation , as any of your Predecessors illegall Warrants and Sentences against him , unanimously condemned , and for ever vacated , as repugnant to the forecited Lawes , Statutes , and destructive to the Subjects common Liberty by the o Votes of all the Commons House , and concurrent judgement of the House of Lords . Upon serious consideration whereof , as he cannot in prudence or conscience , submit to any such extorted Petition to you , as you by plain duresse ( against Law and Justice ) would enforce from him , to the betraying of his own and the whole Nations Franchises and Birth-rights , by so ill a president , so being injuriously deprived of all other legall means of p Relief , by Habeas Corpus , or other writ or action of Law , of which common inherent q Birthright of all English freemen , he and all conscientious non-engagers , ( after all their late Losses , Sufferings , Writings , Fightings , expences of their ▪ Estates , Treasures , Blood , Fasts , Prayers , and still continued incessant heavy contributions for the pretended just preservation and defence thereof , by a new invented MONSTROUS PREMUNIRE ( transcending , in his judgement ▪ all unrighteous Acts , Edicts , Encroachments of regall Tyranny and injustice upon the peoples Rights and Franchises by behead●d King Charles , or any other of our English Kings ) are most wrongfully disinherited , and of the benefit , protection of all our Lawes in all Courts of justice , at one blow by you and others in power ; against the expresse Letter of Magna Charta ; the Petition of Right ( assented to and ratified even by decapitated King Charles himself ) the usuall Oaths of all our Kings , Judges , Justices , Chancellers and great Officers heretofore , the late solemn Protestation , Vow , Covenant ; all printed Declarations and Ordinances ( concerning the Army or Monies ) the last Parliament , your own Remonstrance for altering our Kingly Government into a Free State , March 17. 1648. and sundry other your publications since ; and that without any hearing , Tryall , Crime , Conviction or just forfeiture thereof upon Record ; as if he and they were now meer alien enemies in their Native Countrie ; new villains in grosse , or regardant only to you their fellow subjects in present power , even in your new-erected Free State , though never such to or under their cashiered Kings . Whereupon he is now necessitated , for regaining , preserving his own , and all other Freeborn Englishmens just rights and Liberties ( transcendently violated by these his illegalrestraints , who hath written , suffered most of any man for their maintenance , which otherwise might and would be made a leading president to oppresse all or any others in the self same kind ) by way of finall addresse , to present unto you , this Large Remonstrance of his severall successive Grievances , illegall restraints , close imprisonments , pressures under you and your Officers ; ( the only legall , reall petition you can in justice expect from him ) whereby he doth ( after his full two years and three months forementiond illegal close imprisonments and Pressures under you , before any legall Indictment , Tryall or Crime objected against him ) once more joyntly and severally demand from you and every of you of meer common right and Justice , without any further deniall or delay , his absolute freedome and enlargement from all his present restraints , with full undelayed reparations for all his dammages , losses , expences sustained thereby , and by all other his remonstrated injuries from the authors and instruments of them , according to all the forecited Lawes , Statutes , Oathes , Protestations , Vowes , Covenants , Declarations , Remonstrances , and your bounden duty by Gods own sacred Edicts : And that he having already wasted above ten whole years of his short expired life in ten severall prisons , only for his free unmercenary defence of publick Liberty , Lawes and Religion , out of pure conscience , zeal , duty , he may be no longer enforced without guilt or Tryall ( upon any carnall State policies , or old r exploded Whitehall pretences of necessity , danger or publick safety ( the damned Pleas for his former illegall close imprisonments , sufferings , exile , and his present likewise ) to consume the short remainder of his declining dayes , ( like a t lighted candle under a bushell , or u a dead man out of minde , in obscure Prisons , at farthest distance from his friends , where he can neither enjoy their sweet society , nor serve his God , his Countrey or private family with that freedome and improvement of his Talents for their best advantage , as he doth desire ; nor any longer detained prisoner under the custody of such Martiall Gardians , who are for the most part professed enemies both to our Lawes , Lawyers , Ministers , Ministry , Gods publick Ordinances , Sacraments , Churches , Chappels , Glebes , Tithes , and whatever else the piety or bounty of former times hath devoted to the maintenance of Gods worship , Religion or Learning ; and therein to our Religion and Learning it self , under a pretence of transcendent sanctity , and a new monstrous kind of zeal , to reforme Religion , propogate the Gospell , and support true Preachers of it , by the readiest unrighteous , sacrilegious , irreligious wayes that the Jesuites or worst enemies of the Gospell could invent , eternally to extirpate it and all true Ministers of it , now as violently and publickly , impiously pursued by them and some other Army Officers ; contrary to the pious practises and sacred presidents , of all godly martiall Kings , Generals , Colonels , Captains of thousands , hundreds , and Armies , recorded by God himself in the old and new Testament ; who were so enamoured , ravished and eaten up with the love , zeal , beduty of Gods House , Temple , Tabernacle , Sanctuary , publick ordinances , Worship , Priests , Ministers , so carefull to frequent , maintain , advance , encourage them , that they chearfully and bountifully contributed , not only the Tithes , First-fruites , and oblations of all their estates ; but the very tenths of all their spoiles , with all the Pretious stones , Jewels , Ear rings , Rings , Chaines , Bracelets , Tablets , vessels of gold and silver , Treasures , Brasse and Iron taken in the Wa●s , to the building , adorning , repairing of magnificent Tabernables , Temples , Houses , Synagogues , Churches devoted to Gods publick service , and maintaining of Gods publick worship , Ministers , Priests , Levites and other Officers attending thereupon in these publick Edifices , to which they joyfully , constantly and zealously resorted , without separation from them : as Gen. 14. 20. Exod. 35. 20 , — 30. Ch. 38. 1 , — 10. Numb . 31. 28 ▪ — 54. 2 Sam. 8. 10 , 11 , 12. 1 Chron. 21. throughout . Ch. 26. 26 , 27 , 28. ( a memorable text ) Ch. 29. 1 , — 10. 2 Chron. 15. 11. Luk. 7. 1 , 5 , 6. Heb. 7. 4 , 6. Psal . 5. 7. & 21. 6. & 26. 8. & 27. 4. & 36. 8. & 42. 4. & 52. 8. & 55. 14. & 65. 4. & 66. 13. & 69. 9. & 84. throughout . & 42. 1 , 2. & 116. 13. & 102. 1 , 9. & 134. 1. & 135. 1. Isa . 2. 2 , 3. Mich. 4. 1 , 2. Joh. 2. 16 , 17 , 18 , 20. Luk. 2. 27 , 37. Ch. 20. 1. Ch. 24. 53. Act. 2. 46. Ch. 3. 1 , 8. Ch. 5. 20 , 21. Rev. 7. 15. resolve . To the shame of those his irreligious Gardians of a different judgment and practise , who debarred him from all resort to Gods publick Ordinances and Ministers in the Parish Churches of the Garisons wherein he hath been restrained , dedicated to Gods worship ; and still detain him close Prisoner ( as aforesaid ) by colour of this your void illegall Warrants bare Transcript , without date , thus subscribed by them as a true Copy . SIR , WE have been informed , that Taunton is an unfit place for the imprisonment of Mr. Prynne , where he now is ; we therefore desire you to give order for the removall of the said Mr. Prynne to Pendennis Castle ; and that HE BE THERE KEPT UPON THE SAME WARRANT UPON WHICH HE HATH BEEN PRISONER AT DUNSTER CASTLE AND NOW AT TAUNTON , till further Order . And that whiles he is there in restraint , he may have liberty to go to the publick Odinances of Gods worship , if he shall desire the same . Signed in the Name and by Order of the Councell of State , by authority of Parliament . John Bradshaw , President . This is a true Copy , John Disbrowe . This is a true Copy of the aforesaid Copy , Charles Shrubsoll . This Copy only , or your Originall Warrant , ( as the science and conscience of every Lawyer amongst you , and his who signed it , must informe you ) is meerl● void , illegall , and no justification for these his foremen●ioned Restraints or Imprisonment in Pendennis Castle , before any tribunall of God or Man , for these following Reasons . 1. Because contrary to all former Councell Table Warrants of this nature . All old Councell Table Orders , Warrants , for his and others imprisonments were fig●ed and subscribed , not only by the President alone , but by all the Lords and Councell consenting to them then present , as by Law they ought , that so they might know all those that Imprisoned them , and whether enough to make a Councell , and whether to bring their actions against all or any of them if wrongfully imprisoned ; as you may read in A new Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny , pag. 9 , 10 , 15 , 16 , 18 , 69 , 85 , 86 , 90 , to 97. 2. Because this single signing of Warrants by one of you alone against ●ll Law and former Presidents , disenabling the Prisoner to know who they were who committed and translated him from prison to prison , except the first and sole subscriber John Bradshaw , ( the rest it seems being ashamed to subscribe or own it , or the former Warrants for his restraints , being so unjust and defective in Law ) And the subscriber alone being no Councell , and having no power solely to act any thing , but only , joyntly with such a number of Associates , who cannot translate their power or trust to him , but must execute it themselves ; This Warrant ( and the former so signed ) must needs be void in Law and unwarrantable , or else all John Bradshawes companions , though absent or dissenting to its guilt , though issued in their Name and by their Order , without their parties or consents . 3. Because it contains no crime , nor just cause at all , for which he was formerly kept Prisoner at Dunster Castle or Taunton , or since Imprisoned in Pendennis ; as it ought to do by the expresse provision of the Petition of Right , and all ancient Statutes therein recited ; the Votes and Resolutions of Parliament in the large debates of that Petition , with all other Parliaments since ; the Resolves of both Houses , and most of your selves in his owne and Mr. Burtons late cases ; the judgements of all our Judges , Law-books , and Sir Edward Cokes Institutes on Magna Charta , Ch. 29. Printed by the Commons House speciall Order ; and the Statute of 42 E. 3. c. 12. declaring all such generall Warrants against these Statutes and Magna Charta , to be void and nul in Law to all intents . 4. Because it is grounded upon no precedent legall Examination , Conviction of , or Processe , or Indictment against him , as by these Statutes , Laws , Law-books , Resolves it ought to be . 5. Because it enjoynes ( or rather desires ) him , to be kept Prisoner in Pendennis C●stle ▪ not upon it , or any lawfull Warrant specially directed unto the Governour thereof ; but upon the same Warrant upon which he hath been Prisoner at Dunster Castle , an● then was at Taunton , when this was issued . Which Warrant for his first imprisonment at Dunster , being likewise generall and void in Law , because it containeth no particular offence at all for which he was there imprisoned ; and if good in Law , yet directed personally to Major Robinson alone , then Governour of Dunster Castle , and none other ; not to Colonel Disbrow , or Captain Shrubsoll , or any Governour of Taunton or Pendennis Castle ; and restraining him and his imprisonment only to Dunster Castle , not to Taunton or Pendennis Castle , above 120 miles distant from the former , and situated in another Countrey . And your first Warrant being in Law quite nulled , expired , by your demolishing Dunster Castle , and removing the Governour ( Major Robinson ) and the whole Garison ( who there kept , and to whom only you committed him ) totally and finally thence ; and he being no Prisoner at all at Taunton , upon that or any other Warrant from you ; it is both impossible , absurd , unwarrantable , illegall , and beyond all extravagant Presidents of former times , to keep him up close Prisoner so long in Pendennis Castle upon the same void , nulled , expired , illegall warrant only directed to others , upon which he hath been Prisoner at Dunster Castle , to which it only confined him , but never really to Taunton ; and it must needs be a great Solecisme in Law and Clerk-ship at least , if not in State policie , and Statesmen , to● issue out such a Warrant , and imprison any intelligent Lawyer or English freeman in three remote Castles , under severall Governours , by colour of one meer void illegall Warrant , to imprison him only in and under one of them , a thing never heard of in the world before . 6. Because it ordered him to be removed against his will , perforce , out of his one Native County , and sent to , and kept Prisoner in a remote Castle , in a forain County , in the extreamest Western part of the Island , not properly belonging to the restraining jurisdiction of any Legall Court , Councell or Power by any known Law ; where he can neither-be legally tryed , nor proceeded against for any reall or pretended crime only acted in other Countries , nor this , for which he is thus restrained ; contrary to expresse Statutes of 5. E. 3. c ▪ 8. 28. H. 8. c. 2. 5. H. 4. c. 10. 1. E. 1. c. 5. 4. H. 4. c. 13. 23. H 8. c. 9. 1. 2. Phil. Mar. c. 12. 21. E. 4. f. 71. Brook Imprisonment , 80. Protestation , 18. the late Votes and Resolutions of Parliament , as well of the Commons as Lords , in his own and fellow-sufferers cases , sent first close Prisoners by the Star-chambers sentence , and after by the old Councell Tables orders , to such forain Castles , Prisons , against these acts and the subjects Liberty ; for which ill president ( now pursued and exceeded by you ) both Houses and most of your selves voted the Starchamber Lords , and your Whitehall Pred●cessors to be Delinquents , and to render — y Damages to them , though done by and after a Bill and Sentence , when as ye now do it before any Sentence or Impeachment at all , much lesse any hearing or sentence against him . 7. Because this Warrant is directed only to Colonel Disbrow , not commanding ▪ but only desiring him to give order for his removeall from Taunton to Pendenn is Castle , and that he be there kept upon the same Warrant upon which he hath been Prisoner at Dunster and then at Taunton . Which Colonel being no known sworn Officer of Law or Justice in the Counties of Somerset or Cornwall ; but only a Military Commander , and he being no Prisoner of Warre , or Souldier , subject by any Law of England to his Military power ; nor yet his Prisoner there , or since that time ; and this Letter of yours ( rather then Warrant ) making his inherent power and Order alone , the only authority both for his remove and restraint at Pendennis , without any speciall or legall derivation of any such power from yourselves , ( who in truth have no more lawfull power for it then he , who had none at all ; ) Therefore it can in no Court of Law or Justice , be any legall Warrant for a Colonel or any other , to remove him hither , or detain him Prisoner here , upon it , or the former Warrant . 8. Because the sole ground for his remove from Taunton , within his native County , to this forain County and Prison , is only a bare information to you , without hearing of him to disprove it ; That Taunton is an unfit place for his Imprisonment , which as it is no crime , nor ground at all in it self for his imprisonment elsewhere ; so it is a strong Argument of the injustice of his imprisonment at Taunton , and of your warrant , and of his translation to and imprisonment in Pendennis Castle in the remotest County ; it affording no such fitting accommodations in any kind for his soul or body in sicknesse or health ( whe reof it is wholly destitute ) as Taunton doth ; and being a meer private Castle only in a forain Shire , not a Market Town , where the Assizes and Sessions are usually held ( as Taunton is ; ) wherein alone all Prisons and Prisoners in all Counties ought to kept , under known sworn Gaolers and Officers , ( not in private Castles under Souldiers ) by the expresse Statutes of 5. E. 3. c. 8. 5. H. 7. c. 10. 23. H. 8. c. 2. and that for their better relief , accommodation , security and more frequent visits by their friends . Therefore this must be a far juster ground for you to release or to translate him from Pendennis now , then to send him thither at the first , or detaining him still close Prisoner there . 9. Because neither this nor the former Warrant is directed to the Governour or any other Officer of Pendennis Castle , to detain him Prisoner there ; as by Law it ought to be ; for the first warrant is directed by you only to Major Robinson , the second only to Colonel Disbrow ; who are neither Military nor Civil Governours nor Officers in Pendennis , and keep your originall Warrants for their own indemnity , sending only a bare copy of them , ( without time or date ) to the Governour of Pe●dennis ( to whom neither of them are directed by you ) to detain him Prisoner by , which can be no Plea nor Warrant in Law in any Court to justifie his imprisonment in this place by Captain Shrubsoll , who yet without any other Warrant but this Copy alone of yours to Disbrow , hath injuriously — restrained , oppressed and close imprisoned , and kept him from Gods publick Ordinances , as aforesaid , beyond and against all Warrants , by colour only of this his datelesse Copy forecited . 10. Because this Warrant doth not so much as mention his known Christian name WILLIAM , as by Law it ought ; but his Surname only ; nor so much as expresly command him , to be kept Prisoner , but barely kept at Pendennis Castle ( which he may be , and yet not as a Prisoner , or close Prisoner ) upon the same ( void , illegall , expired ) Warrant , upon which he hath been Prisoner at Dunster : Besides it neither commands or requires , but only desires Colonel Disbrow , that he may be removed and kept here ; not for any certain time , or till delivered by Law , or brought to his legall Tryall for that ( nothing in this warrant ) for which he stands here committed ; but meerly , till further Order from you ; ( which may be till death or doomesday , if you please , and yet seem to resolve : ) for all which causes ( as well as the former ) it is both void and illegall , as Sir Edward Coke resolves in his Institutes on Magna Charta , c. 29. ratified by the Commons own Order for its impression . 11. Because it gives no expresse command nor precept , either for his translation hither or restraint here ▪ nor concludes as all legall Warrants do ; And for your so doing this shall be your Warrant , and hereof fail not , at your perill ; but barely desires his removall by Disbrow and keeping here , rather as a cuortesie then commanded duty ; concluding only ▪ And WE DESIRE YOU to certifie ( any other as well as you , for us is not expressed if intended ) what you shall do herein , in his removall thither ; not in his keeping there , where he is no Officer nor Governour . Therefore illegall and no Warrant at all . 12. Because if this Copy be true ( as they both attest under their hands ) then this Warrant hath neither time when , nor place where it was dated ▪ nor person to whom it was directed . Therefore illegall , null , invalid . Now how much it will redound to the Honour of your wisdome , justice , reputation of your Clerks and those Lawyers associated with you , to advise you in points of ▪ Law , to issue forth such a def●ctive , null , void , illegall , absurd , imp●ssible , nugatory Warrant , as this in all the 12. forecited regards , and so long to restrain , imprison , close imprison him in this remote Castle upon a bare Copy thereof , and still to detain him Prisoner thereupon , notwithstanding all former addresses to you by himself or friends for his enlargement hence ; and what all rationall men in present , in future ages will judge of your strange exorbitant proceedings of such nature , or how you will clear , justifie or excuse them before any future Parliament or new ( pretended , but as most now think never really intended ) Representative of the Nation ( so often promised , but still as long deferred as his liberty ) or any other impartiall Court of Justice on earth , if ever there legally examined upon complaint ; or before Christs own inpartiall , z unavoidable Tribun●ll at last , where you must shortly render a strict account thereof to this Righteous Judge of all the earth ( without any armed Gardians to secure you against his Justice ) in the presence of a all his holy Angels , and the whole world of Mankinde ; Where himself hath resolved beforehand in his very Gospell , that he will passe this irrevocable sentence against all such who only refuse or neglect to resort unto , visit , feed , cloth and relieve his imprisoned believing members for this their bare omission : Go ye cursed into everlasting fire , prepared for the Devill and his Angels : FOR I WAS SICK AND IN PRISON AND YE VISITED ME NOT , &c. And will therefore certainly pronounce a severer doom against all such unrighteous Grandees who actually without cause , crime , tryall , maliciously cast his formerly suffering members into Prisons and detain them close Prisoners , under terrifying armed Gards and Sentinels in remote obscure Castles , far from all friends or acquaintance , of purpose to disable , deter all others from visiting , feeding , clothing , and relieving , comforting them in their necessities , or sicknesse therein , and yet year after year most inhumanly refuse upon their Oaths , frequent sad complaints and impo●tunities , to release , visite , relieve , or right them . And what you will then be able to alledge for your selves to prevent any human censures here , or such a fatall sentence from Christs own mouth hereafter for the premises , he most seriously refers to your own awaked consciences , and most serious contemplations , if now after this his Remonstrance and full information of your Warrants Illegality and Nullity , by which he hath been restrained , you shall wilfully neglect or peremptorily refuse immediately to release and fully to repair him ; who by colour thereof hath been kept a clos●r Prisoner under you , before any charge or hearing , then formerly under your tyrannicall condemned Predecessors at Whitehall , after two bils , hearings and their severest censures ; and denyed so much Prison freedome , as very Popish Priests and Jesuites formerly obtained , did and still enjoy ( if you have any such now Prisoners ) under your Regency even in their very strictest prisons when convicted , condemned even of the greatest highes● treasons both against King and Kingdome . And seeing you have freshly exhorted , enjoyned all sorts of person in the Nation to make publick and private confessions to God of all their personall and nationall sins , which have provoked his wrath , kindled new warres with our very formerly confederated Brethren , and threaten many heavy judgements to the Nation if not cordially lamented , speedily and really reformed ; and for this end have appointed a generall solemne Fast and day of Humiliation on the 13. of October next , to divert Gods incumbent imminent judgements , and procure peace . And for as much as God himselfe , the God of b Judgements , c Vengeance , d Warre , e Mercy , f Peace , hath frequently declared in his sacred Oracles , that g Oppression , Inj●stice , Violen●e , Spoyle , Cruelty ; depriving any of their just Liberties , Rights , Inheritances , Estates , by meer arbitrary Power , and the oppressing Sword , without just cause , Right , Title or Legal tryall imposing heavy y●akes of bondage on the neckes , and intolerable burthens on the backs , Estates of men by illegall Taxes or Exactions , ( next to Apostasie , and most grosse Idolatry ) are the greatest Wrath-procuring , State ▪ subverting , Realm-destroying , Warre-ingendring , Land-desolating , Soul condemning sins of all others , which have utterly destroyed , subverted , extirpated and brought to nought , not only many potent Kings , Princes , Potentates , Nobles , Grandees of all sorts with their posterities , but even whole Kingdomes , States , Republicks , beyond all humane probability , as the Histories of all former ages , and recent Presidents of your immediate Whitehall Predecessors , experimentally confirm ▪ whose injurious oppressive proceedings , Sentences against h him , causelesse long imprisonments of●this Remonstrant , were one i principall occasion of their downfall , and of that very Star-chamber Court wherein they censured him . And because God hath likewise positively resolved Isa . 58. 6 , 7 , 8. That this is the chiefest , the only fast which he hath chosen , and appointed , to pacifie his wrath , avert his judgements , cease all Warres , restore , establish Wealth , Peace , Setlement and prosperity ( the proper effects , fruites of k Righteousnesse and true Justice ) to an afflicted Realm or Nation , to loose the bonds of wickednesse ( and such are all injurious , illegall Warrants , close Imprisonments , Restraints , and his fore-remonstrated in the highest degreen ; ) to undoe the heavy burdens ( and are not his , and the other long continued unwarrantable publick Taxes , Excises , extraordinary Prison expences , and grievou● unredressed pressures impos●d by you , such ▪ ) to let the oppressed go free ( and is not he such an one in the highest degree , as well now as hereto●ore , in his person , freedome , calling , estate , friends , and all earthly comforts ▪ by your forain close imprisonments so long continued on him , after all his ancient oppressions ? ) and that ye break every yoak ( and are not his present restraints from all free private or publick converse with any rankes of men by word or writing , by muing him up in for●in Prisons , under armed Guards , Centinels , debarring him from all Gods own Ordinances , all legall wayes or writs for his enlargement , yoaks , nay iron yoaks to him ? Your keeping o● him and the whole Nation so many years together ▪ when the King and both Houses l would and might have setled a most desired blessed Peace without further armes or bloud-shed , under the over●wing , Parliament-subverting , Law-oppressing Sword , Power , Discipline of a disobedient Army , subverting those very ends , powers , persons , for whose preservation and defence they were professedly raised , waged , continuing them still in extraordinary pay , both Winter and Summer , with little or no diminution of their number , to the totall consumption of all the Lands , Rents , Revenues of Archbishops , Bishops , Deanes , Chapters , King , Queen , Prince , of many thousands of Delinquents , the m undoing of some thousands of well affected persons , the generall impoverishing of most men throughout the Nation , and threatning a speedy consumption of all yet remaining — if longer continued , and that rather to enslave then enfranchise us ; to promote their own Officers and others private Wealth , Greatnesse , then our reall , publick weal , liberty , safety , or our Religion : The maintaining of many superfluous Garisons , Castles , more to imprison , secure him , and the other causelesse Prisoners in them , then defend the Nation by them ; the usefullest of them , even at the entrance of our chiefest Harbours , being experimentally found to be meer Scare-crowes , to fright cowardly unexperienced Seamen only ; but unable with all their mounted Canons ( discharged suddenly if there be occasion only one by one , at Rovers and great uncertain distance , and that but once or twice at most with round bals , by none of the skilfulest Gunners ) unable to hit ( unlesse by chance ) much lesse to stop , hurt , spoyle , strike any single Ship or Vessell passing in or out of the Harbors ; when as old , late and present experience in our latest Sea fights prove that 10 , 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 100 ▪ whole broad sides , and greater , better tyres of Ordinance then any in our Forts discharged together at one stout ship by skilfullest Gunners , at nearest distance , with better aime , with key or crosse chain shot , will hardly split or sink it , ( which no Fort , no Castle that we read of ever yet did ) nor stay , take any resisting Vessell without grappling with and boarding her ; which Forts cannot do : much lesse can they hinder the ingresse , egresse or regresse of any considerable Squadron of Ships or a whole Navie ; or impeach the landing of an Army by or under their very noses , or in places out of their Guns command , as ignorant people dream , as the forcible landings of your forces , though small , in the late reduced Islands of Silly , Jersie , the Barbadoes under their very Forts and Canons , without the losse of any one Ship or Vessell by their Canons and Blockhouses ; and of the losse of very few Mariners or Land Souldiers ( with the taking of Cadez and many fortified Towns in the Indies heretofore by Sir Francis Drake and others , without the losse of any one ship by Canon-shot ) manifest beyond all contradiction ; such Forts serving only in truth , to maintain many ●asie Gunners and Montrosses at , 8 , 10 , 12 l. pay a week or more in many Forts , meerly to shoot away vast proportions in a year of Powder and Bullet in meer complement and salutes of men of war and other Ships , who waste more Powder , Bullet in saluting , resaluting Ships , and in other idle frolicks upon Visitants and Newes of good successes , then their salaries amount to ; and to maintain many thousands of lasie , idle Souldiers ( whose labour would be far more profitable to the Nation then their service ) at 5 s. 10 d. pay each week , and their Officers at double , treble , 4 , 6 , or 8. times as much more , only to burn Match to take Tobacco , stand Centinel , to walke or look about them some two or three houres , in three or four whole dayes space or more , which they call Duty ; and exercise once in two or three months time for so many houres , to shoot away their powder ; when as poor Labouring men of all sorts must work hard all the week long for lesser gain and wages , then these idlebees receive for this their lasie uselesse duty , and yet pay heavy weekly Taxes duly ( under pain of plundering ) to maintain these Lurdánes to so little purpose : Are not these think you n yoaks , nay heavy unsupportable Iron yoaks , far o heavier then those wooden ones ( of a little Shipmony only once a year ) under which we formerly groaned , till we brake them ; fit now to be broaken on your Fast-day , after so long a continuance of them by you on our Nations galled , wearied necks ? ) There is yet a second part of that Fast , which God now cals for from you ; to deal your bread to the hungry ( and are there not now many such amongst us by your unrighteous depriving them of their Liberties , Callings , Imployments , Revenues , Husbands , Servants , Children , Estates , publick Offices , and the benefit of our very Lawes to regain their own , and detaining their publick debts , as you do his ) To satisfie the afflicted soul ( and is not his soul such , by your remonstrated pressures , and thousands of souls more by other grievances ? ) To bring the poor that is cast out ( as he is by you from his House , Liberty , Calling , Family , Kindred , Friends , all worldly comforts , publick Trusts and Imployments , into remotest Prisons without cause , against all Laws ) into your houses ; ( who will not so much as once permit him , to return into his own house , and so long debarred him from Gods own houses ) If you see the naked , that you cloth him ; ( and you have almost made him naked by depriving him of his Calling , Friends , Imployments , detaining his publick oft-demanded debts , his extraordinary prisonexpences and late Militia charges , enforcing his friends to sell all his stock , superadded to all his other payments , reducing him to his very worst old Jersie Prison rags and clothes to cover his nakednesse by these mercilesse undoing extremities ) And that you hide not your selves from your own flesh ( as you do from him by not receiving some , breaking up others of his Letters of complaint without reading them , slighting all the rest , and answering none of them but by denials ; refusing to hear , dispute , or speak with him face to face , for ought you can charge him with , as persons either ashamed , afraid , or unable to encounter or behold him , after so many indignities , or to make good your own cause , or proceedings against him , by Divinity , Law , Religion , or any sole hearing ; and yet hide him from his own flesh too , by keeping him from his Friends , Kindred , and them from him by strict restraints in remotest Garisons from them , of purpose to deprive him of their visits : ) Give him leave then upon all these grounds , in the name and fear of God , as your former true Christian friend and present impartiall monitor , without all carnall fear or sordid flattery , seriously to exhort , and faithfully to perswade all and every of you , not so much for his own interest , as your own truest good , salvation , and our whole Nations welfare , both before and on your Solemne Fast-day , to lay all his former Remonstrated pressures and long illegal close restraints , as close as may be to your souls , and both publickly and privately with deepest sorrow , shame and detestation to confesse , acknowledge , bewaile , abhorre , renounce , redresse , repair them by his present honourable enlargement , and other proportionable recompences to him and the grieved Nation , as crying , God-provoking sins , which if not then thus seriously acknowledged , repented , and rerlly redressed , may and will draw down as exemplary Justice and Vengeance on your heads , and present exorbitant Power , as his former sufferings of this natnre did upon beheaded Canterbury , with other you immediate Predecessors at Whitehall and their exorbitant authority , though then better setled , secured by our Laws and long Prescription , then you or your present slippery peace . And withall , before , or on that day at furthest , effectually , sincerely by reall performances and actuall ex●cutions , to keep and render unto God that practicall forementioned Fast which he hath chosen , and expecteth at your hands , in all the respective branches thereof , both in relation to himself , and all other oppressed , afflicted , impoverished ones throughout our three Nations , now groaning , languishing and almost expiring under manifold bonds of wickednesse , heavy burdens , oppressions , yoakes , already hinted to you ; without which all your prayers will be but meer q howlings in his ears ; all other feigned humiliations , a meer atheisticall abuse of this most sacred Ordinance , to meer politick sinfull ends , to which it is oft abused ; nay a r Fast for strife and debate , and to smite with the fist of wickednesse , as God there resolves ; by making it a generall engine to raise , foment , encourage , countenance , justifie new unchristian , inhumane , unrighteous , impolitick divisions , factions , Warres with and again our very fellow-Christians upon slight pretences , dissents and private differences , without just substantiall grounds , warranted by Gospell principles , presidents , precepts ; which instruct all Christian men and States too , t to love like Brethren , to passe by and forgive their enemies injuries and offences ; u to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace ; x to live in peace , and follow peace with all men ; y to seek one anothers welfare ; z to lay do●n their life 's for their brethren ; a to study to be quiet ; to b live in all Peaceablenesse and honesty ; to c give no scandall nor offence , and do no wrong nor violence one to another ; to d beat their Swords into Plow-shares , their Speares into pruning hookes ; not to lift up a sword one against another , or learn warre any more ; e to put up the sword into the sheath , because all those that take the sword , shall perish with the sword ; Not to f bite and devour one the other , lest they be consumed one by another ; resolving , all g Warres and Fightings amongst them , to come only from their lusts , that warre in their Members ; and all wisdome to raise , soment and manage them , not to descend from heaven above , but to be carnall , sinfull , devilish . And if your publick Fast be now secretly designed to any such unchristian purposes as aforesaid , or not accompanied with that reall Fast fore-specified ; it will be so far from allaying , that it will far more incense Gods wrath ; so far from procuring , obtaining publick peace , that it will encrease your Warres and enemies ; so far from establishing your new republick , that it will suddenly and certainly subvert it , if not by others , yet by the very Army and armes of flesh you most depend on ; so far from securing our sinfull Nation ( or Religion ) from forain enemies and plunders thereof , that it will expose them to their combined invasions on all hands , to their great molestation , devastation , if not finall extirpation out of the long enjoyed Land of their Nativity ( as the Britains of old ) for all your and their late encreased , desolating , crying sins , which hath been , and yet is , the grounded fear , and is and shall be the dayly fervent deprecation of your oppressed close Prisoner , necessitated by your defaults to this prolix Remonstrance of his Grievances , and finall demand of Right , Liberty , Justice from you ; which God himself will both hear and grant , if you now prove more deafe and dumbe thereto , then the h unrighteous Judge in the Gospell , after all former Solicitations , Letters , Suites , and this ultimate addresse unto you , by Your two years and three months causelesse close Prisoner , William Prynne . From his ill , moist , close Prison-chamber in Pendennis Castle , 26. Septem . 1652. After this Remonstrance sent , upon the motion of some of my friends , this Order and Warrant thereon was made at Whitehall , and sent to Pendennis Castle , for my release . Tuesday first of February , 1652. At the Councel of State at Whitehall . Ordered , THat Mr. William Prynne be discharged from his Imprisonment , he giving his Bond to the summe of one thousand pounds , That he will not for the future act any thing to the prejudice of this Common-wealth , and the present Government thereof . Exam. John Thurlo , Clerk of the Councell . SIR , THe Councell hath thought fit , that Mr. William Prynne now Prisoner with you in the Castle of Pendennis , shall be discharged from th restraint upon him , he giving his own Bond of one thousand pound , that he will not for the future , act any thing to the prejudice of the Common-wealth , and the present Government thereof . The Councell have thought fit , that the taking of his Bond , should be left to your care , and do therefore desire you , to see the same entred into by the said Mr. Prynne , according to usuall forme , and the condition above mentioned ; which Bond when the said Mr. Prynne hath entred into accordingly , as is hereby directed , you are to return the Bond to the Councell , and to set Mr. William Prynne at Liberty . Whitehall Feb. 2. 1652. JOHN BRADSHAW , President . To the Governour of Pendennis Castle , These . Signed in the name , and by Order of the Councell of State appointed by authority of Parliament . Exam. John Thurlo Clerk of the Councell . Upon reading of this Order and Warrant , brought me by the Deputy Governour , I peremptorily resused to enter into any Bond at all upon any termes ; the Illegality and Tyranny of which Bond and Condition , I at length expressed in a Letter to a Member of Whitehall that sent them ; resolving rather to die a Prisoner then live a Bondman in my Native Country , where I was borne a Freeman : Whereupon they sent this absolute Order for my enlargement , without any Bond or limitation whatsoever , upon which I was thence released . THese are to will and require you forthwith upon sight hereof , to discharge and fet at liberty the body of Mr. William Prynne from his Imprisonment , if he be under restraint with you for no other cause , then that is expressed by the Order of the Councell for his Commitment , of which you are not to fail , and for which this shall be your Warrant . Given at the Councell of State at Whitehall this 18. day of February , 1652. To the Governour or Commander of the Castle of Pendennis . JOHN BRADSHAW , President . Signed in the name , and by Order of the Councell of State appointed by authority of Parliament . Exam. Jo. Thurlo Cler. Concil . Upon my repair to London in November last , I writ and sent this ensuing Letter to Mr. Bradshaw . SIR , UNderstanding you are now returned to Westminster , I thought meet to minde you , that by sundry illegall Warrants under your hand , during your cashiered Whitehall superlative power , my study in Lincolnes Inne , and house , study at Swainswick , were searched ; my Records , Writings , Papers taken away ; my person forcibly seized by , and close Imprisoned , in three severall remote Castles under Souldiers , for two years and eight months space : my Prison-chamber and very Pockets ransacked ; my notes , tables to the Books I read in prison , violently taken from me ; all persons prohibit●d to speak with me , but in the presence and hearing of my Gardians ; all Letters to or from me , inte●cepted , pe●used ; the liberty of sending Letters to demand my freedome , debarred ; accesse to Gods tublick Ordinances , denyed me ; my Laundresse , Brother in Law , Servant , with some others , imprisoned and examined extrajudicially against me ; and that before , without the least legall accusation , hearing , tryall , or any particular crime , or cause objected against , or hitherto signified unto me ; contrary to all rules of Law , Justice , the great Charters of England , the Pe●ition of Right , and the Votes of both Houses of Parliament in my very case ( as you well know , and I then informed you at large by severall Letters , ) to the prejudice of my health , decay of my estate , and extraordinary dammage , after all my former unrecompensed great losses and martyrdomes for our Religion , Laws , Liberties , under the beheaded King , Prelates and old exorbitant Councell table . The true cause of whose Tyrannicall proceedings against me , being yet unknown , even to such of your late Whitehall associates , as I have hitherto met with , ( who are ashamed of these Barbarismes , and remit me wholly to your self for the true reason of them , of which they professe themselves ignorant ) I thereupon held it necessary and just , now at last to demand from you by writing , the true reall cause of these irregular restraints and proceedings against me ; together with full damages for the same , in private , before I demand them in such a publick manner , ( if necessitated thereunto ) as may expose you to greater obloquy and infamy , then ever beheaded Canterbury sustayned for his ●xorbitances against me . For my own part , I was never of a revengefull spirit ; yet I cannot be so stupid , as to put up these transcendent iujuries , and illegall oppressions I sustained under you ▪ because I underwent them , not as a private person , but as A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT ; and that in and for the publick cause of the whole English Nation , I then supported ; whereupon I must no● passe them by in silence without publick satisfaction , even for the present and future benefit of the Nation , and vindication of the liberties and p●iviledges of Parliament , according to the Tenor o● the Covenant : lest by my sil●nce they should prove dangerous presidents to prejudice posterity , I b●ing then a Member of Parliament , i● the former Parliament continued in being , as you affirmed it did in your very Warrants for my restraints . Wherefore seeing we are once more become fellow ▪ commoners again , I do hereby in justice require and expect from you an undelay●d ●ccount , both of the grounds of my forementioned illegall unchristian injuries and restraints , with full reparations for the same , as I did from Canterbury , and my quondam Lordly Whitehall unjust censurers ; which I presume you will not disdain to render to him , who through Gods mercy , maugre all mens Tyranny , still continues to be , what you ever found him , Your long oppressed , yet still unconquered Tyranno-mastix , William Prynne . From my Chamber at Lincolnes Inne , Nov. 24. 1654. To this Letter Mr. Bradshaw returning a long unsatisfactory answer in writing , dated the 1 of of December , I thereupon sent him this Reply thereto . SIR , UPon my return late last night to my Chamber , I found your answer to my former lines , under my door ; which by reason of company , I had no time to peruse till now , wherein as I finde not the least satisfaction touching the particular grounds of these illegall proceedings against me , I informed you of ; justifiable ( as you well know ) by no Lawes of God or Man ; so your hand alone being to the Warrants , prescribing and occasioning them , contrary to the presidents in former times , and all my commitments by the old Whitehall councell , to which all my committers subscribed their hands , or had their names superscribed by the Cle●k of the Councell , as you may see in my New discovery of the Prelates Tyranny ; I could resort to none but your selfe , both for satisfaction and reparation ; being wholly ignorant , who else concurred with you therein . For any pretended mercy shewed to me by you or others of your associates in my restraints under you , I must yet account them such mercies only as Solomon defines them , Prov. 12. 10. and you such friends alone , as Job and David complain of , Job 19. 13 , 14 , 19 , to 24. & 6. 14 , 15. Psal . 41. 9. & 55. 13 , &c. As for the surmised benefit you did me at last , by your casting voice , which ( you say ) brought me out of Prison , when as your hand alone cast me into it ; Let Seneca the Philosopher resolve you what it is , De beneficiis , l. 6. c. 26. NEQVITIA EST ut extrahas mergere , evertere ut suscites , VT EMITTAS INCLVDERE . Non est BENEFICIVM INJVRIAE FINIS ; Nec unquam id detraxisse MERITVM EST , quod ipse qui detraxit intuberat . Non vulneres me malo quam sanes . Potes inire gratiam , si quia vulneratus sum , sanas ; non si vulneras , ut sanandus sum , &c. That others joyned with you in the injury , &c. was but Canterburies old exploded plea , and and rather aggravates then mitigates your offence , by Gods own resolution , Exod. 33. 2 , 7. Yet notwithstanding I am not so vindictive or implacable , as to deal with you as you did with me ; to surprise you without the least notice , to begin with execution , without any precedent processe or parle , as my former lines attest . Neither shall I take advantage of the present season by way of revenge , which others perchance would do , but only end●vour to right my self in a just and Christian way , for the damages sustained in my estate and person , to prevent the like future injuries , and to advance publick liberty so far , that my illegall restraints under you , may become no presidents to prejudice , but benefit posterity . And seeing I finde you inclined to a friendly conference when and where I shall appoint , ( which would have done better before my commitment then now ) if you nominate any Chamber in any of the four Innes of Court , where me may meet to morrow , or Thursday morning about ten of the clock , I shall ( God willing ) then and there expect such further satisfaction from you , as is due in justice and conscience to Your injured , oppressed quondam Friend , and Martyr for the publick , William Prynne . Lincolnes Inne , 5. Decemb . 1654. To this Letter I received a large impertinent answer , dated the 6. of December , giving no account of the cause or justice of my Restraints , but proffering me a meeting at Mr. Ellys his chamber in . Grayes Inne the Saterday following , about 8. of the clock in the morning , freely to debate the businesse in a friendly manner , without prejudice to either side : Where I meeting Mr. Bradshaw accordingly , he seriously protested to me , That he neither knew nor remembred the Informers names , nor any perticular informations given in against me , whereupon I was thus imprisoned , restrained ; but he would peruse all his own papers , and the Books at Whitehall with all possible speed ; and if he could finde any particulars relating to my commitment in them , he would give me a speedy account thereof . After which he said , That he had sundry things in the generall to alleadge for himself in relation to the proceedings against me , which did quiet his conscience : the sum whereof ( which he amplified with many words ) was this alone . 1. That he and the Councell at Whitehall ( as he styled them ) had their authority derived to them from a true and unquestionable Parliament of England . 2. That this Parliament gave them particular instructions to pursue , for the preservation of the Peace and safety of their new Common-wealth ; which they accordingly pursued according to their judgments and consciences , without malice or partiality . 3. That there were many desperate plots and conspiracies set on foot against this poor infant Common-wealth by the enemies thereof , threatning utter ruin thereunto , had they not been carefully prevented , about and during the time of my commitment , which enforced them to extraordinary proceedings . 4. That though he knew not the particular grounds or cause of my restraints , yet he was perswaded , that it was done in order only to publick safety , and not out of any malice , but rather out of a tender respect of the Councell towards me ; and that he did nought therein but only by the Councels command , which he was bound to obey . To which I presently returned him this answer , That I much wondered with what face or confidence he could condemn the late King for a Tyrant , and yet soon after become more arbitrary , unrighteous , and Tyrannicall himself in his proceeding against me , ( his late speciall friend ) then ever the King or his Councell were . For first of all , they only sommoned me in the day time to appear before them by a single sworn Messenger the next day , without any attachment of my person : But he at the very first attached me neer midnight in my own house , by a party of horse , without any sworn legall Officer . 2. They summoned me to appear before them to answer such things as should be objected against me : but he attached and sent me as far off from him as possible , to remotest Castles , without bringing me ever before him ; as being afraid or ashamed to see my face . 3. They when I appeared before them , objected a particular book to my charge , as scandalous and offensive and heard me concerning it before they committed me ▪ But he at first objected no particular crime or Book against me , nor would he afterwards during my long restraints , signifie any speciall cause of my close imprison●ent , though oft importuned by my Letters ; which he would have done for his own reputation , and my own or the worlds satisfaction , had there been any . And now at last he protests , That be neither knows , nor remembers any particular informations given in against me for which I was so long committed ; my papers , records , writings seized , and my very pockets , as well as my House , studies , and Prison-chamber ransacked ; But he will seek if he can find out any particulars , which would have been found out long ere this , had there been any such , even since my first Letter to him in November last . 4. They committed me only a prisoner at large , as first to the Tower of ▪ London , their usuall Prison , neer my friends and place of residence ; without any restraints of Letters or conference with any . B●t he sent me to three remote Castles one after another , every one worse then another , the last near 150 miles distant from my house and friends ; and there kept me under the strictest restraints and armed gards ; contrary to sundry expresse Statutes , and the Votes of both Houses of Parliament in my former case ; debarring me for a long time the liberty of Gods publick Ordinances ; which I enjoyed under them . In all which respects , after the Parliaments censures against the old Councell-table , Prelates , Canterbury , and his own sentence against the King ; he had manifested himself a worser Tyrant then they , and might therefore justly expect as heavy , or a far worse censure as any of them sustained , in case he repented not of , and gave not satisfaction for these transcendent injuries . As for the generall grounds he alleadged , to excuse or justifie his exorbitant proceedings against me ; I told him , they were frivolous , and would rather aggravate then mitigate his offence before any Legall Tribunall . To the first of them I then immediately answered , that I much admired , how any man who professed himself a Lawyer , or ware a Gown upon his back , durst affirme , That about 50 or 60 members only of the late Commons house , confederating with the Army-officers to destroy , condemn and behead the King , the * head of the Parliament , abolish the whole house of Lords , the ancientest , honorablest , chiefest of branch our English Parliaments . Wherein the judiciall power of Parliaments wholly or principally resided ; and secure seclude the majority or five parts of four of the whole Commons house ( only , for voting according to their consciences and endevouring to settle the Peace of the Kingdome , after eight years bloudy wars , ) and to subvert all future reall English Parliaments , contrary to their trusts and duties , the very expresse words of the writs and retornes of those by whom they were made and elected members ; contrary to the direct tenor of the c Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance , which they took and must take before they could sit or vote as Members ; contrary to the Solemn Protestation , Vow , League and Covenant , which they all made and took after they were Members ; contrary to their manifold printed Declarations , Remonstrances , Ordinances , Votes , whiles there was a reall Parliament , and they actuall Members of it ; contrary to the Desires , Petitions of those who intrusted them ; yea contrary to the principles of the Protestant Religion , the Priviledges , Rights of Parliaments , the fundamentall Lawes of the Land , which they professed , covenanted , ingaged inviolably to maintain , as they were Members ; should be a true and unquestionable Parliament of England , of themselves alone , without either King or House of Peers , or the mainity of the secured and secluded Members ; especially after the Kings beheading , which d actually dissolved the Parliament , and sitting still under the over-awing guards and force of the Army ? demanding of him in an earnest manner , by what Parliamentary or Legall Records , Histories , Law-books , resolutions of our Judges or Courts of Justice , he could prove that unparliamentary Juncto , to be a lawfull English Parliament , when as his own science and conscience must attest , that they all declare and resolve them to be no Parliament at all ? Whereunto he replyed , he must needs confesse , that all Records , Histories and Law books were clear against him ; that they were no legall Parliament ; but yet yet in this case of extremity , wherein we then were , It was lawfull for the minor part of the Commons Houses to seclude the King and house of Lords , with the major part of their fellow-commoners , when they would have endangered the ship of the Common-wealth to preserve it from drowning ; as I my self granted in one of my Books , that the Mariners might secure the master of the Sip , and thrust him from the sterne , in case he would wilfully split it against a Rock or Quick-sands , to preserve the ship and themselves from perishing : to which I rejoyned ; that the similitude suited not with the case in question . For the secluded majority of the Commons and Lords house , according to their trusts , duties , at the earnest desires of the generality of our three Kingdomes , endevoured to preserve and secure the ship of the Common-wealths of England , Scotland , and Ireland , and bring it into a safe harbour , by a happy close with the late King , upon far more honourable terms and propositions for the subjects benefit , liberty , weal , security , to which the King consented , then ever we or our ancestors enjoyed , or our posterities can hereafter hope for ; and laboured to their power , to prevent those bloudy intestine wars between our Protestant Realms and Allies , and that prodigall expences of many millions of treasure , which this vi●lence upon the King , Peers and Commons house , have since produced , and is still likely to occasion , by these few Members confederacy with the Army ; who in stead of saving have quite wracked the ship both of our true ancient Parliaments , and Republicks , and of their new infant Common wealth too , and left us in a more desperate distracted unsetled condition , then they then found us ( which he con●essed to be true ) . Therefore he could no wayes justifie this their violence , much lesse infer from thence , that they were an undoubted true English Parliam●nt , for by like reason he might make the Army , or Generall Councell of Army Officers ( the chief authors and actors in this violence only ) to perpetuate their own armed power and our intestine wars for their own private ends ( as now all clearly see ) a true English Parliament ▪ as well as that Fag end of the house of Commons confederating with them ; who now too late repented of this their folly , treachery , and heartily wish , they had joyned with us in our really endevoured , and neer accomplished settlement upon the Kings confessions , which now they despair of more then ever , to enjoy under any New Government . To the second I replyed , that admit them to be a true English Parliament ( which I could not grant ) yet certainly they neither would nor could grant him or his Whitehall associates any such unlimited arbitrary instructions and Tyrannicall power , to close-imprison me or others in remote Castles under Souldiers , to break open , ransack our houses , studies , seize our writings , records ; deny us liberty of Gods O●dinances , or free commerce with others by conference or Letters , which the whole Parliament and themselves so lately condemned , sentenced and publickly voted , declared against , as repugnant to the great Charter , Lawes , Liberties , properties of the Nation in my own and others cases , and made new acts against . And if any such exorbitant , tyrannicall power had been granted them upon any pretence , yet the Statutes of 25 E. 1. c ▪ 1 , 2. E. 3. c. 1. declare them , to be null and void , and himself knowing them to be such in law , could neither in justice nor conscience pursue them to mine or others prejudice . To the third I subjoyned , That the many desperate plots and conspiracies against the true reall Common-wealth of England , were on his and his associates part , who subverted our old Fundamentall Laws , Government , Monarchy , Parliaments and the free course of justice , by arbitrary power , force , and Courts of highest injustice , not on mine , or the secured and secluded Lords and Commons , who detested , opposed all their apparent late plots a●d conspiracies against them ; and that now , by Gods retaliating Justice , they poor infant Commonwealth ( founded in Treachery , Perjury , Violence , Injustice , Bloud , Tyranny ) was suddenly subverted , destroyed , by that very armed power which first erected and engaged to support it still . But admit the allegation true ; yet this was very ill Logick , and worse Law and Policy ; because there were many plots and conspiracies against their new infant Republick by others ; Ergo , he and his Whitehal associates might close-imprison me ( after all my sufferings and services for the publick ) and all else they pleased , in remotest Castles , without cause or hearing , though guilty of no reall crime , plot or conspiracy ; which strange exorbitancy , in my judgment , was our principal cause of their new Commonwealths and Whitehall Councels suddenunexpected downfals : However , I being a Member of Parliament that had then a being ; neither he nor his Whitehal associates , could thus imprison and secure me by any generall instructions , without a special order of Parliament , without th● highest breach of Parliamentary Priviledges ; and if there were no reall Parliament in being which gave them their usurped authority , ( as in truth there was not ) they were then but a company of private men , destitute of all legall authority and had no more lawfull authority to restrain or imprison me upon any pretext , then I had to imprison him or them , since Par in parem non habet imperium ; as he well knew , without some speciall law authorizing him . To the fourth I related ; that if he knew not the particular grounds of my Imprisonment , then he could not positively resolve , that it was in order to the publick safety . That to injure and oppresse me , who had written , acted , and suffered so much for the publick safety heretofore , was the high way to occasion , hasten , not prevent their publick damages , and must certainly favour of much private causelesse malice of some men towards me , rather then of publick safety , or their private respects towards me . That I was so conscious of my own innocency , that I neither feared nor declined , but oft desired a publick legall Tryall for any thing he or his associates could object against me ; which I could not attain ; and to say now at last , that all they did was only out of tender respects and favour-towards me ; was a very absurd and pitifull excuse ; especially seeing he professed , he knew no ground nor reason for it . That Canterbury and the Prelates , might have made the same absurd allegation for my former close restraints as well as he , and that if himself should be so long close imprisoned in three remote Castles , under such armed guards , and unchristian restraints as I sustained under him , by me or any other his pretended friends , without any legall cause , hearing , tryall ; I doubted not , but he would interpret it , as an act of highest malice , Tyranny , and injustice , not as a speciall favour and tender respect towards him . That himself well knew , in the cases of many late Delinquents , illegall commands and commissions too from the King , Councell , or any others , had been frequently resolved in Parliament , and elsewhere , to be no excuse , nor justification at all for those who obeyed or executed them ; and therefore his pretended counsels , illegall commands to him , in relation to me , could neither extenuate nor justifie his illegall warrants and restraints , in the least degree . That he was sorry to hear such poor excuses from a Lawyer ; and that he should be so far overseen , as to expose himself alone to answer and satisfie all the illegall actions , and exorbitant Warrants he issued by their unjus● commands , b●th against me and others ; which they now totally disclaimed , and so lest him in the lurch to bear both the odium and dammage of them . In brief , after near two hours discourse , being unable to reply to my premised answers ; he promised , to make a dil●gent speedy search after the particulars that were suggested against me , and to give me an undelayed account thereof , if there were any at all extant ; as I presumed there were none ; Whereupon we departing , and I hearing not from him in five weeks space , I thereupon sent this ensuing Letter to him . SIR , I Presume by this time , according to your former promise , you have made an exact search and discovery , both of the Informers name , and particular Informators , upon which you committed me close pri●oner near three years space , to three remote Castles , without any hearing or tryall , against all rules of Law or Justice ; of which I desire to be presently informed , that so I may know how to steer my course in righting my self against this publick injury ( lest it prove presidentiall to prejudice posterity ) in such sort as may most redound to my own vindication , and the common good of all English Freemen ; which shall be the endevour of Your Quondam close Prisoner , William Prynne . Since which I never receiving the least account or answer from him , I take this long silence for a satisfactory evidence of my innocence and his injustice in committing and injuring me as aforesaid , without any particular cause at all , yet discovered or declared , after so long a respite ; whereupon to right my self the best I may at present in point of reputation , ( till a time of future reparation in some other kind shal offer it self ) I thought it both just and necessary for me to publish all the premises to the world ; supporting and solacing my self in the mean time with these old Christian Cordials , of which I have had frequent experience , Psal . 37. 5 , 6 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40. Commit thy way unto the Lord : trust also in him , and he shall bring it to passe . And he shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light , and thy judgment as the noonday . Marke the perfect man , and behold the upright , for the end of that man is peace . But the transgressours shall be destroyed together , the end of the wicked shall be cut off . But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord , he is their streng●h in the time of trouble . And the Lord shall help them and deliver them : he shall deliver them from the wicked ; and save them , because they trust in him . Mich. 7. 8 , 9 , 10. Rejoyce not against me , O mine enemy : when I fall , I shall arise ; when I sit in darknesse , the Lord shall be a light unto me . He will plead my cause , and execute judgment for me : he will bring me forth to the light , I shall behold his Righteousnesse . Then he that is mine enemy shall see it , and shame shall cover him which said unto me , Where is the Lord thy God ? mine eyes shall behold him , and now shall he be troden down as the mire of the streets . FINIS . A Usefull Seasonable Corollary to and from the Premises . WHen I seriously contemplate with deepost greife of Heart and confusion of Spirit , how my late Imprisoners , with other of their Confederates ( who made the greatest Profession of transcendent Piety , Justice , Uprightnes , Clemency , Humility , Selfe-deniall ; cordiall affection , & transcendent Zeal to the Fundamentall Lawes , Liberties , Franchises , Priviledges , Ease , Weal , Establishment of their Native Country ; published so many large * Declarations , Remonstrances to the world , in print , asserting the same , and declaring their utter detestation and totall extirpation of all arbitrary Government , Tyrany , Injustice , Oppression , Violence , illegall Proceedings , Imprisonments , Restraints , Seisures of Papers , ransacking of Houses , Executions , Taxes , Excises , Imposts , Arrayes exercised by the late King , Strafford , Canterbury ( whom they impeached , condemned , beheaded as the Greatest Tyrants ) and by the old Councell Table , Star-chamber , High Commission , and House of Lord● , which they totally suppressed as intollerable Greivances to the people ; No sooner ingrossed into their owne hands ( by force and fraud ) the Supream Power over their fellow-brethren , and our Realmes , but they presently degenerated by degrees in to more absolute Tyrants , greater Oppressors , Self-seekers , Invaders , underminers , Subverters of the Lawes , Liberties , Properties of the Subject , the Rights , priviledges , freedome of Parliaments , then the very worst of their condemned Predecesso●s , transcending them in all kindes of unrighteous Exorbitances , and act● of Injustice , Cruelty , Oppression ; and that not only towards their declared common Enemies , but fellow-members , and most indeared , best respected , meritorious Christian freinds ; notwithstanding all sacred Oaths , Protestations , Vows , Leagues , Covenants , Christian & civill Obligations to the contrary : and that only for their constant Loyal●y , Fidelity , and adhesion to their first Principles , Oathes , Protestations , Covenants , Trusts , Duties ; without the least Apostacy ; for which they deserved their highest respects ; and for opposing them in , disswading them from those violent unrighteous Proceedings , and destructive publique Changes which have occasioned so much effusion of Christian bloud , such vast expences of Treasure , and produced so many sad calamities to our 3 whole Nations , only as yet to make them more unsetled , more enthralled to all sorts of illegall Pressures then ever heretofore . It experimentally instructs both me and all others capable of any good instructions . First , of the infallible verity of these sacred Oracles Jer. 17. 9. The heart ( of man ) is deceitfull above all things , and desperately wicked ; who can know it ? & Ps . 62. 9. Surely , men of Low degree are vanity , and men of high degree are a lye , to be layd in the ballance , they are altogether lighter then vanity . Secondly , of the sad , tragicall , dangerous fruites of ambitious affectations of Soveraignty , greatnes ; which instigates men oft times , to violate all Oaths , Laws , Trusts , Obligations , Relations , naturall , civill , sacred , publike , private , transforming them into savage ▪ beasts , yea Saints themselves in external shew , into incarnate Divels , and monsters of iniquity , treachery , cruelty . Witnesse . Judg. 9. 5. to . 57. 1 Kings 15. 27 , 28 , 29. c. 16. 9. 11 , 12. to 21. 2 Kings . 8 ▪ 13. 15. c. 10. 1. to . 15. c. 11. 1. c. 15. 10. 13 , 14. 25. 30 , The * Barbarus trechery , cruelty , ingratitude of Cassander and other Captaines to Alexander the great : who notwithstanding all their oathes , obligations ▪ and pretended affections towards him , as their soveraign , generall , advancer , first trayterously destroyed him with a poysoned potion , then murdred his own Mother , Wives , Children , Brother , Kindred , interfectis etiam omnibus , quicunque Alexandrum etiam longinqua cognation● , &c the better to secure his dominions and treasures to themselves , which they devideth between them . After which they falling out between themselves , Warred upon and betrayed each other , till they were all slaine and destroyed by one another . With sundry other forraign and domestick presidents , recorded in histories ; many ▪ whereof are collected by Sr. Walter Rawleigh in his Preface to the History of the wor●d ; and Dr. Beard in his Theatre of Gods judgments . Booke . 2. c. 3 , 4 , 5 , 10. 17. 41. where all who are guilty of this sinne , or really dete●t it , may profitably peruse-them at their leisure : with this observation of Justin . Hist . ● . 16. touching Gods retaliation upon such perfidious traitors and their families . Atque ita universa Cassandri domus Alexandro magno , seu necis ipsius , seu stirpis extinctae paenas , partim caede , partim supplicio luit . Sufficiently refuting that received Parodox of the Tragaedian , * * Imperia quolibet precio constant benè . Thirdly , of the extraodinary dangerous , sinful , poysonful leaven , usually attending grand powers , offices , Preferments , whcih frequently transforme not onely proud ambitiōs carnal persons , but even the most humble , mortified , meeke , just , upright , pious , self-denying Saints , and greatest Patrons of Religion , ▪ Laws , justice , publique liberty , ( without Gods extraordinary restraining grace ) into the very worst of tyrants , oppressors , Extortioners , especially when sodainly advanced by unlawfull meanes or from an inferiour condition to the highest pinnacle of soveraignty or Empire . This * Claudian a heathen Poet , long since observed , and thus elegantly expresseth . Asperius humili nihil est cum surgit in Altum . Cuncta ferit , dum cuncta timet ; desaevit in omnes Ut se posse putent ; nec Bellua tetrior ulla , Quam servi rabies in libera colla furentis . Yea such a strange corrupting transforming venom usually is there in Soveraign powers and dignities , ( which ought really to make men * Like to God himselfe , whose Deputies , Ministers , all lawfull Kings and Magistrates are ) in justice , righteousnesse , Clemency , Goodnesse , and zeale for their subjects wellfare ) that they frequently produce such strange alterations in mens mindes , actions , and so wonderfully metamorphise them from what they formerly were , and thought themselves to be , that if God himselfe by a special Prophet from Heaven , should predict such a mutation to and in them , they would not believe him . Of which we have a memorable Scripture president . 2. Kings 8. 11 , 12 , 13. Hazael a Servant to the King of Syria being sent to Elisha by the Ki●g , to enquire , whether he should recover of his disease ? the Prophet setting his countenance on him till he was ashamed , Wept . Whereupon Hazael said ; Why weepeth my Lord ? and he answered ; Because I know the evill that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel : their strong holds wilt thou set on fire , and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword ; and wilt dash their Children against the stones , and rip up their Women with child , & Hazael said ; BUT WHAT IS THY SERVANT A DOG ▪ THAT HE SHOULD DO THIS GREAT ( or strang cruel ) THING ? And Elisha answered ( only this ) The Lord hath shewed me , THAT THOU SHALT BE KING OVER SYRIA . Intimating that his unexpected advancement to and aspiring after the soveraign Power , should worke such an incredible alteration as this in him . And so it did . For presently after , he smothered and murdered his owne sick Soveraign in his bed , then invaded his Crown and reigned in his stead . v. 15. and not long after he invaded the Israelites with an army , slaying , & cuting them short , burning their Cities , oppressing & tyrannizing over them ( as Elisha predicted ) in all the coasts of Israel . 2 Kings . 10. 32 , 33. ● . 13. 3. 22. 25. Should Elisha himselfe have risen again from the dead , and foretold to Mr. Bradshaw and his confederates at Whitehall , Westminster and in the Army , but three or four yeares before their advancements to their New self created Supream Powers ; that they should so farre degenerate from their first Principles , professions , Practises within few yeares space , by unexpected advancements and Su●ces●es , that contrary to all their former Oaths , Protestations , Vows , covenants , Leagues , Declarations , Remonstrances , Commissions , Trusts , Obligations , Relations , Judgements , Resolutions , and all bonds o● Loyalty , Duty , Friendship , Law , Justice , they should forcibly undermine , subvert the Fundamentals of the Kingdom , the Rights , Priviledges , Freedome ( yea being ) of parliaments and their members , more avowedly and desperately then ever beheaded Strafford , Canterbury or others had done in any former age . That they should engage the parliaments own Officers and Army against the Houses , Members , Priviledges , and constitution of Parliaments themselves ; forcibly secure , seclude , asperse in print , imprison , close imprison not only sundry Noble Lords , but my self , with many of the sincerest , Eminentest members of the Commons House , whom they then most honored for their Piety , Ability , Fidelity to the publique Interest : impeach , condemne , behead their Lawfull Protestant King , disinherit his Posterity ; Sec●ude th● greatest part of their fellow Commoners , vote downe the whole house of Lords , create 50. or . 60. of themselves A Parliament of England , without King , Lords , or their secluded Associates . Arraignes , execute , the King , Nobles , Peers , Knights and other English Freemen in a New misintituled High Court of Justice ( created by themselves alone ) without any Lawfull Triall by their Peers : alter the ancient Hereditary Monarchicall Government of our three Kingdomes into a pretended Free State , Common Wealth , and other New-modles ; erect New formes of Parliaments , s●als , Coynes , Writs , Courts , Legall Procedings ; create New Treasons diametrically contrary to old ones : Suppresse the Presbyterian Government and party for which they were then so Zealous : cut off the head of a Presbyterian Eminent Minister of their owne party ; imprison , sequester divers other godly Ministers whom they then most countenanced ▪ preferred . Suspent all Penall Lawes against Heretickes , S●hismatickes , Blasphemers , Priests , Jesuites : Sell all the ancient Church Revenues formerly devoted by their Ancesters and voted by themselves for the better maintenance of the Ministry , and propagation of the gospel ; With the ancient Crowne Revenues which should defray the Ordinary expences of the government . Repeal the Oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance , which themselves had taken as Members , together with the Solemne Protestation , Vow , League , Covenant , made and prescribed by themselves under strict penalties ; and set up a New Engagement , point blank against them ( by which they were all abjured ) under such disabilities , forf●itures , paines , as they inflicted on such who out of conscience and detestation of Perjury could not submit thereto : impose strange illegall , oppressing uncessant oft-condemned Excises , Imposts , Tonnage , Poundage , Monthly Contributions , Shipmony , Arrayes , Militiaes , and publique Charges on the whole Nation without grant or consent in any free or Lawfull English Parliament , as no former times can parallel ▪ and themselves so frequently voted , declared , and passed particular Acts and Judgements against at the beginning of the Parliament ; together with forcible Presses of Souldiers , Mariners , Seamen , from time to time against sundry New Acts and Declarations to which themselves were parties : and that only to keep up a constant standing Army in the three Kingdomes , to enforce these Illegall Taxes from them , and keep them under perpetuall Bondage to their arbitrary new illegall selfe created Powers . That they should hostily invade their nearest , dearest Protestant Christian brethren of Scotland with an Army , against the Act of Oblivion , Solemne League , Covenant , and all their late Obligations to them for their Brotherly assistance ; assault , beseige , pillage all their Cities , Castles , strong Holds , and burne some of them with ●●re ; slay many thousands of their bravest Soldiers who assisted them , and ●heir stoutest young men with the sword , ( yea hack , wound , maime thousands more of them in a barbarous manner ) * with a rage reaching up to heaven ; slay some , persecute , imprison others of their eminentest Protestant Ministers , Nobles , Gentry , in remotest Castles ; sell many of them for Bondslaves to remote Plantations ; forrage , Wast , de●troy much of their Country with fire and sword , kill many of them with famine ; keep all their whole Nation ( like Bondslaves ) under constant Garrisons , and Tributes ; subvert their old Civill and Ecclesiasticall Laws , Parliaments , Government , imposing New upon them by the sword ; and be so far from repenting , or being greived , humbled for these unchristian Cruelties towards them ( upon no other knowne accompt , but their Loyalty to their lawfull King , and conscientious adhering to their former Government , Lawfull Oathes , Covenants ; ) that though some of them appointed General day of humiliation throughout the land by an * Ordinance of the 15. Febr. 1642. For the cruel and crying Sin of bloud shed , especially of the Protestants in Queen Maries time , and before , amounting but to some hundreds : yet they should after prescribe days of publikethanksgiving for the bloudy slaughters of many thousands of their godly Protestant Brethren & victories over them , & hang up all their Captivated Ensignes in triumph in Westminster Hall , for a perpetual testimony of this their unprotestant , unbrotherly carriage towards them , contrary to the * Practise of all godly people in former ages , and many * Gosple Precepts . That after this they should picke a quarrell with our old Protestant Friends and Confederates of the united Provinces by putting New restraints upon their Trading , beyond all former presidents , seising their Ships , Merchandize as consiscate , and then ingage them in a most bloudy warre and fights against them by Sea , to the destruction of many thousand Merchants , Mariners and their Families , the impoverishing of both Nations , the great decay , obstruction of Trade , and grand advantage , rejoycing of our Spanish and other Popish Enemies . That they should pull down the Kings Armes by speciall Order out of all Churches , Courts and other publique places , yet set up the bloudy Crosse ( as the only Coat of England for the future , as it hath since been and is still like to be ) in its place ; though they formerly pulled downe , demolished all Crosses in such places by special Orders , as Superstitious , and still permit the Kings Armes and Images too upon his coyn , where they yet passe currant . That whereas Christ himself in his Gospel commands all Christians ; not only to * make Prayers , Supplications and Intercessions for all men in general , and for KINGS and their very enemies in particular ; but also not to hate , but love their Enemies , to do good to them that hate them , and pray for those who dispitefully use and persecute them ; That they may be the Children of their father which is in heaven : For he maketh his Sun to rise upon the evill and the good , and sendeth raine both on the just and the unjust . Backing it with this reason . For if you love them that love you , what reward have you ? do not even the Publicans the same ? Be you therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect ; Therefore if thine Enemy hunger feed him , if he thurst , give him drink . Be not overcome with evill , but overcome evill with goodnesse . In pursuance of which Precepts our King * William the I. ( though now branded for an inhumane tyrant by many ) was so christianly Charitable , Noble , Heroicke toward Edgar Athelirig ( after he gained the Crowne of England from the perjured usurper Harold by the sword ) that although he was right heire , and his only Competitor to the Crowne of England , twice set up in Armes against him by the English Nobility and King of Scots to force him from the Thron ; yet after all his Forces broken , when he was quite deserted by his friends , upon his addresses to him in Normandy ; he courteously received him into his favour , entertained him for sundry yeares together even in his owne Court ; Allowed him an Honourable pension of one pound of Silver every day , besides a large Donation . After which Edgar going to the holy warres into Apulia with many Ships and Souldiers , he was in returne from thence , courteously entertained and had many benefits bestowed on him by the Emperors of Greece and Germany , who disired to retain him in their Courts ; Which Courtesie he refusing out of love to his Native Country , returned again into England where he lived quietly all his Reigne . And although * William Rufus his Sonne , upon some differences arising between them ( amounting to a competition to the Crowne ) banished him into Scotland for a time ; Yet at l●st he received him both into his favour and Court too ; and in the 7. year of his reign , sent him Cheife Commander with an Army into Scotland , to establish his Cosen Edgar Son of King Malcombe , King in the Throne , and to expell his Uncle Dufenald , who had usurped it by violence . ( Such was the Noblenesse of these successive Kings to this-right Heire to their Crowns ) That yet ●hey notwithstanding should contrary to these Gospel Precepts , and this domestick memorable president ; contrary to the resolution of a very Heathen ; * Nihil est iniquius quam aliquem Heredem paterni odii Fieri : To Gods own resolution , Ezec. 18. 17 2 Chron. 21. 6. 7. c. 28. 27. c. 33. 20. &c. and of our English Nobles and Nation , in the case of K. Hen. 3. whom they crowned for their K. notwithstanding his Father K. Johns faults ; Quia propria patris iniquitas ut CUNCTIS VIDEBATUR , Filio non debuit imputari : be so unchristian , uncharitable towards their beheaded Kings Royall Posterity , and Right Heire to the Crown , though Protestants ; as not only to prohibit all publique Prayers unto God for them , under pain of High Treason and severest Penalties ; to banish them out of all their Realmes and Dominious , to which they were * borne Heires , under pain of High Treason and death it selfe , if ever they set footing in them , not to allow any of them , the least breathing place therein ; nor the least standing Pension for their necessary support in other Climates , out of their owne Hereditary large Revenues which they have seised on ; to prohibit any other within their Territories , publiquely or secretly to ayde or relieve them under paine of High Treason , losse of Liberty , Life , Estate : But likewise to treat with other forraign Protestant States and Princes , to banish both them and their Protestant Adherents out of their Territories ; thereby to necessitate them ( ●o the intollerable Scandall of our Religion and Nation ) to live upon the meer Almes of Popish Princes , and For●aig , ners , like distressed Exiles , to the great peril of their Soules , and apparent hazards of their seduction from our Religion , by exposing them to so manifold temptations provocations to renounce it . Of which the * Jesuits and Papists make great advantage to draw others from us to their Romish Superstitions : And not content herewith , to treat with those Popish Princes , Stats , where now they are entertained , to remove them out of their Dominions , and withdraw all Charitable Supplies for their relief , that so they may inevitably perish , and have neither being nor subsistance in this world , nor place to r●st their heads in . Which transcendent unparalleld Proceedings ( as many intelligent Protestants conceive ) have been the principle inpulsive cause and argument the Jesuites have made use of , to incite the Emperor of Germany to * banish all the Protestants by severest Edicts out of Bohemia Austria , Styria , and other his Hereditary Dominions ? and incensed the Duke of Savoy by severe Proclamation , and by a bloody Army of Irish and other Papists , to massacre many thousands of them , and endeavour their utter extirpation out of his Territories , and will probably instigate all Popish Princes , States of Christendome to unite their forces together , to extirpate us and all other Protestants out of the world , for these premised unchristian Exorbitances , which * Militiere and other Papists in late printed Bookes impute to the Principles of the Reformed Religion . Should Elisha himselfe , I say , have predicted all or any of these particulars to them before they were acted by them ? and that they should publikely justifie them before all ●he World in many Printed Papers , and most Christian , Righteous , Just , Heroicall Actions , without the least remo●se or shame ( as they have done ) I appeal to their owne consciences ; whether they would not have bin as incredulous therof , nay more discontented with the Prophet for medling in them , as Hazael was , and would not have returned him the self same Answer as he did ? or a worse ; What are thy Servants Dogs , n●y Devils incarnate , and the Monsters of men , that we should do all these great , strange incredible things ; And yet since they have acted them all over and pursued them with eagernes instead of repenting of them ; and esteem all such their Capitall Enemies , yea little lesse then greatest Tratyors to them and their New Republike , who out of cordiall Love to their Soules , meere Conscience towards God , and duty to their Native Country , shall dare presume to disswade them from , reprehend them for , oppose them in , or move them to sincere repentance for the same : Which I beseech them now in the fear of God , seriously to reveiw , retract , reform , if ever they expect grace or pardon before any Tribunal of God or Men , where they must sooner or latter be * called to accompt for them , notwithstanding all their present Power or armed forces to secure them from humane Justice ; unable to resist divine . From this perillous corrupting , transforming leaven usually accompanying Empire and great Honors , the very Heathen Philosophers and others deduced these three Proverbs * Honores mutant Mores : Magistratus virum indicat ; vis nosse virum , committee imperium : And * Huldricus Zuinglius renders this reason of it . Adeo late vast●t hominum mentes rei gloriaeque ●upid● , tametsi interim pulchre celet omnia , & non alia res est quae latentes cupiditates magis exulcerat , QVAM IMPERIVM : tunc enim occasionem se invenire arbitrantur , qua maxime grassari possunt . Caeterum ubi jam via patet , nemo retrahere potest ut vel moderate videantur concupivisse , &c. He instanceth in two examples to prove what strange alterations , Empire and power , operate in mens minds and manners . First in King Saul ; next in Pythagoras the Phylosopher : * who although whiles a private person , he was such an extraordinary , humble , meek , pittifull , mortified , self denying , and cynical a person , that he would neither kill , nor eat any living creature whatsoever , nor any pulse or thing that had red spots or colour of bloud upon it ; renounced all worldly honours ▪ pleasures , profits , pompe , pride ; would seldome converse with men , or utter any word in any company , injoyning almost perpetuall silence to himself and five years taciturnity to all his Schollers ere they should presume to speak in publike ; yet no sooner was he made a King by the people , for his transcendent vertues seemingly against his will ; but he became a transcendent bloody Tyrant : OMNIVM ingurgitavit & haud aliter at que ii qui vino adobruuntur ebrius esset , & IN INNOXIOS FVRERET , &c. Vnde PERICV LOSSISSIMA RES EST QVIQVAM COMMITTERE IMPERIVM . To pretermit all other forraign presidents of like nature , enough to fill whole Volumes ; I shall instance only in one domestick one , not unseasonable for , and very parallel to our times ; related by sundry of our Historians . * William Langchamp being advanced from an inferiour condition by King Richard the first , to be Bishop of Ely , Popes Legate , Lord Chancellor , Chiefe Justice and Protector of England ( the first who enjoyed that title to my remembrance ) during the Kings absence in the holy Wars , Ann. 1191 , &c. Was so strangely infatuated , intoxicated , metamorphosed by these his new honours and powers , that he acted many things , not onely indiscreetly and untowardly , but also most arrogantly , insolently tyranically , unconscionably covetuously and cruelly ; tyrannizing beyond all measure over his Fellow ▪ Commissioners the Kings own Brethren , all the Nobility , Clergy , Gentry and Commonalty of the R●a●me whom he perpetually greived , oppressed with manifold continual and needlesse illegal exactions , pressures , proud insolent Speeches and behaviour , purveyances , proling Officers , Troopers , Guards , Garrisons , who by some means or other got all the wealth of the kingdome into his and their hands ; by placing , displacing all Officers , and disposing all Offices , preferments in the Realme at his pleasure , by imprisoning , crushing , trampling under feet all such who durst oppose , or appeal against his Tyrannicall Exactions , Procedings , Usurpations against their ancient Liberties , Priviledges , Rights , Laws , AS GUILTY OF HIGH TREASON OR SEDITION . And to keep the Nobility , Clergy , People in this servile condition under him , he kept a perpetuall Guard of Frenchmen and Flemings about him , never riding abroad with lesse then 1500. Horse to guard him , and commanded all the Nobility and their Sonnes to attend upon him , and matched his Neeces and kinswomen to them , the better to secure and strengthen himself : Yea , he displaced all the Officers appointed by the King , and under pretext of suppressing Thieves and tumults , placed garrisons of his own creatures , rather to destroy then govern it ; who kept great troops of cruel and barbarous Souldiers , which rode about armed in every place to terrifie the people , and be the most wicked executioners of his Violence , rapine , coveteousnes , Exactions ; sparing neither Clergy man , Monke , nor Layman , and committing many outrages , and cruelties in all places without punishment . And not contented herewith ( being sensible of the Nobilities , Clergies and peoples indignation against him for these his Exorbitances and Oppressions ) he sent for div●rs forraigne forces of his Friends and Confederates , placing them in the Castles and Garrisons of the Kingdome for his greater security . By which Tyranicall courses , Multis Terrorem incussit , Siluit ▪ Regnum Angliae à facie ejus , nec fuit , qui obmurmuraret ●um sibi in Anglia nihil ad ex●vgnandum restaret , writes Mathew Paris . In briefe Nu●rigensts records , That the Laity o● England experimentally found him MORE THEN A KING ; And the Clergie MORE THEN A POPE , but both of them AN INTOLLERABLE TYRANT . Solis complicibus et copri●toribus suis innoxius : caeteris indifferentur , non tantum PECVNIARVM AMBITV , verum etiam DOMINANDI VOLVPTATE ERAT INFESTVS , For by reason of HIS DOVBLE POWER ( or rather treble , civill , Ecclesiastical & Military ) he usurping the Militia into his own hands alone ) HE PUT ON THE PERSON OF A DOUBLE TYRANT most arrog●ntly domineering both over the Clergie and people , making use of both his powers , the more easily to accomplish his designes , and crushiug those with his Military and royall power , whom he could not subdue with his Ecclesiasticall Authority . Non erat qui se absoonderet à calore ejus cum & secularis in eo virgam vel GLADIVM Apostolicae potestatis timeret : His pompe and pride was more then royall almost in all things ; Yet , such was his secret * fear in the midst of his greatness : That Clericorum stipatus Catervis MILITVMQVE VALLATVS AGMINI●VS , Orientalium more Regum TANQVAM IN EXPEDITIONE JVGITER POSITVS ARMATORVM CIRCA CVBICVLVM SVVM HABERE EXCVBIAS VOLVIT ; keeping great armed guards about him day and night ; wheresoever he was , or went. Hereupon the Nobility and People unable to suffer his intollerable insolencies and oppressions any longer , complained most greivously of them ●o the King ; who thereupon writ to some Nobles to examine and redresse these Greivances ; And upon the instigation of Earl John the Kings Brother , the Nobles of England raysing great forces , to suppresse and eject this Tyrant , met in a kinde of Parliament the Saturday after Michaelmas , Anno. 1191. at L●don Bridge between Reading and Winds●r ; and after that in Pauls Church , and on the East part of the Tower of London , where all the Archbishops , Bishops , Earls and Barons there assembled agreed , and resolved the unanimous conscent of all ; Vt talis de caetero in Regno Angliae non dominaretur , per quem Ecclesia Dei ad ignominiam , et POPV●VS AD INOPIAM TRAHEBA●VR . Ipse enim Cancellarius et satellit●s ejus , OMNES REGNI DIVITIAS IT A EXHAVSERANT , Vt nec viri Baltheum argento redimitum , ne faeminae monile , nec viri nobili annulum , vel Judaeo relinquerent the saurum , vel quidlibet precio●i . The saurū quoque domini regis adeo evacua ▪ verant ▪ ut in scriniis au●●lit●llis , Nihil praeter c●aves et vasa vacua possent de elapsa Biennio inveniri . Provisum est etiam . Vt o●●ia castella , quae pro libitu suo idem cancellarius cu●todiae satellitum suorum commisserat , redderentur , & in primis Ipsa turris Londinensis . This insolent Oppressor now finding himselfe unable to resist the nobles ( most of his Freinds , rebellious forces deserting him in his distresses ) fled to the Tower of London , refusing to appear before the Lords , for fear of violence , notwithstanding security tendered to him ; but at last being necessitated thereunto , he sware to perform whatsoever the Lords had Decreed , giving sureties to surrender up all the Castles to them , and to depart the Realm . Whereupon laying down his Offices and Legates Crosse , he came to Dover ; thinking in a clandestine manner to passe the Seas : and the better to deceive the Marriners eyes , he disguised himself in womens apparel ; virum in faeminum convertit , dum vestem Sacerdotis in meretricis habitum commutavit ; tunica virida faeminea indutus . But being casually discovered by a Mariner to be a man , ( who desired to make use of him as his strumpet ) and that hatefull Chancellour whom so many had cursed and feared , a company of women and vulgar people in great despite , threw him to the ground , spit upon and beat him very sorely , dragged him by the heeles along the Sands , and would ( no doubt ) have torn him in pieces , had not some of the Burgesses of the Town rescued him out of their hands , and thrust him into a Seller , where he was detained prisoner till they knew the Lords pleasure concerning him . * Thus he who but a few moneths before was honoured and feared by all men like a demy-god , attended with so many Officers , Nobles , Guards , and pretended Friends being once down and standing in need of his Friends help , had no man to defend or speak for him , no man that moved a tongue or finger to rid him out of his present calamity , lying long in this sad pickle , till at last being set at liberty by some Bishops means , he passed with scorn and contempt into Normandy , his native Country . Let those who now imitate him in his Tyrannies , Oppressions , Insolencies , Rapines , and imposing armed Guards and Garrisons on the Nation to enslave them , take heed they follow him not in his sudain shamefull downfall . From these and infinite other Presidents of mens strange Degeneracies & Transmutations by their high Honours , Powers , in all ages , we may well cry out with godly * Zuinglius Quis nunc tuto cuiquam committat Imperium , cum simplicissimos & sapientissimos videamus imperio immutatos esse ? And let all consciencious Christians truly fearing God , learne these profitable Instructions from the serious contemplation of them . 1. Not over severely to aggravate , censure the Exorbitances of our late or former Kings , or their Officers , Counsellors , Courts ; since other late Reformers who have most eagerly declaimed against , censured , condemned and totally suppressed them as the greatest Grievances and Tyrants , have farre transcended them ever since in their very worst Exorbitances , and degenerated into more absolute Tyrants , Oppressors , Grievances in most kinds then they were hertofore , as their late Acts , Edicts , Actions and Speeches proclaim to all the world . 2. Not greedily or ambitiously to seek after Empire , Soveraignty , Power , Magistracy , great Offices , or Preferments ( * * being so full of perils , cares , feares ) especially , by violent , fraudulent , corrupt , unlawfull meane● , but rather modestly and carefully to decline them , for fear of being depraved , altered , and brought if not to temporall , yet to eternall ruine by them , as thousands have been . Thirdly in case they be lawfully called , urged , and in a manner enforced against their wils , without their solicitation to any places of great Power , Trust , or Honor , to be very cautious how they undertake them , to examine their owne abilities faithfully to discharge them , with the strength of their Christian graces to resist , conquer , those manifold temptations unto sinne , and grosse Corruptions , which usually att●nd them ; and earnestly to seeke to God by prayer for speciall direction in the acceptance or rejection of them . Fourthly , If God and their own Consciences upon warrantable grounds encline them to embrace such Powers or preferments , then to make it their earnest prayer to God ( as * Solomon did ) to bestow upon them an extraordinary measure of Grace , Wisdom , Knowledg , Courage , Diligence and sincerity , to mannage them rightly to Gods glory , the peoples weal , happinesse ; and to avoid all those corruptions , temptations to Oppr●ssion , Injustice , Pride , Violence , &c. which usually attend them . Fif●hly , To engrave these sacred scriptures alwaye● in their hearts and memories : 2 Sam. 23. 3 , 4. He that ruleth over men must be just , ruling in the fear of God : with 2 Chron. 19. 6 , 7. Rom. 13. 3 , 4. 2 Chron. 9. 8. Jer. 7. 5. 8. c. 23. 5 , 6. Zech. 7. 9 , 10. Execute true Judgment throughly , for ye judge not for man , but for the Lord , who is with you in the judgment : take heed what you do ; and shew mercy and compassion every man to his Brother . And oppresse not the widdow nor fatherlesse , the stranger nor the poor , and let none of you imagine evill against his brother in his heart . Matth. 7. 12. All things whatsoever you would that men should do unto you , do yee even so to them , for this is the Law and the Prophets . As likewise Rom. 11. 21. Be not high minded , but fear : For if God spared not the natural branches , take heed left he also spare not thee : 1 Cor. 10. 12. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth , take heed lest he fall . And withall to imitate our pious Saxon King Edelwolf , of whom Abbot * Ethelred gives this Encomium , Hi● in Regno terreno semper meditabatur c●leste ; ut manifeste daretur intelligi , eum non victum cupiditate , sed charitate provocatum , alienae necessitati regnando consulere , non suae voluntati dominando satisfacer● . Sixthly , To beware how they give the least way , to any unjust or unrighteons Project , Judgment , Commitment , Imposition , action , * contrary to the known Laws of God or the Land , to the prejudice of any private Person , or the whole Nation , upon any pretended Necessity , Extremity , Conveniency , publique advantage , or to satisfie the unjust desires , or commands of an● Powers or Persons whatsoever : least it prove an inlet , and leading president to far more , worse , greater Exorbitances , Injuries , Oppressions , Sins , and necessitate them at last to defend one wickednesse or act of Injustice , by another , till they plung themselves over head and ears , beyond recovery in sin and damnation , to their temporal and eternal ruine . * Principiis obsta : is the best resolution in such cases . Seventhly , Diligently to examine by the rules of law conscience and right Reason , every Action , Project , Designe proposed to , or imposed on them , by these three notable Interrogatories of Saint * Bernard : Whether it be Lawfull ? Decent ? Expedient ? And if upon due confideration , it faile in any of these three circumstances , then peremptorily to reject it , proceed no further in the execution ; but rather willingly to quit their Offices , Honors , Powers , then their Justice , Honesty Consciences in such cases ; according to our Saviours advice , Matt. 16. 26. and the Apostles resolution , Acts 4. 19 , 20. and c. 5. 29. We ought to obey God ( and the Laws too ) rather then men . Eighthly , To * listen with a willing ear and thankfull heart to the informations , admonitions , oppositions , reprehensions of their reallest Christian friends , and eminentest sincerest Patrons of their Countries Laws , Rights , Liberties , in all cases of publick concernment ; rather then to meer creatures & ▪ dependents of their own , or to the suggestions of projecting self-seekers . And when they are opposed by such in any of their designes , to consider that excellent saying of Seneca , which will not only mitigate their anger against such , but reclaim them from such injurious prosecutions and designes . * Quidam verò non tantū JUSTAS CAUSAS standi contra nos , sed etiam Honestas habent . Alius Patrem , alius Fratrem , alius Patruum alius amicum : ( alius Patriam ) His tamen non ignoscimus id facientibus , quod nisi facerent , improbaremus . Immo , quod est incredibil● . Saepe de facto bene existimamus , de faciente male . At me hircule vir magnus & justus fortissimum quemque ex hostibus ' suis . Et pro libertate ac salute Patriae pertinacissimum suspicit : & Talem sibi civem , talem militem contingere optat turpe est odisse quem laudes , &c. Which had my injurious imprisoners duly considered before they committed me close prisoner , they would have been more ashamed to commit me , then now they are ashamed of my long injurious imprisonment , without any legall ground or cause . If any in present or future Power , contemning these Christian Instructions , and all Laws of God and Man , shall think to support themselves in any Arbitrary , violent , illegall , oppressive wayes to the generall oppression of the people , by the power of armed Forces . Let them remember that of Psalm 33. 16. There is no King saved by the multitude of an Host : a mighty man is not delivered by much strength . And know that all the Hosts , Guards under Heaven can neither save nor secure any unrighteous violent Tyrants or , Oppressors from the Justice of that Omnipotent God , who hath decreed , Psal . 140. 11. Evill shall hunt the man of violence to his overthrow : that bloody , violent and deceitfull men shall not live out half their dayes , be brought down by him into the pit of destruction . Psal . 55. 23. And that all those who take the Sword , shall perish by the sword . Mat. 26. 42. Which the Histories of all ages , places , Zach. 9. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5. Isay . ●4 . 10. to 20. worthy their saddest perusall with the forecited president of William Lanchamp sufficiently confi●me ; their very Armies , Guards themselves becoming many times their Executioners , as Seneca de Clementia l. 1. c. 25 , 26. most elegantly records . Yea sometimes the most victorious Generals , Armys , when they prove treacherous too , and mutinous against their Soveraign Lords and Masters , contrary to their Oathes , Trusts , become mutually treac●erous and destructive to each other in conclusion : Of which I shal give you only one memorable example . When Alexander the great , his Captaines had after all his Conquests poysoned him , murdered his Mother , Wives , Sonnes , and all his Kindred , and divided his Kingdomes , Dominions and Conquests between them , by divine Justice for his unjust , ambitious invasions of others Crowns , and Territories ; their own ambition & covetousnesse , presently armed them against each other , till they and their old victorious conquering Army with thousands more were totally slaine and destroyed one by another . Amongst the rest * Eumenes ( the greatest Polititian of them all , and inferior to none of them in valour ) to whom Cappadocia and Paphagonia were asigned ; having gained two victories against his Opposites ; and routed Antigonus and his Army in a third Battle with part of his forces ; The Arggraspides ( Alexanders old invincible Army , by whom he obtained all his Conquests ) growing mutinous and contemning his commands , because some of Antigonus forces in that battle had taken their Wives & Children , Prisoners , with all the spoyles and rewards of their long warfare . Thereupon they refused to fight any more to regain their Wives , children , plunder and openly reviled * Eumenes as the cause of this great losse of all they had gained in the former warres , by engaging them in new wars in their old age , with vaine deceitfull promises . And presently ( without their Captains knowledge ) sen● secret Messengers to Antigonus , petitioning him , to restore their Wives , Children and plunder to them ; who promised to restore them , if they would deliver up Eumenes to him . Whereupon they forthwith seised upon Eumenes , as he was endeavouring to escape their hands , and bound him in chains to carry him captive to Antigonus : Upon which craving leave to speak to the Army , which was granted : He used these expressions to them , shewing them the chaines they had treacherously laid upon him against their Oaths . * Cernite Milites habitum atque ornamentum Ducis vestri ; quae non hostium quisquam imposuit : nam hoc etiam solatio foret ▪ VOS ME EX VICTORE VICTVM , VOS ME EX IMPERATORE CAPTIVVM FECISTIS : QVATER INTRA HVNC ANNVMIN mea VERBA JVREJVRANDO OBSTRIATI ESTIS : & ista mitto . Verum oro : si propositorum Antigoni in meo capite summa consistit , inter vos me velitis mori : Nam neque illius interest , quemadmodum aut ubi eudam , & ego fuero ignominia mortis liberatus . Hoc si impetro , soluo v●s Jurejurando , quo toties vos Sacramento ▪ mihi devovistis . Aut si ipsos pudet roganti vim adhibere , ferrum huc date , & permittite quod vos facturos pro Imperatore jurastis , Imperatorem pro vobis sine religione juramenti facere . When they would neither slay him themselves , nor permit him to kill himself , upon this his patheticall request , turning his intreaties into imprecations against them , for their perjuries , treacheries to him , and their other Generals , he said . At vos devota capita , respiciant Dii perjuriorum vindices , talesque vobis exitus dent , quales vos ducibus vestris dedistis . Nempe vos iidem paulò ante , & Perdi●ae sanguine estis aspersi , & in Antipatrum eadem moli●i . Ipsum denique Alexandrum , si fas fuisset eum mortali manu cadere , Interempturi ; quod ●aximum erat , seditionibus agitastis . Vltima nunc ego perfidorum victima : ●as vobis diras atque inferias dico , ut inopes , extorresque omne ●vum in hoc castrensi exilio agatis , devorentque vos arma vestra quibus●plures vestros quam hostium Duces absump●istis . After which commanding his Keepers to go before with him to Antigonus his Tents ; The whole Army followed their General whom they thus betraied , who being himself a Captive , led the triumph of himself and his army likewise into the Tents of his conquered Enemy , delivering up all the fortunes , successes of King Alexander ; all the palms and Lawrels of so many wars and victories , together with themselves into Antigonus his hands ; together with the Elephants and Eastern Auxiliaries following them , that nothing might be wanting to the triumph . Antigonus overjoyed with this unexpected successe , more glorious to him then all Alexanders victories , in that he had thus overcome those by whom Alexander had Conquered the World ; divided these Conquerours of the World , through out his Army ; restoring what was taken from them , according to his promise . But in a few dayes after * Ibricius by his command , put all these mutinous Argyraspides Conquerours and Plunderers of the World to the sword , destroying every man of them , not so much as one escaping ; & prohibiting Eumenes to come into his presence , verecundia prioris amicitiae , committed him to custody , and soon after caused him to be slain ; being not long after slain himself in a battle by his former fellow Captains under Alexander , who destroyed each other by the sword . This was the tragicall end of Alexander himself , and of all his victorious old Conquering , Plundering , Treacherous Officers and whole Army too ; which our conquering , domineering Army , Officers , Souldiers now , with all depending on their support , may do very well advisedly to consider , upon this information of their late long causelesse Prisoner , under their strictest guards ; who shall close up all with Solomons words , ( which he hopes to finde experimentally verified , for this his impartiall Discovery ) : Prov. 28. 23. He that rebuketh a man , afterwards shall finde more favour , then he that flattereth with the tongue : and Prov. 9. 8 , 9. Rebuke a wise man , and he will love thee , Give instruction to a wise man and he will yet be wiser ; teach a just man , and he will increase in learning . FINIS . Courteous Reader , I shall desire thee to excuse these many Errata's through the Authors absence by the Printers . IN the Epistle to the Reader , p. r. l. 2. read Philotas , l. 6. r. hominus , l. 8. r. ipse , p. 2. l. 29. r. years , p. 4. l. 1. r. to our laws , l. 3. r. putting , l. 18 r. and , l. 26. r. posterum , pace , l. 27. ejectionem , l. 34. blade was secretly , p. 6. l. 27 , 28. r. hisce tineis , p. 7 , 19. r. quod cum assecuti , l. 36. Jesuitas , p. 9. l. 16. r. odium of them to these , p. 10. l. 3 r. whom our , p. 11. l. 29. r. preposterously or preproperously . In the Letters p. 4. l. 24. r. all our , p. 8. l. 23. as Sir , l. 27. cause justly ; the certain cause , p. 15. l. 17. r. and that before , p. 16. l. 11. r. I am resolved , l. 23. r. to Canterbury , p. 27. l 12. r. that Justice , p. 39. l. 15. r. to Whitehall , p. 36. l. 4. 12. r. 1 , 2. l. 5. 18. Ed. 1. l. 12. Tyrany , p. 39. l. 33. c. 19. r. 1 , p. 41. l. 21. r. and Tryall . In the Margin of the Letters , p. 5. l. 11. E. 3. r. 2 , l. 18 , 19. E. 1. r. 3 , p. 9. l. 4. Hunny , r. Hunne , p. 10. l. 2. r. Wenderhagen , l. 11. Sperots , r. Specots , p. 39. l. 151. r. 551 , l. 14. r. dangerous manner , p. 39. l. 6. 12. r. 1 , 2. l. 10. r. now no such , l. 30. E. 8. r. 3 , p. 40. l. 8. r. but by , l. 9. freed r. tryed , l. 27. with r. by , p. 42. l. 10. there . r. therefore . In the Remonstrance , &c. p. 3. l. 3. 10. r. 60 , l. 24. r. Tuall , p. 4. l. 21. r. forceably , l. 28. r. sort , p. 5. l. 11. r. hand , p. 6. l. 35. r. to carry to her p. 7. l. 12. Gear . r. Clerke , p. 9. l. 10. r. Gorges , l. 38. r. years , p. 11. l. 3. r. any , l. 20. borders . r. boards , p. 22. releasing . r. relieving , p. 12. l. 27. r. and muskets , p. 13. l. 26. r. Letters , l. 32. r. this , p. 14 l. 1. r. dispersed , p. 15. l. 8. eyes . r. legs , l. 18. r. putrid , p. 16. l. 2. r. binde up l. 15. estates . r. State , p. 18. l. 1. r. Liberty , p. 21. l. 7. in , r. or , the r. your , l. 37. r. changes , p. 23. l. 3 r. dele , and to defray his extraordinary prison expences , p. 24. l. 17. r. motion , l. 27. r. Recordership , p. 25. l. 9. r. against each other , p. 26. l. 15. r. strange Purgatories , l. 25. r. and all other Petitions , p. 28 : l. 11. r. all , l. 24. r. they had , p. 29. l. 23. r. you rather p. 30. l. 3. r. prosecute , l. 13. r. by your , l. 29. r. at law , p. 32. l. 7. r. expuing , l. 34 r. as impiously , p. 32. l. 15. or . r. of , p. 35. l. 15. r. parties to , l. 26. r. privities , l. 29. 12. r. 1. 2 , p. 36. l. 35. one . r. owne , p. 37. l. 36. for a r. this colonel , p. 38. l. 16. r. be kept . l. 18. H. 7. r. H. 4 , p. 40. l. 37. dele and , p. 42. l. 22. him , r. and , p. 44. l. 34. Matrosses , p. 47. l. 1. r. really , l. ● . r. power , p. 48. l. 14. r. sensuall , l. 27. r. Plunderers , p. 49. l. 26. the , p. 51. l. 1. if , p. 52. l. 22. which , p. 54. l. 28. r. intelligat , l. 30. sim , p. 58. l. 16. r. branch of , p. 60. l. 17. concessions , l. 37. 2. r. 42. E. 3 , p. 61. l. 10. r. their , l. 25. if that , p. 62. l. 5. r. dangers , l. 11. r. obtaine . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A91227-e520 * Qu. Curtlus hist . l. 6. p. 262 * Psal . ●4 18. 19. 32. 2 Tim. 3. 10. 11. * Dated Febr. 5. 1652. * Dated Febr ▪ 28. 1652. * Jo. Cambilhonius de abstrusioribus Jesuitarum Artibus et Studijs ▪ Lud. Lucius Hist Jesuitica . l. 1. c. 7. p. 17● . l. 4. c. 1. p 364. Speculum . Jesuiticum . P. 306. 307. * 〈…〉 Hist . 〈◊〉 l. 3. c. 2. p. 306. * See that of . 18 Octob. 1591. 15. Nov. 1602. * Thuanushist l. 138. Hospinian . Hist . Jesuit . l 3 ▪ and 4. Speculum Jesuiti●um . p119 and Ludovicus Lucius . Hist . Jesuitica . l. 4. c. 〈◊〉 where it is printed at large . * See Lud. Lucius Hist . Jesuitica . l. 2. c. 3. and Hospinian Hist . Jesuit . l. ● . * See Lud. Lucius . Hist Jesuitica . l. 4. c. 8. p. 640. * Lud. Lucius . Hist . Jesuitica . l. 4 c. 5. p. 53 5. * And did they not corrode and devour our Lawes of this Nature . * And have not they instigated the English themselves to do as much of late ? * And is not ours more dangerously corroded amongst us . * Lud. Lucius Hist . Jesuitica . l. 3. c. 3. p. 329. * Lud. Lucius . Hist . Jesuitica . l. 3. c. 2. Hospinian Hist . Jesuitica . l. 4. * See Lud. Lucius . Hist Jesuitica . l. 3. c. 2. p. 318. 319. * Hath not this been their Study and Meditation of late years amongst us ? * See Militiere , his Victory of Truth . Cornelius Cornelij Praefatio , ad S. Trinitatem . Commentarlis in Minores Prophetas . * See Cooks 4. Instit . c. 1. 6 , 7. ● 10. 11. 27. H ●8 . c. 24. 26. Cromptous Jurisdiction of Courts ; Brooke , Rastall , Ash . Title , Courts , Iustices , and Coram non Iudice . * See The Arraihnment of the engagment Packe of old English Puritans , and other printed Treatises against the Engagement . Job . 7. 11. * 2. Cor. 11. 23. * Math. 5. 12. Rev. 22. 12. Notes for div A91227-e4390 * B● means I 〈◊〉 against . * It is the ●●●perty of 〈…〉 & Robbers , ●● break up & enter Mens houses in the night ( being no legall time for arrests ) 〈◊〉 2 〈◊〉 43. Lu. 12. 39. 1 Thess . 5. 2. * If the late Kings definition of the malignant party be true : Exact Collection P. 288. By ●●e Maligant party they intend all the members of both Houses , who agree not with them in their opinion , and all the Persons of the Kingdome , who aprove not of their Actions : they who have stood ●toutly and manfully for the Religion , the Liberties , the Laws , for all Publick Intere●● : ( so long as there were any to be stood for ) They who have allway s been , and are as ●ealous Professors , and able and earnest Defenders of the Pro●estant Doctrine again●● Church of Rome , as any are . They to whose wisdome , courage and counsell ●●e Kingdome oweth so much as it can to subjects , and upon whose unblemished w ays , ea●y ●t self can lay no imputations , then I am a malignant , else not . * See B ooks Abridg●m●nt . Tit. Officers . Ra●●als ●bridgm●nts Tit. Sherif●s Justices of Peace , constables , 〈◊〉 Ma●ors &c. and Oath 9. E. 3. Stat. of Lincolne . 1. ● . 3. c ▪ 4. 14. E. 3. c. 11. 13. E. 1. ● . 37. 13 ● . 2. c. 7. 18. H. 6. c. 11. 27. El●z . c. 12 12. E. 1. c. 10. . 14 E. 1 c. 8. 28. E. 3. c. 6. * M. St. Johns Argument at Law , at his attainder . * Witnesse M. Lemot , aad others , near the ●xchange , and Sir Edward Hales in White-Fryers . * See Daltons & Cromptons Justice of Peace , Poulton and others . 2 and 3. Phil. and Mac . 10. 11. H. 7. c. 7. * Deut. 13. 12 , 13 , 14 , 15. Iosh . 22. 12. to 34. * Gen. 11. 5 , 6 , 7. c. 18 , 21 , 22. * As the Duke of Gloucester was at Calis , and Hunny the Martyr was in Lollards Tower. * See Rastals Abridgement , Gaol and Gaolers . * A New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny . p. 137. 138. &c. 165. to 179. * Joan : Ang : Wondenhagen Polit. Synopt . l. 2. c. 1. sect . 10 where the various acceptionsof the word Common-wealth are sp●cified . * Sperots case 7. Report . f. 57 , 58. * A new discovery of the Prelates Tyranny , p. 9. 142. * Ibidem p. 15 , 16. 139. 140. * Ibid●m p. 85 , 86 , 87 , 137. 138. 141. 142. * And so declared by the whole House of Commons , in their Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom , 15 D●cemb . 1641. Exact Coll. p. 6. 8. 11 , 12 , & confessed by the King himself in his Declaration of Aug. 12. 1642. Exact Collect. P ▪ 518. * Acts 24. 6. * See A New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny , p. 170 to 181. where this point is fully debated . † 2 Sam. 1. 20. * See Mr. St. Johns Spe●ch concerning it at the Judges Impeachment . And the Kings Answer to the Petition of both Houses , Exact Coll. p. 127. 518. 586. 879. 858 , 882. * Whence the King in his Answer to the Declaration of the Lords and Commons of the 19 of May 1641. Exact Collection p. 252. thus adviseth bo●h Houses , To take heed of inclining under the specious shew of Necessity & Danger , to the exercise of such an Arbitrary power they before complained of . The advice ( saith he ) will do no harm , and we shall be glad to see it followed . * 2. Ch●on . 28 6. to ●6 . Ezech 18. 7. 12. 13. 16 , 17 , 18. Isay 58. 6 , 7 , 8. Obad . 10 to 17. Mic. 2. 1 , 2 , 3. Lu. 19. 8. Acts. 16. 33 , 34. * An exact Collection . p. 6. 11 , 12. 31. 37 , 38. 156. 500. A New Discoveoy of the Prelates Tyranny . p. 15. 138. 140. in the cases of Dr. Bastwick , and Mr. Burton . * Ex●ct C●llection . p. 6. 11 , 12. 35. 37 , 38. and 156 , 157 ▪ * The true custody and safeguard of all publick and private Interests , The inheritance of every Subject , and the sec●ty he can have both of his l●fe , liberty , or estate : and the which being dis-esteemed , or neglected , ( under what specious shews soever ) a very great measure of infelicity , if not of irreparable confusion , must without doubt fall upon them : as the King himself and both Houses declare . Exact Collection . p. 28 , 29. 267. 284. 491 , 492. 494. 503 694. * The deniall whereof is charged by the Commons as a great illegal Grievance and evill . Exact Collection p. 6. * Magna Charta ▪ c. 29. Notes for div A91227-e12940 a And thinkest thou this O man that judgest them which do such things , and dost the same , that thou shalt escape the judgement of God ? Rom. 2. 3. b A new D●svery of the Prelates Tyranny . p. 15 , 16 , 120 , 121 , 128 , 132 , 137 , 140 , 225. c A new Discovery &c. p. 137 , 138 , 139. Nota , d See Exact Collection , p. 558. 559. Witnesse Excise , Tonnage and Poundage , Monthly Contributions , Quarte●ing of Souldiers ; new Oaths and Judicatures without and against Law ; ta●ing away mens Armes , breaking open mens hous●s , imprisoning and confini●g their Persons . e Exact Collection , p. 8. f Exact Collection , p. 35. g Exact Col. p. 38 , 39 , 41. Nota. Nota , h Exact Collection p. 77 , 78 , 156 , 157 , 458 , 483. i ●x●ct Coll. p. 6. k Matth. 25. 41. to 46. l Lev. 25. 14. Ez ▪ c. 18. 12 , 13 Psal . 10. 14 , 18. 1 Cor. 6. 8 , 9. Col. 3. 25. Mich. 2. 1 , 2 , 3 ▪ m Rom. 3. 3. n Exact Collection , p. 518 , 838 , 879 , 882 , 885 , 886. o Little on Chap. Remitter . p Exact Collection , p. 127. q Exact Collection , p. 252. r Rom. 2. 3. 16. to 25. ſ Exact Colle ction , p. 10 492. t And is not this the present case of most of the Nobility , the late s●eluded , secured Members ; and all conscientious Presbyterians throughout the Realm , wh● dare not violate their former Oathes , Covenants , Protestations , Declarations , Remonstrances , publ●shed to all the world ? & of my self ▪ t And is not this the present case of most of the Nobility , the late s●eluded , secured Members ; and all conscientious Presbyterians throughout the Realm , wh● dare not violate their former Oathes , Covenants , Protestations , Declarations , Remonstrances , publ●shed to all the world ? & of my self ▪ v Is not this your very practice now ? witness the Proceedings against the R●fusers of the Engagement , who are thrust out of all publike Offices , ●laces ●f trust , deprived of their Callings , Augmentations , Sequestrations , all present and futu●e Preferments and Degrees in the Church , Universities , Innes of Court , &c. yea deprived of the Law it self , their Inheritance and Birth-right , like Outlaws , the hight of Tyranny and Injustice . x For that which is my Case to day , may be many or any others tomorrow . Notes for div A91227-e15880 b Psal . 123. 8. Esay 57. 15. 1 Tim. 6. 16. b 1 Tim. 6. 15. Psal . 47. 2 , 7. c Ephes . 2. 10. c. 3. 12. d Ps . 34. 15. e Psal . f Luke . 18. 2 , 3 , 4 ▪ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8. g Plutar●●i Apothegmat● . h A New discove●y of the Prelat●s Tyranny . p. 142. Resolved upon the Q●estion , that the War●ant dated 27 of August 13 Caroli , made for the Transportation of Mr. P●ynne from Carnarvan Castle to the Isle of Jersey , and his Imprisonment there , & other restraints therein mentio●ed , are against the Law and Liberty of the Subj●ct , and that he ought to be discharged of that imprisonment , and to have reparations for his damages susteined thereby . i Condemned by the Declaration and Judgement of both Houses , Exact Collection , p. 853 , 854 , 855 , 8 87. k Exact Coll●ction . p. 242 , 28 , 29 , 267 , 500. l Hab. 17. m Jan. 4. 1648. n See my v●nd●cation of the Subj●cts L●●e●ty against ●llegall T●xes . Exact Coll●ct●o● , p. 882 , 883 , 884 , 885 , 886. o Exact Col●etion . p. 380 , 442 , 462 , 485. 469. 478. 550 , 551 , 850 , to 890. p Exact Collectio● , ● . 575. q And are not they sopractised now , in the very self-sam● , or a ●●rr more dangerous in this and others Particulars ▪ r By an expres●e warrant of the new , rash , inconsiderate Militia , grounded on yours at White ▪ hall . Notes for div A91227-e18530 a Contrary to 2 and 3 Phil. and Mar. c. 10. ●nd the common ●aw , Cook 2 Institu●es . p. 51 , 52 , 53 , 54. b Acts 12. 3 , 4 , 5 , 6. c Exact Collection , ● . 8 11 , 12 , 13. 312 , 322 , 666 ▪ 364 , 462 , 466 , 470 , 472 , 483 , 550 , 551 , 767 , to 773 , 812 , 813. 845. 846 , 851 , 852 , 854 , 855 , 887. A Collection . p. 424 , 425. 877 , 879. d a N●w Discov ry of the B shops Tyranny , p. 139. to 179. e Declaration of th● 17 March , 1648. Adulatio perperuum m●lum Regum . Qu. Curtius , ● hi●l . l. 8. f Exact Collection , p. 663. 666. A Collection , p. 227. 310 , 420 , to 428. 458 , 459 , 878 , 879 , 889. g Exact Collection p , 267 666. 491 , 492 , 493 , 852 , 854. h 11 Feb. and 17 March , 1648. i Acts 24 , 5. k See a new Discovery of the Bishops Tyranny , ● . 172 , 173 , 174. l See 5 E. ● . c. 8. 5 H 4. c. 10. 29 H. 8. c. 2. 27 E. 4. 71. Brook imprisonment . 80. Cooks 2 Institutes p. 43. m See Magna Cha●ta ● . 12. 13. 29. 4●● . 3. c. 1 5 9. 13. 26 ▪ 20 E. 3. ● . 12. 13. 27. H , 8. c. 16. 24. 1. E ▪ 6. c. 7. 10 ▪ which prove that there are now . n See Cooks 2 ▪ Institutes on Magra Charta c. 14. & 29. 3. Instit . c 12. &c. Brooks and Fi●cz . Title Tryall and C●ron● , and so adjudged in Parliament in the Earl of Lancasters case , Mo●t●mers case , and the 2 Spencers case , and others . Cook 2 Instit . p. 48. 4E . 3. R●t . Par. n. 14. 15 E. 8. ● . 6 8. 44. 49. 51. 17 E. 3. n. 22. 28 E. 3. n. 7. 10. 16. ●0 R. 2. n. 7 , 8. 2 H. 5. n. 15. o Iob. 2. 4. p All P●n●l S ●t●●es , c●e●ting any 〈…〉 nact , that No Of fe●ders shall be pun●shed by ●nd●ctment ▪ and freed by a Ju●y of ▪ their Peers , acco●ding to M●gna Charta , & the Common Law , and by the Statutes of 18 H. 6. c. 19. 2 E. 6. c. 2. ● & 5 Phil. & Mar. c. 3. S●uldiers departing without license f●om their Service , are to be punished with indictment , and tryed by a Jury , not by Martial Law ▪ Cook 6. Report . f. 27. & the Petition of Right . 3 Carol ▪ q Exact Collection . p. 8 ▪ r Se● ch . A●urder ●●●stit . p. 48. and 4 Insti● . 〈◊〉 Co●●t . s Psam . 137. 8. ●er . 51. 34. 36 , 37. 56. 〈◊〉 10. 14. I●ay . 31. 1. Judg. 15. 10 , 11. f●r . 50. 15. 29. 2. Sa● . 3. 39. Ps . 94. 20 , 21 , 23. Ps . 109. 15 , 16. Isay . 3. 11. t See Gen. 4. 10. to 16. c. 9. 5 ▪ 6. c. 42. 22. Nu. 35. 30 , 31 , 32 , 33. Deu. 19. 10 to 14. c. 32. 43. 2. Sam. 4. 11. 12. 1. Kings 2. 5 ▪ 9. 31 , 32 , 33 , 37. c. 21. 19. c. 22. 38. 2. K. 9. 7 , 8. c. 24. 4. Ps . 9. 12. Ps . 19. 10. Ps . 94. 21 , 22. Prov. 1. 16. 18. c. 28. 17. Isay 59. 2. to 13. J●r . 19. 3 , 4. c. 51. 35. Ez●●h . 16. 38. c. 22. 2. to 12. c. 24. 6. ●o 10. c. 35. 5 , 6. Hos . 4. 29. c. 6. 8. Joc● . 9. 19. Mi●h . 3. 9. 10. 12. c. 7. 2. 4. Hab. 2. 8. 12. 17. Math. 23. 35. c 27. 25. Acts. 5. 28. R●v . 6. 10. c. 19. 2. 2. Sam. 21. 12. &c. v ●am . 2. 11. Num. 35. 20 , 21 to 34. Ps . 10. 8. 2 Kings . 6. 32. Isay 1. 21. Jer. 4. 31. Acts. 7. 52. * Ci●●ro & E●asmi Adagia . x And thereof Right be longing to me , as was resolved in Justice Ric●els case 1. H. 4. ro● . Pa l. Memb ▪ 2 ▪ n. 1 y The Kingdom of England and Scotland in their joynt De●laration of 3 Jan. 1643. A Coll. p. 417. 418 ▪ find themselves ●ound in Conscience to declare , that no man who h●th been emin●nt in action , or hath suffered any notable loss● for publike , shall be neglected or slighted , but one way or other shall be thankfully remembred to his own honour , and the good of his Post●●ity . And is your close imprisonment of me and seising of my writings , &c. a real fulfilling of thi● promis● ? Notes for div A91227-e23940 a See a New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny . b Acts 24. 26. c Sir Edw. Cooks 2 , 3 , & 4 Institutes . Mr. St. Johns Speech against Shipmon●y . Indgement and Argument at Law against Strafford . Mr. Hackwells Argument against Impositions . Judge Crookes , and Huttons Arguments against Shipmoney . d Num. 30. 2. P● . 15. 4. Josh . 9. 19 , 20 , &c. 2 Sam. 21. 1 , 2 , & Ps . 89. 33. 34. Heb. 6. 17 , 18. Prov. 17. 12. to 24. Grotius de Jure Belli & Pacis , ● . 2. c. 13. ● . 3. c. 19. e The P●●nted Arguments and Papers of th● Commons House , 3 Caro●i in the G●ntlem●ns Cas●s , impriso●ed ▪ for the I●ans , Cot●o●i Posthuma , ● . 222 . ●o 296. Exact . Collection . p. 6. to 13. 35 , t● 42. 147. 492 500. 845. 850. to 890. A new D●scove●y of the Pr●lates Tyranny . p. 136 to 188. f 9 E. 2. Statutes of Sheriffs . 2. E. 3. c. 4. 4 E. 3. c. 9. 5 E. 3. c. 4. 14 E. 3. c. 7. 9. g 4 E. 3. c. 2. 27 E. 1. 2 E. 3. c. 2. h Exact Coll●ction . p. 8 , 13 , 15 , 517 , 518 ▪ The Acts for suppressing the Star ▪ Chamber , high Commission , & regulating ●he Councel Tab● : The Em●●u●●m n●● & Acts of At a●nd●●●f Str●fford & Canterbu●y . i See a new Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny . k 9 E. 2. ● E. 3. c. 4. 4 E. 3. c 9. 5 E. 3. c. 4. 14 E. 4. ● . 7. 9. 〈◊〉 Sh●●i●●s . ( l ) This all Ordinances for their first ●a●●●ng , continuing , Pa● and Contribu ions , and Declarations concerning them or the wars , and Solemn L●ague and Cov●na●● joyntly attest , and the Armies own printed Declarations likewise . * This one Turner Servant to the Garrison , asserted in a written Discourse , Which he sent to me , challenging me to answ●r his Arguments , which I did . m Exact Collection p. 6. * One inti●uled News from Guildhall , The Title wh●r●of my Examiner read unto me . * Ensign Bowr , and others ▪ n Exact Collection . p. 8. 11. 12. 35. to 42. 197. * This Ensign Bower twice averred , when he forcibly searched my Pockets , with two other Souldiers more in the presence of my Servant . † Acts 27. 42. The Souldiers counsel was to kill the Prisoners , but the Centurion willing to save Paul , k●pt them from their purpose . * Enforced to find them Lodging , Fire , Candles , and to give you ten thousand pound Bond to keep his Castle against all Enemies , after its walls , works , demolished , & the Ordinance and Ammunition thence removed , else it must be totally demolished without recompense , though Mr. Lutterils chief seat , Inheritance , Honour , of which many Mannors are held by Knights Service , such is your Free-State , even to your Friends and Servants . p A New-Discovery of Prelates Tyranny . p. 136. to 143. q Ibid. p. 167 ( p ) Ibid. 32. 75. 133. m A Practice borrowed from the malitious Jews , and persecuting Herod . Mar. 27. 63 , 64 , 65 , 66. Acts 12. 4. 6. 10. 18. c. 5. 23. n Jer. 16. 〈◊〉 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , &c , 28 , 29 , 32. o Acts , 24 , 5. p Acts 28 , 16 to the ●nd . Ephes . 3. 1. c. 6. 21 , 22. Phil. 2. 19. 23. c. 4. 18. 22. 2. Tim. 4. 9 , 10 , 11. 21. Philemon 1. 9 , 10 , 23 , 24. Colos . 8 to 19. and the Postscrip●s of his Epistles . q Rev. 1. 9. 11. c. 2. 1. 8. 12. 18. c. 3. 1. 7. 14. c. 21. 5. r Mat. 10. 8. c. 16. c. 12. 15. 22. c. 14. 14. c. 19. 2. Ma● . 3. 10. c. 6. 5. ●u . 4. 40. c. 5. 15. c. 6. 17 , 18 , 19. c. 8. 2. 36. 47. c. 9. 11. 42. c. 10. 3. c. 35 , 36. ● . 14. 4. Acts 5. 16. c. 8. 7. Jam. 5. 14. 15. s Rom. 12. 20 Mat 5. 44 , 45. Luke 6. 27. Prov. 25. 21. 2. Chr. 28. 15. t Acts. 28. 8 , 9. 30. v Luke 9. 1. 6. Acts. 10. 38. x Luke . 22. 50 , 51 , 54. y Ephe. 4. 31 , 32. c. 5. 1 , 2. z A new Discovery , &c. p. 84. 86. a 1 Eliz ▪ c. 2. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 3 Jac. c. 4 , 5. 7 ▪ Jac. c. 6. 17 Caroli . The Act for Triennial Parliaments . b See the printed P●oposi●ions sent to the ▪ King the last Treaty , & m● Speech in Parl. p. 57 , 58. c Exact Coll●ction , p. 20. 208. 309. 9 ▪ 8 , 909 , 911. d Exact Col. p. 1 , 4 , 5 , 12 , 13. 665 , 669. e Exact Col. p. 1 to 21. 91 , 98. 106 , 108 , 145 , 199. 206 , 207. 308 , 310. 461 to 465. 490 , 491 , 492. 508 , 516 , 567 , 570 , 574. 616 , 625 , 628 , 637 , 639 , 640 , 648 , 651 to 656 , 659 , to 754 , 755 764 , 769 , 786. 813 , 814 , 816 , 827 , 832 , 834 , 845 , 861 , 890 , 891 , 896 , 902 , 904 , 907 to 919 , 932. A Collection of O●dinances , p. 23. 30 , 39. 95 , 96 , 97 , 98. 167 , 169 , 185 , 187. 203 , 204 , 210 , 217 , 218 , 227 , 249 , to 267 , 275 , 283 , 309 , 310 , 314 , 360 , 363 , 371 , 379. 412 , 413 , 417 , 424 , 432 , 457 , 458 , 470 , 483. 514 , 517 , 537 , 548 , 576. 616 , 623 , 624 , 666. 704 , 705 , 706 , 724 , 761 , to 829 , 834 , to 870 , 872 , 880 , 883. Appendix p. 1. 15 ▪ f 5 El. c. 1 13 El. c. 1. 23 El. c. 1. 27 El●● ▪ c. 2. * See the Stationers Reaco● fired . * See Canterburies Doom , p. 26 , 27. 178 to 350. g In his Soveraign power of Parliaments and Kingdoms . h In his Pe●petuity of a Regenerate mans estate , Anti-A●m●anisme , &c. i In his Breviate , Cosens cozening Devotions , Quench coal , Lame Giles his Haltings . A Pleasant Purge for a Roman Catholike , Romes Master-P●ece , The Popish Royal Favourite , Hidden works of Darknesse brought to publique Light , Antipathy of the English Prelacy , Cant. Doom ▪ Speech in Parliament . k A New D●scovery of the Prelates Tyranny . p. 141 , 142. * In the Declaration of 17 Martii 1648 , and others . l 2 ▪ Sam. 19. 43. m Magna Cha ta c. 29. and C●●ks Institutes thereon . 1 Sam. 8. 4 , 19 20 22. 2 Sam. 19. 41 , 42 , 43. c. 16. 18. 2 K●ngs 2. 23 , 24. 2 Chr. 23 t●●oughout , c. 26. 1. 23 24. 25. c. 36. 1. The Lords and Comm●●s Declaration 23 Oct●b . 1642. Exact Collect . p. 660. We must own it AS OUR DUTY , that the meanest of the Commonalty may enjoy their own Birth-right Freedom and Liberty of the Laws of the Land , BEING EQUALLY INTITULED THEREUNTO WITH THE GREATEST SUBJECT . n A New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny P. 86 , 87 , 88. o Maintained in his Soveraign power of Parliaments , licenced by the Commons . His plea for the Lords . The Levellers Levelled . Antiquity triumphing over Novelty . A brief Historicall Collection of the ancient Parliaments of England , and Prynne the Member reconciled to Prynne the Barrister . Irēarches Redivivus . p No Bishop no King , &c. Conference of Hampton Court. The Bishop of Downes Sermon . The antipathy of the English Prelacy to Unity and Monarchy : Epistle Dedicatory to the Parliament . q C●nterburies Doome , Written and Printed by their speciall Order . r Psal . 69. 19 , 20. ſ Psal . 31. 12. t Phil. 2. 20 , 21 , 22. u Psal . 55. 12 , 13 , 14. x 2 Cor. 1. 4 , 5 , 6 , 9 , 10. C. 4 , 8 , 9 , 10. y Rex Omnibus & singulis Regni sui Justi●iae est debitor . Register of Writs , and the Prologues of our ancient Statutes . Exact Collection , p. 494 , 498 , 712 , 713 , 714 , 660. z 1 Sam. 8. 5 , 20. 2 Sam. 23. 3. 1 King. 16. 9. Chap. 10. 9. 2 Chron. 8 9. Chap ▪ 10 ▪ 5 , 6 , 7. 2 Sam. 8. 15. Chap 15. 2 , 5. Psal . 82 3. Prov. 8. 15. Jer. 7. 5. Chap. 23. 5. Chap. 33. 15. a Exact Collection , p. 268 , 269 , 290 , 291 , 36● , 370 , 706 , to 716. 18 , & 20. E. 3. Rastall Justices . Totel● Magna Charta . ▪ b Brookes Office des Court. Job 29. 12 , to 18. Isa . 65. 1. c Questus est Nobis I. S. ex gravi querela I. S. occepimus , Petit Judicium , &c. Register of Writs ; and Natura Brevium . d Cal●pine Holi●k● , Rider , Eliot , Calvini Lexicon Medicum . e Register of Writs . Natura Brevium . Old and new Books of Entries , and all Declarations , &c. f Luk. 18. 1 , 2 , 3 , &c. Mat. 7. 7 , to 13. 1 Joh. 5. 15. g Fitzherbert , Brooke , Ash , Title , Petition and Prerogative . h See the beginning of most ancient Parliament Rols ; Title , Receivers of Petitions to the King only , not them ; and the Kings Answers to the Petitions of the Lords and Commons . i 1 Jac. c. 1. Cokes 4. Instit . c. 1. Brooke Title Parliaments . Cromptons Jurisdiction of Courts , Title Parliaments . Sir Tho. Smith , De Republica Angl. l 2. c. 2 , 3 , 4. Mr. Hackwels manner of passing Bils in Parliament . The Petition of Right 3. Car. Exact Collection , p. 163 , 164 , 250 , 310 , 311 , 317 , 319 , 320 , 468 , 477 , 764 , 768 , 794 , 872 , 873. A Collection of Ordinances , 221 , 222 , &c. 110 , 111 , 756 , 757. k Exact Collection , p. 660 , 459 , 28 , 29 , 852 , 854. l 1 Thess 2. 2. m The like we read of the Centurion who beat and imprisoned him , mentioned Act. 22. 24 , to 30. n A new Discovery , &c. p. 113 , 114 , 115. o Ibidem .. p. 141 , 142. p Coke Instit . on Magna Charta . c. 29. Brooke Habeas Corpus . q Exact Collect . p. 8 , 20 , 28 , 29 , 450 , 660 , 652 , 894. r Exact Collection , pag. 252 , 278 , 285 , 289 , 869 , 871 , 883 , 885 , 866 , 559 , 560. t Mat. 5. 15. Luk. 8. 16. Chap. 10. 35. ( s ) A new Discovery , p. 86 , 87 , 88. u Psal . 31. 12. y A new Discovery . pag. 137 , to 143. z 2 Cor. 5. 10. Read Master Strongs his Printed Sermon thereon . a Mat. 25. 31 , 32. 2 Thess . 1 ▪ 7 , 8 , 9 , Jude 14 , 15. Jer. 51. 6 , 11. b Isa . 26. 9 , 11. c Psal . 94. 1 , 2 , &c. Rom. 12. 19. d Exod. 15. 3. Isa . 45. 7. e Psal . 59. 10. 17. f Rom. 15. 33. 16. 20. 2 Cor. 13. 11. g Psal . 12. 5. & 72 ▪ 4. Isa . 49 26. Jer. 6. 6. & 22. 15 , to 20. & 51 ▪ 35 , 36. Ezek. 7 11 , to 25. & 8 ▪ 17 , 18 & 12. 19 , 20. & 21. 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 12 , 13 , 20 , 21 , 29 , 30 ▪ & 45 9. Isa 33. 1 , 2. Jer. 22. Job 20. 15 , to 29. Amos 2. 1 , 2 , 3 ▪ &c & 3. throughout . Hab. 2. 7 , 8 ▪ ●oel 3. 19. Obad. 8. 9 , 10 , to 21. Zeph. 3. 5 , 6. L●k . 3. 19 , 20 ▪ Act. 12 1 , to 10. Exod. 3 , 7 , 8. & 2. 23 , 24 , 25. Mat. 25 ▪ 41 , 42 , 43. h See Exact ▪ Collection p. 917 , 918. An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons ●xhorting all to Repentance , Confession and Humiliation for our enormous sins procuring Gods wrath . i A New Discovery of the Prelates tyranny p. 115 , 116. k Isa 32. 17. l See the Vindication of the secured and secluded Members , and my Speech in Parliament . m Jer ▪ 46. 16. & 50. 16. n Jer. 28. ●3 , 14. & 27. ● . Ezech. 30. 18. & 34. 27. o 2 Chron. 10. 10 , 14. q Hos . 7 ▪ 14. r Isa . 58. 4. Like A●abs to take away Naboths Vineyard 1 King. 21. 9 , 12. ( s ) See Exact Collection . p. 21. 310. 634 , to 638. t Rom. 12. 10. & 13. 8 , to 12. Gal. 5. 13 , 14. Ephes . 1. 15. & 4 2. & 5. 2. Col. 2. 2. 1 Thess . 3. 12. & 4. 9. Heb. 10. 24. & 13 ▪ 1. 1 Pet. 1. 22 ▪ & 2. 17. & 3. 8. 1 Joh. ● . 11 , to 24. & 4. 7 , 11 , 12. u Ephes . 4. 9. x 2 Cor. 13. 11. 1. Thess . 5 ▪ 13. Heb. 12. 14. 1 Pet. 3. 11 , y Phil. 2 2 , 4. z 1 Joh. 3. 16. a 1 Thes● . 4. 11. b 1 Tim. 2. 2. c 1 Cor. 10. 32. 2 Cor. 6. 3. 1 Cor. 8. 13. Rom. 13. 10. d Isa . 2. 4. Mica . 3. 3 ▪ 4. e Mat. 26. 5● . f Gal. 5. 15. g Jam. 4. 1. & 3. 13 , 14 , 15 , 16. h Luk. 18. 2 ▪ to 9. Notes for div A91227-e39890 ( a ) Modus Tenendi Parliamentum . Cokes 4. Instit . ch . 1. ( b ) See my Plea for the Lords and Collection of the ancient Councels and Parliaments of England . c 1 Eliz. c. 1. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 3 Jac. c. 4 , 5. 7 Jac. c. 6. 16 Caroli . The Act for Trienniall Parliaments . d See my Plea for the Lords . My legall Vindication against illegall Taxes . Prynne the Member , reconciled to Prynne the Barrister . Notes for div A91227-e44010 * See An Exact Col●ction of them , in quar to and another in Folio , with an other of their new Knacks since , and their Declarations of Febr. 10. and April . 17. 1648. * Quintus Curtius Hist . l. 10. Justin . H●st l. 12. 13. 14. 15 16. 17. 18. Arrianus Hist ▪ Alexandri . Jacobus usserius Annales ve●eris Testamenti , Plutarchi Cassander , Eum●nes , Diodorus Siculus , and others . * Seneca . * Psal . 73. 6. to 12. ● Isay . 14. 5. to . 18 * In ●utropium l. r. See Roger Houeden , Annal . pars posterior . p. 680. * 2. Sam. 23. 3. 4. 2 , Chr●n . 9 ▪ 8. c. 10. 5. 6. Isay . 32. 1. 2. Rom. 13. 3. 4. 6. Psal . 78. . 71. 72. 2. Sam. 5. 12. c. ● . 15. * 2 ▪ Chr●n . 28. 9. * Exact Collection . P. 927. 928. * Judg. 21. 1. to . 18. 2. Sam. 1. 12. to . 20. 2. 2. Chron. 28. 5. 1. John. 3. 10. 11. 12. 1. Cor. 12. 25. 26. * Judg. 21. 1. to . 18. 2. Sam. 1. 12. to . 20. 2. 2. Chron. 28. 5. 1. John. 3. 10. 11. 12. 1. Cor. 12. 25. 26. * 1 Tim. 2. 1 , 2. Math. 5. 43 to the end Rom 12. 20. 21. * Receptus erg● Edgarus et magno donativo donatus est , pluresque annos in Caria mancus ; liber am . A genti quotidie in stipendi● accepi●bat . Will. Malmesburiensis De G●stis Regum Angliae l. 3. ● . 103. Math. Paris Hist : Angl. p 6. Speeds History . p. 442 Hiero. de Knyeth●on . de Eventibus : Angliae . l. 2. c. 3 col . 2350. * Simcon Dunelmensis Hist . An 1086. 1091 1097. Col. 213 216. 223. Chro● , Joannis Bromton . Col. 973. * Seneca de Ira. l. 2. c. 3 4. * See 1 Jac. c. 1. 2. * S● Militiere his Victory of Truth . * As several● printed Diurnals . &c. An ▪ 1653. 1654. 165● . relate , & Merchants Letters thence . * In his Victory of Truth . * 2. Cor. 5. 10. 11. Rev. 6. 15. 16. 17. c. 20. 12. 13. 14. * See Erasmi Adagia . * De Vera ●t falsa Religio ne cap. De Magistratu . * See Plutarch Diogenes Laertius , Diodorus Si●ulus , and others in his Life . * Math. Paris Hist . Angliae . p. 151 155. 156. 160 161. Gul. Nubrigensis . Rerum Angl. Hist . l. 4. c. 14. to . 19. Roger Hoveden . pars posterior . p. 687 700. to 708. 718 ▪ 719. 720. 735 &c. Fox Acts and Monuments . p. 114 123. 124. Holinshed . p. 121. 129. 130. 131. 132. Godwins Catalogue of Bishops p. 247. to . 261. Speeds History . p. 531. and My Antipathy of the English Lordly Prelacy to Regall Monarchy and Civil unity p. 202 to 211. * Necesse est ut multos timeat , quem multi timent . It a natu● ra constituit , ut quod al●en● m●tu magnum est , à suo non vacet . Quicquid terret , et trepidat . Seneca de Ira ▪ l. 2. c. 11. * Se● Godwin in his Life . * De vera et falsa Religione . cap. De Magistratu . * Gal. 6. 1. 2. * Miserimam ergo necesse est non tantum brevissimam vit am eorum esse , qui magno parant labore , quod majore possideant ; operose assequuntur quae volunt anxij tenent quae asscutâ sunt maximae quaeque , boxae sollicite sunt , neculli fortunae minus bene quam optimae creditur , Aliae faelicitate ad tuendam faelicitatemopus est et pro ipsis quae successarunt votis , vota facienda sunt . Seneca De Brevitate vitae c. 17. * 2 chro● . 1. 8. 9. * De Gene●logia Regum Anglorum . Col. 351. * See. 2. E. 3. c 8 ▪ 20. E ▪ 3. c. 1. 2 and 18 ▪ E. 3 Oath of the Just●ces . * Ovid. De R●medio Am●ris . * De Consideration● . lib ▪ 1. * Psal . 141. 5. 6. Prov. 19. 20. 25. c. 9. 8. 1 Sam. 25. 18. to 36. * De Jra . l. 3. c. 28. 29. * See Justin , Hist . l. 12. to 18 Qu. Curtius . Hist . l. 10. Plutar●hi . Alexander , Antigonus , Eumenes , Dr. Vsher Annales veteris Testamenti . pars . 1. * Plutarch . in his Life . Justin Hist . l. 12. 12 14. * Plutarchi Eumenes .