Advice to Freeholders, and others, concerning the Choice of Members to serve in Parliament, and the Qualifications that render a Gentleman worthy or undeserving so great a Trust: With a List of Non-Associators. I. AVoid all such as hold any Office of considerable value during Pleasure, they being subject to be overawed; for although a Man wish well to his Country, and in the betraying thereof, knows that at the long run he mischiefs and enslaves his Posterity, if not himself; yet the narrowness of men's Minds is such, as makes them more tenderly apprehend a small present Damage, than a far greater hereafter. Such Men must of necessity be under great Temptations and Distraction, when their Consciences and Interest look different ways. For to say Truth, such an Office is but a softer word for a Pension, therefore since these Men know before hand the Inconveniences that attend the trust of a Member of Parliament faithfully discharged, 'tis very suspicious and reflecting upon their Honesty, if any such stand for it; and I think we are bound in Charity, nor can we do them a greater Curtisy than to answer their Petition in the Lord's Prayer. Not to lead them into Temptation. II. Suspect all these (especially if they are Men of ill Repute) who in their Profession, or near Relations, has dependence upon the Court, for although to be the King's Servant is no bar from being a Parliament-Man, or from serving his Country honestly in that Station, and no doubt several of them have at divers times well discharged the same, yet frequently such Persons (unworthily) guessing at their Prince by themselves, are apt to vote right or wrong, as they imagine will most please the Prerogative Party and it is a hard matter for a Courtier to please that great (perhaps corrupt) Minister who supports him, and those whom he represents at the same time. III. Meddle not with such as have been or are like to prove Pensioners, or receive Salaries for secret Services. I know they would now brazen it out, that there were no such Men, no such Practices. But the contrary is notorious; did not the House of Commons last Westminster Parliament take the thing into Examination, nay did not Sir S.F. by his Memory (without the Books, which for some reasons were refused to be brought in) name about 30 of them, and the great respective Sums Yearly paid to each? And would not many more have been discovered, and the whole knot of them severely and exemplarily punished if that Parliament had a little longer continued? Now there is none more implacably your Enemy than that Person whose interest is to destroy you that must neither eat nor drink except you Starve; that must go in Rags except you go Naked, are taught to fleece you, that they may keep themselves warm. To prevent this, avoid not only all former Pensioners but such other as may be in danger to become so. Therefore meddle not with Men of necessitous Fortunes or much in Debt. The Representative of a Nation ought to consist of the most Wise, Wealthy, Sober and Courageous of the People, not Men of mean Spirits and little Figure, and sordid Passions, that would sell the Interest of the People that choose them to advance their own, or be at the beck of some great Man in hopes of a Lift to a good Employ. Those that have good Estates have in a manner given Hostages to their Country, and must be Errand Fools before they can play the Knave with you. But what cares the needy Passenger if the Ship perish if he can save himself in the long Boat, or get some booty by the Wreck? What Protection do you expect from them who cannot show their Faces with confidence, without a Protection, either in or out of Parliaments? Who are no less apprehensive of a Bailiff them of the growing greatness of the French; and dread not Popery half so much as an Outlawry; will you secure them within the Wall of the House of Commons, who were better secured within the Walls of a Common Goal; who can never pay their Debts contracted by their Prodigality, but out of your Purses, and must run you in to get themselves out of their Mortgages? These men's Fears of being dissolved makes them submit to any thing rather than to be left to the unmerciful Rage of their hungry Creditors, who have so long fasted for their Money. For all such Persons (though some of them may be looked upon as honest, fair conditioned Gentlemen and good Housekeeper) are in danger of being tempted to repair the decays of their own private Fortunes by the ruin of the Public. Moreover the choosing of such broken Fortunes, decays Trade and ruins whole Families, in so much that I have known it drive away many Men (contrary to their own Inclinations) to wish never to see Parliaments more in England. In a word, if Beggars ever come to be your Representatives, how can they judge what is expedient for the Nation to spare whose only care is to get a piece of Money to spend. Be not overfond to receive Bribes and Gratifications from Persons that would fain make a prey of you, and by their Purses, lavish Treats, and Entertainments would allure you to prostitute your Voices for their Election; you may be sure they would never bid so high for your Suffrages, but that they know where to make their Market. Choose the Worthy unwilling Person before the Complimental unworthy Man, whose extraordinary forwardness prognosticates he seeks not for your Good, but his own separate from the public. Let us not play the Fools or Knaves, to neglect or betray the common Interest of our Country, by a base Election: let neither Fear, Flattery, nor Gain bias us. Consider with yourselves what Loser's you will be, if to laugh and to be merry one day, the Person you choose, should give you and your Children occasion to mourn for ever after. Say not, he is but a single Person, one Man cannot do much hurt. Silly Man! what if all other Places should be as bad as yourselves, than all the House would be of apiece; and besides, don't you know that sometimes a single Man has carried a Vote, which perhaps was no less Mischievous than Irretrievable! Think how justly the Gallent Ancient Heathens may upbraid this Baseness of us Christians, when as they sacrificed many of their Children, nay and oftentimes their own Lives for the good of their Country; so on the contrary we sacrifice, or at least haphazard, both our Religion, Li●es, Children, and Country, for the Swinish Pleasure of a Day or two's Debauchery. Let not such Engagements put you upon dangerous Elections as you love the Liberties and the Freedom of your Posterity. But tell them in this Affair they must hold you excused, for that the weight of the Matter will well bear it, this is your Inheritance, all may depend upon it: 'Tis more modest Request, if they would desire you to give them that Freehold and Estate that qualifies you for an Elector, than to press you to be for a Man that in your Consciences you think not sit, or not so sit as his Competitor for so weighty a Trust: Men don't use to lend their Wives, or give their Children, to satisfy personal Kindnesses, nor ought you to make a swop of your Birthright (and that of your Posterity too) for a Mess of Pottage, a Feast, or a lusty drinking 'Bout: There can be no proportion here, and therefore none must take it ill that you use your Freedom about that which in its Constitution is the great Bulwark of all your Ancient Liberties. Lastly, As for you Citizens, Burgesses and Freemen, of Cities and Corporations in parcicular, I shall only say, That whosoever is not sit to be chosen Knight of the Shire, is likewise unfit to be chosen a Burgess: Neither let the more specious Pretences of any Man that shall promise to build a Town Hall, and relieve your Poor with Money, or out of his adjacent Woods, or any such Good-Morrow's deceive you; for if so, wherein are you wiser than your Horses, whom you catch every day, and clap a Bridle into their Mouths, only by showing them a few Oats which they are never like to eat? Even the very Mice are too wise to be taken by an old Bait, but will have the Trap new baited before they will meddle: And yet I have known a Corporation which has been taken TWICE with one Bait. But suppose these Men do really perform what they promise, what Compensation is that, if the same Men should lay a good swinging Tax upon your Estates without any real cause or should give up the very Power you have of taxing yourselves for sending your Representatives in Parliament (for one bad Parliament may ruin us) what good would the Money for your Poor do in such a Case, more than that when you are reduced to beggary you might perhaps yourselves (the Gentry of the Country having no reason to relieve you) be found to come in for a small share of this your Hypocritical Charity an excellent Reward for Knavish Folly. Neither say, Oh! this is but one Man, and can have but one Vote, he will do our Town a great deal of good, and can do us but little hurt if he would. And 1st (as I told you before) one or two Voices have sometimes carried a Vote of great Importance. 2. You know not what mischief your bad Example may do in other Corporations and if all should do so what a miserable Case would you be in, since the Voices of the Boroughs make two thirds of the House; no Man can tell the Influence that one running Talkative ill Man may get over the rest of the House, especially over those that weigh words more than Sense, Reason, and the Interest of the Nation. I shall only offer one thing more to your Consideration, which is, that since His Majesty has in His most Gracious Speech wisely put so great a Stress on the signing of the Association, which so firmly united us for our mutual Defence against the common Enemies of our Country; it may not be amiss to refresh your Memory with a Copy of that Association, and a List of those Members of Parliament which refused to sign it: and you will by that guess what worthy Patriots they are like to prove, if you once more make them your Representatives. WHereas there has been a Horrid and Detestable Conspiracy, form and carried on by Papists, and other Wicked and Traitorous Persons, for Assassinating His Majesty's Royal Person, in order to encourage an Invasion from France, to subvert our Religion, Laws, and Liberty: We whose Names are hereunto Subscribed, do Hearty, Sincerely and Solemnly Profess, Testify and Declare, That His Present Majesty, King William is Rightful and Lawful King of these Realms. And we do mutually promise and engage to stand by and assist each other, to the utmost of our Power, in the Support and Defence of His Majesty's most Sacred Person and Government, against the late King James and all his Adherents. And in case His Majesty come to any Violent or Untimely Death (which God forbidden) We do hereby further Freely and unanimously oblige ourselves, to Unite, Associate and Stand by each other, in Revenging the same upon his Enemies, and their Adherents; and in Supporting and Defending the Succession of the Crown, according to an Act made in the First Year of the Reign of King William and Queen Mary, Entitled, An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, and settling the Succession of the Crown. This Association being agreed upon by the House, and ordered to be engrossed to be Signed by the Members, near 400 of that August Assembly, which consists of 513, have already (with great Alacrity) subscribed it. But some at present hesitate, some others refuse it, their Names you find underwritten: Berks. Sends 9 Members. WIlliam Jennyngs Simon Harcourt. Bucks. 14. Alexander Denton Montague Drake Sir James Etheridge. Cornwall. 44. Henry Lord Hyde John Manley Daniel Eliot Henry Fleming Francis Buller John Tredenham Seymour Tredenham Sir William Coryton John Mountstevens Bernard Granvile Charles Lord Cheney Francis Gwyn. Cheshire. 4. Sir Thomas Grosvenor. Derbyshire. 4. Sir Gilbert Clarke. Devon. 26. Francis Courteney Sir Edward Seymour John Granville. Dorsetshire. 20. Thomas Strangways Thomas Freke Richard Fownes Chor. 30. Robert Byerly Sir Marmaduke Wivill Sir Michael Wentworth. Essex. 8. Sir Eliab Harvey. Gloucester. 8. Robert pain William Frye Richard How John How. Herefordshire. 8. Robert Price. Huntingdon. 4. Anthony Hammond. Kent. 18. Sir John Banks. Lancashire. 14. Leigh Banks Thomas Brotherton Sir Roger Bradshaw Peter Shakerley. Lincolnshire. 12. George Lord Castleton Sir John Bolles. Norfolk. 12. Sir John Wodehouse. Northampton. 9 Thomas Cartwright Gilbert Dolben. Northumberland. 8. William Foster. Oxford. 9 Montague Lord Norris Sir Robert Jenkinson Heneage Finch Sir Edward Norris Thomas Rowney James Bertie Sir Robert Dashwood. Salop. 12. Edward Kynaston John Kynaston Andrew Newport George Weld. Somerset. 18. Sir John trevilian Edward Berkley John Sandford Sir Charles Carterett Sir John Smith. Southampton. 26. Henry Holmes Thomas Done. Staffordshire. 10. Robert Burde●t Sir John Leveson Gower John Grey Sir Henry Gough. Surrey. 14. John Parsons. Sussex. 28. Sir William Morley John Lewknor Sir Thomas Dyke William Stringer. Warwickshire. 6. William Bromley Andrew Archer George Bohun Lord Digby Francis Grevill. Westmoreland. 4. Sir William Twisden Sir Christopher Musgrave. Wiltshire. 34. Robert Bertie William Harvey Henry Pynnill Thomas Bennet William Daniel. Worcestershire. 9 Samuel Swift Henry Parker. Wales. 24. Edward Jones Jeffery Jefferies Sir Richard Middleton Edward Brereton Sir John Conway Thomas Mansel Sir William Williams. 〈…〉 have talked Negatives and di●●●●ed 〈…〉 are not fit to be chosen; Now we come positively to s●t before you, who are fit for such a Trust, especially in such a dangerous Juncture as we are fallen into. In order to which we must consider for what ends they serve, and they are principally two. The first is the Preservation of our Religion from Popery, and the other is to preserve inviolably our Liberty and Property, according to the known Laws of the Land, without any giving way unto or Introduction of that Absolute and Arbitrary Rule practised in Foreign Countries, which we are neither to imitate or regard. Therefore take care to choose such as are well known to be Men of good Consciences fearing God, throughly principled in the Protestant Religion, and of High Resolution to maintain it with their Lives and Fortunes. And amongst these, rather cast your favour upon Men of large Principles (I mean in Matters of mere opinion) such as will not sacrifice their Neighbour's Property & Civil Rights to the forwardness of their own Party in Religion. Narrow Souls that will own none but those that bear their own Image and Superscription, will sooner raise Persecution at home then secure us from Popery and Invasion from abroad. The great Interest of England at this day, is, to tolerate the tolerable, to bear with the weak, to encourage the Conscientious, and to restrain none but such as would restrain all besides themselves. 2. As we ought as near as we can possibly judge, to Elect good Protestants towards God, and just towards Men. Yet since in this corrupt Age wherein we live, Men are not so spiritual as they ought to be, it is not amiss to seek for those, whose Spiritual Interest are seconded by a Temporal one. For though Men talk high and keep a great noise with Conscience and Love to their Country, yet when you understand Mankind aright (not as it should be, but as it is, and I fear ever will be) than you will find that private Interest is the String in the Bear's Nose, it is that governs the Beast. And therefore the surest Champions for our Religion (C●●teris Paribus) Against the Papacy 〈◊〉 our Abbey L●nded-men, for notwithstanding the registered Dispensation to King Henry the 8th from the Pope, for the seizing of those Monistries and Lands, yet of late they pretend the Pope had not power to alien them from the Church; so that the present Possessors can never trust nor rely upon that, or any new Promises or actu●● Grants thereof, especially from him whose everlasting and declared Maxim it is— never to keep Faith with Heretics. Undoubtedly to make easy his Assent into the Saddle he will proffer many Assurances and Grants, but if these Abbey Land-men be not the most silly of all others, they will never believe him for when he is once firmly settled, then will he with his Cannon Law Distinction●, like Fire under Quicksilver, evaporate away all his Promises, and violently resume the Lands, glorying in his own Bounty, if he require not the mean Profits ever since they have been Sacreligiously withheld from Holy Church. 3. Endeavour to choose Men of Wisdom and Courage, who will not be he hectored out of their Duties by the Frowns and Scowles of Men: Never had you more need to pitch upon the old English Spirit that durst be faithful and just against all Temptations. What a degenerate Race have we known that could never yet resist Smile or E●o●n, but tamely sunk below their own Convictions and knew the evil they did yet durst not but commit it. 4. Make it your business to choose such as are resolved to stand by and maintain the Power and Privileges of Parliaments (for they are the Heartstrings of the Commonwealth) together with the Power and Just Rights of the King, according to the Laws of the Kingdomso as the one may not entrench upon the other: And such as with a becoming true English Courage will prosecute all Traitors whether already impeached or to be impeached; and to secure us from Popery hereafter, and to get removed all Corrupt and Arbitrary Ministers of State and wicked Judges, and all Stiflers of the Discovery of the late accursed Conspiracy against His Majesty's Life, and Su●●mers, and Vile Pamphleteers, that endeavour so industriously to clear the Papists and expose the Protestant Religion and poison the People. Lastly, Take particular notice of those who are Men of Industry and Improvement; for such as are Ingenious and Laborious to propagate the growth and advantage of their Country will be very tender of yielding to any thing that will weaken or impoverish it. If you conduct yourselves thus prudently, honestly and gallantly in your Choice, without putting the Gentleman whom you choose to serve you, to Charges: The Consequence will be, that as you will be sure to have a good Parliament when ever His Majesty shall please to call one, and such as will be zealous for the Protestant Religion and Prosperity of the Nation, if they shall continue to sit and act; so on the other side, if they shall be dissolved and never so many new Parliaments called, yet you run no hazard for the same Canditates will be still ready to serve you: And so we shall conclude our discourse of Parliaments when I shall first have observed that anciently all Freemen of England (though not Freeholders) had a Right to choose their Representatives to the same, was altered and limited by the following Statute, for the Reasons therein mentioned. The Statute Anno 8 Hen. 6. Cap. 7. What sort of Men shall be Cqosers, and who shall be chosen Knights of the Parliament. Item. WHereas the Elections of Knights of Shires to come to the Parliament of our Lord the King in many Counties of the Realm of England, have now of late been made with very great outrageous and excessive Numbers of People dwelling within the same Counties of the Realm of England, of the which most was of People of small Substance, and of no value, whereof every one of them pretend a Voice equivolent as to such Elections to be made with the most Worthy Knights and Esquires dwelling within the same Counties, whereby Manslaughters, Riots, Batteries and Division among the Gentlemen and other People of the same Counties shall very likely rise and be, unless convenient and due remedy be provided, in this behalf. 2. Our Lord the King considering the Premises hath provided ordained and established by Authority of this present Parliament, that the Knights of the Shires to be chosen within the said Realm of England to come to the Parliament of our Lord the King hereafter to be chosen, shall be chosen in every County of of the Realm of England by People dwelling and resident in the said Counties, whereof every one of them shall have Land or Tenement to the value of 40 s. by the Year at the least above all Charges. 3. And that they which shall be so chosen shall be dwelling and resident within the same Counties. 4. And such as have the greatest number of them that may expend 40 s. by the Year, and above, as afore is said, shall be returned by the Sheriffs of every County, Knights for Parliament, by Indentures, sealed betwixt the said Sheriffs and the said Choosers to be made. 5. And every Sheriff of the Realm of England shall have power by the said Authority to examine upon the Evangelist every such Chooser, how much he may expend by the Year. 6. And if any Sheriff returned Knights to come to the Parliament, contrary to the said Ordinance, the Judges of Assize in their Sessions of Assizes shall have power by the Authority aforesaid thereof to inquire. 7. And if any Inquest the same be found before the Justices, and the Sheriff thereof be duly attainted, that then the said Sheriff shall incur the Pain of 100 l. to be paid to our Lord the King, and also that he have Imprisonment by a Year, without being let to Main Prize or Bail. 8. And that the Knights of the Parliament returned contrary to the said Ordinance shall lose their Wages. Provided always that he which cannot expend 40 s. by the Year, as aforesaid, shall in no wise be Chooser of Knights for the Parliament. 2. And that in every Writ that shall hereafter go forth to the Sheriffs to choose Knights for the Parliament, mention be made of the said Ordinance. Note, Tho this Statute make the Penalty on the Sheriff but 100 l. for a false return, yet the House may further punish him by Imprisonment, etc. at their Pleasure, by the Law and Custom of Parliaments. Anno 4. Ed. 3. Cap. 14. A Parliament shall be holden once every Year. Item. It is accorded that a Parliament shall be holden every Year once, and more often if need be. Anno 26. Ed. 3. Cap. 10. A Parliament shall be holden once in the Year. Item. For Maintenance of the said Articles and Statutes, and redress of divers Mischiefs and Grievances which yearly happen, a Parliament shall be holden every Year, as another time was ordered by Statute. BEfore the Conquest (as the Victory of Duke William of Normandy over Harold the Usurper, is commonly though very improperly called) Parliaments were to be held twice every Year, as appears by the Laws of King Edgar, Cap. 5. and the Testimony of the Mirror of Justices Cap. 1. Sect. 3. For the Estates of the Realm K. Alfred causes the Committees (some English Translations of that ancient Book read, Earls, but the word seems rather to signify Commissioners, trusties, or Representatives) to meet, and ordain a Perpetual Usage, that twice in the Year, or oftener, if need were, in time of Peace, they should assemble at London, to speak their Minds for the guiding of the People of God, how they should keep themselves from Offences, live in quiet, and have right done them by certain Usages and sound Judgements. K. Edw. the First (says Cook, 4. Inst. fol. 97.) kept a Parliament once every two years for the most part. And now in this K. Edw. the Thirds time one of the most Wise and most Glorious of all our Kings, it was thought fit to enact by these two several Statutes that a Parliament should be held once at least every Year, which two Statutes are to this Day in full Force. For they are not repealed, but rather confirmed by the Statute made in the 16th Year of our late Sovereign King Charles the Second Chap. 1. Entitled, An Act for the assembling and holding of Parliaments once in three Years at the least; the words of which are as follow. Because by the Ancient Laws and Statutes of this Realm, made in the Reign of King Edw. the Third, Parliaments are to be held very often, Your Majesty's Humble and Loyal Subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons in the Present Parliament assembled, most humbly do beseech Your Majesty, that it may be declared and enasted by the Authority aforesaid, that hereafter, the sitting and holding of Parliaments shall not be intermitted or discontinued above three Years at the most; but that within three Years from and after the determination of this present Parliament, so from time to time, within 3 Years after the determination of any other Parliament, or Parliaments, or if there be occasion, more or oftener, your Majesty, your Heirs and Successors, do issue out your Writs for calling, assembling and holding of another Parliament, to the end there may be a frequent calling, assembling and holding of Parliaments once in three Years at the least. By what has been said, you may perceive the work of an English Parliament is not (as some would have it) only to be Keys to unlock the People's Purses. That is but one part, and perhaps one of the least parts too, of their Office; they are to propose new Laws that are wanting for general Good, and to press the Abrogation of Laws in being, when the Execution of 'em is found prejudicial or dangerous to the public, they are to provide for Religion, and the Safety and the Honour of the Nation, they have a Power (as you have heard from Sir Tho. Smith) to order the Right to the Crown (understand all this with the King's Consent) and they have very frequently undertaken and actually limited the same, contrary to and different from the Common Line of Succession. Nay by the Statute of 13 Eliz. Cap. 13. It is expressly enacted, That if any Person shall in any wise hold and affirm, or maintain, that the Queen with and by the Parliament of England, is not able to make Laws and Statutes of sufficient Force and Validity to limit and bind the Crown of this Realm, and the Descent, Linitation, Inheritance and Government thereof or any other Statute to be made by the Authority of the Parliament of England, with the Royal Ascent for limiting the Crown, is not, are not, or shall not, or ought not to be for ever good and sufficient Force and Validity to bind, limit, rest rain and govern all Persons, their Rights and Titles, that in any wise may or might claim any Interest or possibility in or to the Crown of England in Possession, Remainder, Inheritance, Succession or otherwise howsoever; and all other Persons whatsoever, every Person so holding, affirming or maintaining during the Life of the Queen, shall be adjudged an high Traitor, and suffer and forfeit as in Cases of high Treason is accustomed. And every Person so holding, affirming or maintaining, after the Decease of our said Sovereign Lady shall forfeit all his Goods and Chattels. Which Clause and last mentioned Penalty is to this Day in Force, and aught to be considered by any who shall now pretend that an Act of Parliament cannot dispose of the Succession. But nothing is more properly the work of a Parliament then to redress Grievances, to take notice of Monopolies and Oppressions, to curb the Exorbitances of pernicious Favourites and ill Ministers of State, to punish mighty Delinquents as look upon themselves too big for the ordinary reach of Justice, to inspect the Conduct of such as are entrusted with Administration of the Laws, or dispose of the Public Treasure of the Nation. All Crimes of these and and the like kinds are public Nuisances, common Mischiefs, and wound the whole Body Politic in a vital part, and can scarce at all times be found out or redressed (by reason of the Power and Influence of the Offenders) but in this great and awful Senate, before whom the haughtiest Criminals tremble, and it has been observed that they scarce ever persecuted any though never so great or highly in Favour at Court, but sooner or latter they hit him, and it proved his ruin. Take a few Examples, King Edw. II. dotes upon Piece Grave-stone (a French Gentleman) he wastes the King's Treasures, has undeserved Honour conferred on him, affronts the ancient Nobility; the Parliament in the beginning of the King's 〈…〉 Reign complain of him, he is banished into Ireland, the King afterwards calls him home, and marries him to the Earl of Gloucester's Sister. The Lords complain again so effectually that the King not only consents to his second Banishment, but that if ever he returned or were found in the Kingdom he should be held and proceeded against as an Enemy to the State, yet back he comes and is received once more by the King as an Angel, who carries him with him into the North, and hearing the Lords were in Arms to bring the said Grave-stone to Jutice plants him for safety in Scarborrough-Castle, which being taken, his Head was chopped off. In K. Richard the 2d's time, most of the Judges of England to gratify certain Corrupt and Pernicious Favourites about the King, being sent for to Nottingham, were by Persuasions and Menaces prevailed with to give false and illegal Resolutions to certain Questions proposed to them, declaring certain Matters to be Treason which in truth were not so; for which in the next Parliament they were called to account and attainted, and Sir Robert Tresilian, Lord Chief Justice of England was drawn from the Tower, through London, to Tyburn, and there hanged; as likewise was Blake one of the King's Council, and Vske the Under-sheriff of Middlesex, who was to pack a Jury to serve the present turn against certain innocent Lords and others whom they intended to have had taken off; and five more of the Judges were banished and their Goods forfeited. And the Archbishop of York, the Duke of Ireland, and the Earl of Suffolk three of the King's evil Councillors were forced to fly, and die miserable Fugatives in Foreign Parts. In the beginning of King Henry the 8th's Reign, Sir Richard Empsom, Kt. Edmond Dudley, one of the Barons of the Exchequer, having by colour of an Act of Parliament to try People for several Offences without Juries, committed great Oppressions, were proceeded against in Parliament and lost their Heads. In the 19th Year of King James' Reign, at a Parliament holden at Westminster, there were shown (saith Baker's Chron. Fol. 418.) too great Examples of Justice, which for future Terror are not unfit to be here related; one upon Sir Giles Mompesson, a Gentleman otherwise of good parts; but for practising sundry Abuses in erecting and setting up new Inns and Alehouses, and exacting great Sums of Money of People, by pretence of Letter Patents granted to him for that purpose, was sentenced to be degraded from his Knighthood, and disabled to bear any Office in the Commonwealth; though he avoided the Execution by flying the Land. But upon Sir Francis Mitchel, a Justice of Peace in Middlesex and one of the chiefest Agents, the Sentence of Degradation was executed, and he made to ride with his Face to the Horse's Tail thro' the City of London. The other Example was one Sir Fran. Bacon, Viscount St. Albon, Lord Chancellor of England, who for Bribery was put from his place and committo the Tower. In King Charles the First time, most of the Judges that had given Opinions contrary to Law in the case of Ship-money were called to account and forced to fly for the same: And in the 19th Year of K. Charles the Second, the Earl of Clarenden, Lord Chancellor of England, being questioned in Parliament and retiring thereupon beyond the Seas, was by a special Act banished and disabled. In a word, it was well and wisely said of that Excellent Statesman Sir William Cecil, Lord Burleigh, and High Treasurer of England, that he knew not what an Act of Parliament might not do: Which Apothegm was approved by King James and alleged (as I remember) in one of his published Speeches. I shall give a few Instances, besides those before mentioned, of what the House of Commons hath done in former Ages. 1. Anno. 20. Jacobi, Dr. Harris Minister of Beechingly, in Surry, for misbehaving himself by Preaching, and otherwise about Election of Members of Parliament upon complaint was called to the Bar of the House of Commons, and there as a Delinquent on his Knees, had Judgement to confess his Fault there, and in the Country, in the Pulpit of his Parish-Church on Sunday before Sermon. 2. Anno. 21. Jacobi, Ingrey, Under-Sheriff of Cambridgshire, refusing the Pole, upon the promise of Sir Tho. Steward to defend him therein, kneeling at the Bar, received his Judgement to stand committed to the Sergeant at Arms, and to make Submission at the Bar, and acknowledge his Offence there, and to make a further Submission openly at the Quarter Sessions and there also to acknowledge his Fault. 3. Anno 22. Jacobi, the Mayor of Arundel, for misbehaving himself in an Election by putting the Town to a great deal of charge, not giving a due and general warning, but packing a number of Electors, was sent for by Warrant, and after ordered to pay all the Charges, and the House appointed certain Persons to adjust the Charges. 4. Anno 3. Car. 1. Sir Williaw Wray, and others deputed Lieutenants of Cornwall, for assuming to themselves a Power to make whom they pleased Knights and defaming those Gentlemen that then stood to be chosen, sending up and down the Country Letters for the Trained-Bands to appear at the Day of Election, and Menacing the Country under the Title of his Majesty's Pleasure, had Judgement given upon 'em, to be committed to the Tower. 2. To make Recognition of their Offence at the Bar of of the House upon their Knees, which was done. 3. To make a Recognition and Submission at the Assizes in Cornwall in a Form drawn by a Committee. 5. But most remarkable were the Proceed in the same Parliament. Anno. 1628., against Dr. Manwaring, who being there charged with Preaching and Publishing offensive Sermons, and the same being referred to a Committee, they brought in their Reports, which was delivered to the House with this Speech, as I find in Dr. Fuller's Church-History, L. 11. Fol. 129. Mr. Speaker, I am to deliver from the Sub-Committee a Charge against Mr. Manwaring, a Preacher and Dr. of Divinity, but a Man so Criminous that he hath turned his Titles into Accusations, for the better they are, the worse is he, that hath dishonoured 'em, here is a great Charge that lies upon him, it is great in it its self, and great because it hath many great Charges in it: Serpens qui serpentem Dovorat fit Draco; his Charge having digested many Charges into it, is become a Monster of Charges. The main and great one, is this, a Plot and a Policy to alter and subvert the Frame and Fabric of this State and Commonwealth. This is the great one, and it hath others in it, that gains it more Greatness. For to this end he labours to infuse into the Conscience of His Majesty the persuasion of a Power not bounding itself with Laws, which King James of Famous Memory calls in his Speech in Parliament, 1618. Tyranny, yea Tyranny accompanied with Perjury. 2. He endeavours to persuade the Consciences of the Subjects that they are bound to obey illegal Commands; yea, he damns them for not obeying 'em. 3. He robs the Subjects of the property of their Goods. 4. He brands 'em that will not lose their property with most scandalous and odious Titles, to make 'em hateful both to Prince People, so to set a division between Head and Members, and between the Members themselves. To this end (not much unlike Faux and his Fellows) he seeks to blow up Parliaments and Parliamentary Power. Therefore being duly viewed, will make up the main and great Charge a Mischievous Plot to alter and subvert the Frame and Government of this State and Commonwealth. And now that you may besure that Mr. Manwaring, though he leave us no Property in our Goods, yet he hath an absolute Propriety in his Charge: Audite ipsam belluam, here Mr. Manwaring by his own words making up his own Charge. Here he produced the Books particularly insisting on P. 19, 29, and 30. in the first Sermon. P. 35, 46, and 47. in the second Sermon. All which Passages he heightened with much Elequence and Acrimony; thus concluding his 〈◊〉. I have showed you an Evil Tree, 〈…〉 forth evil Fruit, and now it rests 〈◊〉 you to determine whether the follo●●●● 〈◊〉 shall follow, Cut it down and cast it into the Fire. Four Days after the Parliament proceeded to his Censure, consisting of eight particulars, it being ordered by the House of Lords against him as followeth. 1. To be Imprisoned during the Pleasure of the House. 2. To be Fined a Thousand Pounds. 3. To make his Submission at the Bar of this House, and in the House of Commons at the Bar there, in verbis conceptis, a set Form of Words framed by a Committee of this House. 4. To be Suspended from his Ministerial Function three Years, and in the mean time a sufficient Preaching-Man to be provided out of the profits of his Living, and this to be left to be performed by the Ecclesiastical Court. 5. To be Disabled for ever hereafter from Preaching at Court. 6. To be for ever Disabled of having any Ecclesiastical Dignity in the Church of England. 7. To be uncapable of any Secular Office or Preferment. 8. That his Books are worthy to be burnt, and that His Majesty to be moved that it may be to in London, and both the Universities. And accordingly he made his humble Submission at both the Bars in Parliament, on the 23d of June following, and on his Knees before both Houses, submitted himself, with outward Expressions of Sorrow as followeth. I do here in all Sorrow of Heart and true Repentance acknowledge these many Errors and Indiscretions, which I have committed in Preaching and Publishing the two Sermons of mine, which I called Religion and Allegiance, and my great Fault in falling upon this Theme again, and handling the same rashly, scandalously and unadvisedly in my own Parish-Church, in St. Giles' in the Fields, the 4th of May last past. I humbly acknowledge these three Sermons to have been full of dangerous Passages and Inferences, and Scandalous Aspersions, in most part of them; and I do humbly acknowledge the just Proceed of this Honourable House against me, and the just Sentence and Judgement passed upon me for my great Offence: And I do from the bottom of my Heart crave Pardon of God, the King, and this Honourable House, and the Commonwealth in general, and those worthy Persons adjudged to be reflected on by me in particular, for these great Offences and Errors. It is therefore the indispensible Interest and Duty of all true Englishmen to maintain these Privileges conveyed from their Ancestors through so many Generations inviolable, upon which all our Earthly (and in a great measure our Spiritual) Happiness, Safety, and Wellbeing depends. Nor can any Man in his Senses but acknowledge that the only right way to attain that End is to look well to the Means, and that is by taking due care what Persons they choose for their Representatives, with whom they must trust their Estates, Lives, and Liberties. Now the Government of a Prince by and with Parliaments, when ever the condition and necessities of the State require 'em, however according to its Primitive Institution it was the best of all others: Yet as well in that as in Christianity itself, there hath been sound out ways of Corruption, and that is when either they sit too long, or too seldom, or are too frequently dissolved: (Too frequent Dissolutions being no less dangerous to the Subject, than too long Sessions) nevertheless, it may be in the Electors Power to avoid the Inconveniences (of both, and that is) by making a good choice. Whereas if the Country People will sell ●ll that they have for a little Boast Beef, a Glass of Sack, and a Pot of Ale, choosing him that will give them most drink to day, though they know him to be a Person who will sell both their Religion, Liberties and Fortunes to Morrow: Then frequent Dissolutions we may expect, which are as dangerous to the Subject as too long Sessions, which will of necessity ruin us and utterly debauch this excellent Constitution: For the honest Country Gentleman designs no other private advantage but the true Service of his King and Country; hath no reason nor is lie able once in half a year to spend 4 or 500 pounds, only to purchase a place full of Labour, Charge, Trouble and Danger, without any profit to himself, only to serve those who put him to such an unkind Expense. And when honest Loyal Gentlemen are thus discouraged, this sottish Humour amongst the Electors continue, the Papists and their Faction, or necessitous Persons of prostituted Consciences will carry their Votes; for they can afford to buy them at large Rates, being resolved to repay themselves tho with the ruin of the Nation. This is not vain Surmise or idle Speculation, but the very Truth of the Case; and the meanest Countryman that hath Eyes in his Head, and will use them, cannot but see it: For did you ever know a Coachman or Groom buy his Place, unless he designed to rob his Masters Been? Therefore, whoever you put to charge in your Elections blame him not if he makes Money again of what he bought, and lays out his Vote in the House not for your good, and that of the Public, but that way as will best please the Ministers of State, that so he himself may get a good Place, or Preferment, or Title of Honour by the Bargain. I say, though he himself be a base Wretch for so doing, yet you cannot blame him, since you did not lend him your Trust, but sold it him; and what a Man hath purchased with his own Money he may lawfully sell again. Therefore that Man who does wilfully 〈…〉 endeavour to ruin both his Country and Himself, and his Posterity, and to be as bad or worse than the Person he chooses; and if the greater part of the 〈…〉 to be wiser or honester, it 〈…〉 to him, he did as much as he 〈…〉 it; and therefore for his 〈…〉 one else were concerned with him, 〈…〉 matter if he were forthwith made a Slave, and his Children perpetual Vassals. The () old Lord Treasurer Burleigh (who is thought to have been the greatest Statesman that ever this Nation bred) did frequently deliver as a Maxim, or rather a Prophecy, That England can hardly be ruined, unless by her own Parliament; undoubtedly foreseeing that other Oppressions, as being wrought by Violence, might perhaps by violence be in time shaken off again: whereas when in a Parliamentary way we are undone by a Law that can never be reversed but by a downright Rebellion, because the Parties advantaged by that Law will never agree to the repealing of it. Such is the happy frame of your Government, so prudently and so strong have your Ancestors secured Property and Liberty, (rescued by Inches out of the Hands of encroaching Violence) that you cannot be enslaved but with Chains of your own making; for as you are never undone, till you are undone by Law, so you can never be undone by a Law, till you choose the undoing Legislators: and may not your Enemies add Scorn to their Cruelty, and pretend Justice for both, when they can plead they had never trampled on your Heads, had not you laid them on the Ground? From what has been said, it evidently appears of what vast importance it is at all times (when ever his Majesty shall be pleased to issue out his Writs for a Parliament) to choose (as much as in us lies) a good House of Commons, as we tender our Religion, Liberties, Estates and Posterity: Upon our well or ill choosing depends our well or ill being: 'Tis here as in Marriage or War, there is no room for second Errors; one Act may ruin a Nation beyond retrieve FINIS.