A BRIEF MEMENTO To the present UNPARLIAMENTARY JUNCTO, Touching their present intentions and Proceed to Depose and Execute, CHARLES STUART their lawful KING. By WILLIAM PRYNNE Esquire: a Member of the House of Commons, and Prisoner under the Army's Tyranny: who it seems, have leavyed War against the Houses of Parliament, their quondam Masters; whose Members they now forcibly take and detain Captives, during their lawless Pleasures Proverbs 24.21,22. My Son, Fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with those who are given to Change: for their calamity shall RISE SUDDENLY, and who knoweth the ruin of them both? Gal. 1.10. If I yet pleased men, I should not be the Servant of Christ. LONDON, Printed Anno Dom. 1649. Die Veneris 20. Augusti, 1647. An Ordinance for declaring all Votes, Orders, and Ordinances passed in one or both Houses, since the force on both Houses, July 26. until the sixth of this present August, 1647. to be null and void. WHereas there was a visible, horrid, insolent, and actual force upon the Houses of Parliament, on Monday the 26 of July last, whereupon the Speakers, and many Members of both Houses of Parliament, were * And yet never a Member forcibly imprisoned or secluded the House, as above 200. are now by the Army. forced to absent themselves from the service of the Parliament; and whereas those Members of the House could not return to sit in safety, before Friday the sixth of August: It is therefore declared by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, that the Ordinance of Monday the said 26. July, for the repealing and making void of the Ordinance of the 23. of the said July, for the settling of the Militia of the City of London, being gained by force and violence; And all Votes, Orders, Ordinances, passed in either or both Houses of Parliament, since the said Ordinance of the 26 of July, to the said sixth of August, are null and void, and were so at the making thereof, and are hereby declared so to be, the Parliament being under a force, and not free. Provided always, and be it Ordained, that no person or persons shall be impeached or punished for his or their actions by, or upon, or according to the aforesaid Votes, Orders, or Ordinances, unless he or they shall be found guilty of contriving, acting, or abetting the aforesaid visible and actual force, or being present at, or knowing of the said force, did afterwards act upon the Votes so forced; or were guilty of entering into, or promoting the late Engagement for bringing the King to the City, upon the terms and conditions expressed in his Majesty's Letter of the 12. of May last. John Brown Cler. Parliamentorum. A brief Memento to the present unparliamentary Juncto, touching their present intentions and Proceed to depose and Execute CHARLES STUART, their Lawful King of ENGLAND, etc. GENTLEMEN, IT is the observation of King Solomon, Prov. 25.11. That is word spoken in due season, is like Apples of gold in pictures of silver. And seeing I (and above two hundred Members more) being forcibly secluded from you by the Officers of the Armies unparalleled violence upon our Persons, and the House, cannot speak my mind freely to you, in, or as a free and legal House of Commons, I held it my duty, freely to write my thoughts unto you, only as private Persons, sitting under an armed, horrid, visible force, consulting in the House, without your Fellow Members advice or concurrence, about the speedy deposing and executing of KING CHARLES, your lawful Sovereign, only to please the General, Officers, and Grand Council of the Army, (who have unjustly usurped to them the Supreme Authority both over the King and Parliament) or rather of the Jesuits and Popish Priests among or near them, by whose Counsels they and you are now wholly swayed, and whose traitorous designs you really execute in most of your late Votes and Actings. I have only a few words and Considerations to impart unto you: Dictum sapienti sat est. First, I shall mind you, that by the a Cook 3. Institut. c. 1. p. 5, 6. 12, 13. 7 Reports, Calvius Case, 10, 11. Stanfords' Pleas of the Crown, l. ●… c. ●…. Common Law of the Realm, the Statutes of 25 E. 3. c. 2. 26 H. 8. c. 13. 1 Ed 6. c. 12. 1 El. c. 6. 13. El. c. 2. and all other Acts concerning Treason, * See Rastal Tit, Treason. it is no less than High Treason, for any man by overs' act, to compass or imagine the death of the King, or of his eldest Son and heir, though it be never executed: much more if actually accomplished. That many have been arraigned, condemned, executed for such intended Treasons in former ages, as the Earl of Arundel and others, by Judgement in Parliament, 21 R. 2. Plac. Coronae. Nurse 4.6,7. and the Gunpowder Traitors, 3 Jacobi. c. 1, 2, 4. to omit others, whose Examples should be your Admonitions, the heads and Quarters of some of them yet hanging on the House where now you meet and sit. 2ly, That in the * 3 jac. c 4. 7 jac. c. 6. Oath of Allegiance which you have all taken, & aught to take Immediately before your admission into the Commons House as Members; You do truly, and sincerely profess, testify and declare in your Consciences before God and the World, That our Sovereign Lord King Charles, Is lawful and rightful King of this Realm, and of all other his Majesty's Domin●ons and Countries: And that the Pope neither of himself, nor by any authority of the Church or See of Rome, or by any other means, * See Prynne the Member reconciled to Prynne the Barrister, p. 18 19 Nor with any other, hath any power or authority to depose the King, or to dispose of any of his Majesty's Kingdoms or Dominions, or to discharge any of his Subjects of his Allegiance and Obedience to his Majesty's Person, State or Government. And that notwithstanding any sentence or Declaration of Deprivation made by the Pope, etc. or any absolution of the said Subjects, from their obedience, you will bear true Allegiance to His Majesty, His heirs & Successors, and him and them will defend to the uttermost of your power, against all attempts and conspiracies whatsoever, which shall be made against his or their Crown and Dignity, by reason or colour of any such sentence or Declaration, * That is by the Pope or any other Person or persons whatsoever. or otherwise: And you therein further swear, that you do from your hearts abhor, detest and abjure, as impious and Heretical, that damnable doctrine and position, that Princes which be excommunicated or deprived by the Pope, may be deposed or murdered by their Subjects, or any other whatsoev●r. And that you do believe, and in conscience are resolved, that neither the Pope * Therefore not the Westminster Juncto. nor any person whatsoever, hath power to absolve you of this Oath, or any part thereof; and that all these things you did plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear, according to these express words, and their plain and common sense, without any equivocation, or mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever; And that you did make this Recognition and acknowledgement, hearty, willingly and truly, upon the true faith of a Christian. Now whether your present intentions and proceed against the King, be not diametrically repugnant to this solemn Oath (which most of you have taken since these wars, and some of you since the Treaty, when sworn Sergeants of Law, etc.) let God and the world before whom you swore, and your own Consciences, in which you then swore, determine; you acting herein the d See watson's Quodlibets. Th. Campanela de Monarchia Hisp. c. 25. Popes and Jesuits designs. 3ly. That yourselves among other Members, have in above one hundred e Exact Collections. p. 6. 19 59 66. 67. 83. 102. 103. 118. 123. 125. 141, 142, 143. 173. 180. 195. 219. 259. 281. 307. 380. 312. 360 376. 457. etc. Remonstrances, Declarations, Petitions, Ordinances and printed papers, published in the name, and by the authority of one or both Houses of Parliament, professed both to the King himself, Kingdom, world, and foreign States, that you never intended the least injury, hurt or violence to the King's Person, Crown, Dignity or Posterity; but intended to him and his Royal Posterity more honour, happiness, Glory, and greatness, than ever was yet enjoyed by any of his Royal Predecessors: that you will ever make good to the uttermost with your lives and fortunes, the faith and allegiance, which in truth and sincerity you have always born to his Majesty: that you have proposed to no other ends to yourselves, but the performance of all duty and loyalty to his Majesty's Person: That all Contributions and loans upon the public faith should be employed only to mantain the Protestant Religion, the King's authority, his Person, his Royal dignity, the Laws of the Land, Peace of the Kingdom, and Privileges of Parliament, and not to be employed against his Majesty's person or authority. That the f A Collection, &c p. 18 13. 41, 43, 44. 49. 51. 51, 61. 64. 96. 181, 182. 310. 321. 324, 325. 496 599. 623. 696. 806, 807, 879. Appendix, p. 15. Armies and forces raised by the Houses, were raised for the safety and defence of the King's Person, and of both Houses of Parliament, etc. That his Majesty's Personal safety, honour and greatness, are much dearer to you than your own lives and fortunes, which you do most hearty dedicate to, and most willingly employ for the maintenance and support thereof. That the Parliament will ever have a care to prevent any danger which his Majesty may justly apprehend to his person. That both Houses are resolved to expose their lives and fortunes, for the defence and maintenance of the true Religion, The King's person, honour and State, the power and privileges of Parliament. That notwithstanding his Majesty's Proclamations against the General and Army as Traitors, yet to witness their constant and unshaken Loyalty to his Majesty, both Houses do solemnly declare; That upon his disbanding his forces, & return, and harkening to the advice of his Great Council, They will really endeavour to make both him and his as much beloved at home, and feared abroad, as any Prince that swayed the Sceptre: which is their firm and constant resolution, from which they will not be diverted for any private or self-respects whatsoever: That they will faithfully endeavour to secure his Majesty's person and Crown from all dangers, inculcating the apparent danger to his Royal Person among his Popish and Malignant Armies and ill Counselors; and upon that reason, persuading and inviting him to desert them, and close with his Parliament: protesting, that the Parliament hath been, and ever will be more ready than they, to secure and uphold the Prerogative and Honour of the King, and preserve the safety of his Royal person; which they have ofttimes testified by many humble Petitions and Declarations to him, the world and Kingdoms; with many other such like expressions. Which whether your present Actings & Counsels do not directly oppose, contradict, falsify and give the lie unto, to your eternal infamy and breach of public Parliamentary faith, as much as in you lies, let both Houses, the world, and all ●…en judge; as they will do in due season, & your own consciences too. 4ly. Consider, That when the g Exact Collection. p. ●98. 695, 696. 657, 658. 991. King and his party did tax the Houses, for insinuating, That if they should make the highest Precedents of other Parliaments their pattern, there would be no cause to complain of want of modesty or duty in them: That is, they may depose the King when they will, & are not to be blamed for so doing▪ and that the Army raised by the Parliament was to murder and depose the King. Both Houses by two solemn Declarations, did most professedly declare and protest against it, as the falsest and most malicious accusation that could be imagined: that the thoughts of it never entered nor should enter into their Loyal hearts. Nota. " That as God is witness of their thoughts, so shall their actions witness to all the world, that to the honour of our Religion, and of those who are most zealous in it, they shall suffer far more for and from their Sovereign, than they hoped God would ever permit the malice of his wicked Counsellors to put them to; since the happiness of the Kingdom doth so mainly depend upon his Majesty and the Royal Authority of that root▪ That they hoped the contrivers of these false and scandalous reports, or any that professed, the name of a Christian, could not have so little Charity, us to raise such a Scandal, especially when they must needs know, the Protestation made by the Members of both Houses, whereby they promise in the presence of Almighty God, to defend and preserve his Majesty's Person. The promise and Protestation made by the Members of both Houses upon the Nomination of the Lord of Essex to be General, to live and die with him; wherein is expressed. That * Which they oft professed both of the Army under the Earl of Essex, and Sir. Thomas Fairfax too. Collection of all Orders, etc. 8. 13, 41, 43, 44, 49, 51, 61, 64, 96, 99, 623, 696, 879. Apendix. p. 15. this Army was raised for the defence of the King's Person. Their often earnest and most humble Addresses to His Majesty, to leave that desperate and dangerous Army wherewith he is now encompassed, raised and upheld to the hazard of his Own, and the Kingdoms' Ruin and to come in Person to his Parliament, where he should be sure to remain in Honour and Safety: and their humble Petition directed to be presented to him by the hands of the Earl of Essex, before any blow given, to remove his Royal Person from the Army: a request inconsistent with any purpose to offer the least violence to his Person, which hath been & ever shall be dear unto them. Now put it to your souls and consciences, whether yours and the Armies present Counsels and actions, do not really justify the Kings and his parties former suggestions, and give the to all these Declarations of both Houses? who certainly (when ever restored to a condition of freedom and liberty of meeting together again,) will crave public reparations and justice against you, if you violate both their Honour, Faith, and engagements to the King, Kingdom and forre a States, against all these their Declarations and Protestations too. 5ly. Remember, that the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, * Exact Collection p. 663. 664, 666, 687. 686, 907, 911. Octob. 22. 1642. in the presence of Almighty God (which is the strongest obligation that any Christian, and the most solemn public faith that any State or a Parliament can give) for the satisfaction of their own consciences, and discharge of that great trust that lies upon them, did make this Protestation and Declaration to all this Kingdom and Nation, and to the whole world; That no private passion or respect, No evil intention to his Majesty's Person, no design to prejudice his just Honour and Authority, engaged them to raise forces or take up Arms. " That if he would return to his Parliament in peace, and by their counsel and advice compose the distempers and confusions abounding in his Kingdoms; They would receive him with all Honour, yield him all true obedience, subjection, and faithfully endeavour to defend his Person and Estate from all danger, and to the uttermost of their power, establish him in all the blessings of a glorious and happy Reign. And that they had no intentions or desire to hurt or injure his Majesty, either in his Person or just power. Which they seconded by many subsequent Declarations. Since which, both Houses and the three Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, have entered into * A Collection, etc. p. 327. 359. 399. 404. 416. 410 to 418 806. 887. 898. 878, 888. 889. Asolemn League and Covenant, for the honour and happiness of the King's Majesty, and his Posterity [among other ends therein specified:] That they shall sincerely, really and constantly endeavour with their estates and lives, to preserve and defend the King's Majesty's person and authority, in the preservation and defence of the true Religion & Liberties of the Kingdom; that the world may bear witness with their consciences of their Loyalty, & that they have no thoughts nor intentions to diminish his Majesty's just power and greatness. That they will with all faithfulness endeavour to discover all evil instruments and incendiaries * Those who depose or divide his Head from his shoulders must be most guilty of this dividing. dividing the King from his people, that they may be brought to public trial, and receive condign punishment: And shall never suffer themselves directly, or indirectly, by whatsoever combination, persuasion or terror, to be withdrawn from this blessed union, etc. which so much concerneth the glory of God, the good of the Kingdoms, and the honour of the King; but shall all the days of their lives zealously and canstantly continue therein against all opposition. And conclude. This Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all hearts, with a true intention to observe the same, as we shall answer at the great day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed. This Covenant you have all taken yourselves (some of you often) & * A Collection etc. p. 420. etc. Imposed it on all our three Kingdoms: And will it not stare in your faces, your consciences, and engage God himself, and all three Kingdoms, as one man against you, if you should proceed to depose the King, destroy his person, or disinherit his posterity? yea, bring certain ruin upon you and yours, as the greatest * 1 Tim. 3.3.4. Covenant breakers, and most perjured creatures under heaven? O think, and think most seriously upon it before you proceed to further perjuries. * Rot. Par. An. 24 F. 3. part 3. m. 2. in dor. Rot Par. n. 25 E. 3. par. 1. m. 17. Rot. Par. 25 E. 3. n. 30. Cooks 3 Instit. p. 145. 146. In 24 E 3 William Thorpe, chief Justice of the King's Bench, for taking 80 l. bribes of several persons, was by special Commission, indicted, convicted and condemned to be hanged, and to forfeit all his lands, Tenements, Goods and chattels to the King: because thereby Sacramentum Domini Regis quod erga populum habuit custodiendum, fregit, malicose, false & rebelliter, quantum in ipso fuit: which Judgement was affirmed to be just and reasonable in full Parliament, where it was openly read by the King's command, as is evident by 25 E. 3. Rot. Parl. nu. 10. If then this chief Justice for breaking his Oath to the King and his people, as a Judge, only in taking two or three small bribes, deserved to be hanged, & to forfeit all his Lands, goods and life, by the judgement of a full Parliament, then what will such Members deserve to suffer, who shall not only violate their Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy to the King & his heirs, but likewise the several Protestations solemn League & Covenant, and the multiplied public Faiths, engagements, Declarations, Remonstrances, and promises of both Houses of Parliament, made to God, the King, the whole Kingdoms and people of England, Scotland and Ireland, the States of the united Provinces, and all the world, and that maliciously, falsely, and rebelliously, as much as in them lies, and their own private Faith, Oaths, Vows and Covenants involved in them, by deposing and executing the King, disinheriting the Prince, violating the privileges, usurping the power of the Parliament to themselves, when most of the other Members are violently secluded by the army, to the subversion of the Privileges and freedom of all Parliaments? this being one article against King R. the 2d. in 1 H. 4. Rot. Par. n. 25. 66. 70. when he was deposed; That in the Parliament held at Salop, " intending to oppress his people, he did subtly procure and cause to be granted by consent of all the States in the Kingdom (which you have not) that the power of the Parliament should remain with certain persons h 21 R. 2. c. 16. (Lords and Commons) to determine certain Petitions then delivered, but not dispatched, after the Parliament ended; by colour whereof, the said deputed persons proceeded by the King's pleasure and will to other things generally concerning the said Parliament, to the great derogation of the State, and Privileges of the Parliament, and the great detriment and pernicious example of the whole Realm: " and to gain some colour and authority to their do, the King caused the Parliament Rolls to be altered and deleted according to his Vote, contrary to the effect of the foresaid concession, as you have presumed to null, repeal, and * Dec. 12, and 13. 1648. unvote divers Votes, Orders and Ordinances of both Houses made in pursuance of the foresaid Oaths, Protestations, the solemn League and Covenant, Remonstrances, Declarations of both Houses, and the Treaty, when the houses were full, and not under the Army's force or violence; And if their proceed, & the whole Parliament of 21 R. 2, were declared i 1. H. 4. c. 3. null and void, and the King worthy to be deposed for such proceed then; let Sergeant Thorp, and other Lawyers now acting with you, consider and inform you what punishment you deserve for such breach of faith, privilege of Parliament, and usurpation of a monopoly of Parliamentary power to yourselves whiles sitting, under the Army's force, and most Members forced thence: in which case you ought not to sit, vote, or, conclude any thing, but only to k As the House did in the case of the five Members, Exact Collection, p. 35 to 56. adjourn till the force removed and all the Members may freely meet in full Parliament, as is clear by that memorable Record of 6 E. 3 Par apud Ebor. n. 1. 2. Dor. claus 6. E. 3. m 4. 6 E. 3. apud West Parl. 2. n 1. 13 3 Parl. 2. n. 4. 15 E. 3. n. 5. 17 E. 3. n. 26. 18. E. 3. n. 1. 25. 20 E. 3. n. 5. 21 E. 3. n. 4. 22. E. 3. n. 1. 25 E. 3. n. 1. 29 E 3. n 4. 36 E. 3. n. 1. 37 E. 3. n. 1. 42 E. 3. n. 1. 50 E. 3. n. 1. 51 E. 3. n. 3. 1 R. 2 n. 1. 3 R. 2. n. 1. 4 R. 20 n. 1 5 R. 2 parl. 1. n. 1. parl 2 n, 1. 6 R. 2. parl. 1. n. 1 Parl. 2. n. 1. 8 H. 4. n. 28. 30. 54. 9 H. 4. n. 1. 13 H. 4. n. 1. and many more rolls: where the Parliament when any considerable number of the Members of either House were absent, was constantly adjourned, and refused to sit or-do any thing [though not under any force] till the houses were full, much more then, when under the Army's sword: it being against Magna Charta, as the l Matthew Parts, p. 882, 885, 888. Dan. P. 172. Barons declared in Parl. Anno Dom. 1257. in the reign of K. H. the third, for a few Members to sit when the rest are absent. 6ly, Consider, that though many of the Kings of Judab and Israel were extraordinary sinful, Idolatrous, bloody, tyrannical and great oppressors of their people, yea shedders of Priests, of Prophets, and other good men's innocent blood, not only in the wars, but in peace: yet there is not one Precedent in the old Testament of one King ever judicially impeached, arraigned, deposed, or put to death by the Congregation, Sanhedrim, or Parliament of Judah or Israel. That those who slew any of them in a tumultuous or treacherous manner, were for the most part slain themselves, either in a tumult, or else put to death by their children who succeeded to the Crown, or by the people of the Land: 2 Chron. 23.14,15,21. c. 24.25,26. c. 25.3,4. c. 33.24,25. & that the Israelites after their revolt from Reho boam had never any one good King, or good day almost among then: but were over run with idolatry, profaneness, tyranny: invaded by enemies, involved in perpetual Wars, Civil or Foreign; and at last all destroyed, and carried away Captives into Babylon: as the Books of Kings and Chronicles will inform you: That the rule in the Old Testament is, not to take any wicked Kings from their Thrones and behead them: but n Prov. 25.5. Take away the wicked from before the King, and his Throne shall be established in righteousness. And the rule in the New Testament, o Rom. 13.1,2. etc. Tit. 3.1,2. 1 Pet. 3.13,14,17, 1 Tim. 2.1,2,3 To be subject to Kings and the Higher Powers, and to submit unto them even for Conscience and the Lords sake: and to make Prayers, Supplications, and Intercessions for them, that under them we may lead a peaceable and quiet life, in all Godliness and honesty, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; not to depose or shed their blood, for which there is no precept, nor precedent in the Gospel, but only of the bloody Jew's who with p wicked hands crucified Jesus Christ, THE KING OF THE JEWS by birth right, and Lord of Glory, whom they rejected and disclaimed for their King, before they crucified him; Acts 2.23. c. 13,14,15. John 19.12. to 23. Mat. 27.27. Luk. 23.38. which brought speedy and exemplary desolation upon their whole Nation ever since till now. And is not this plain way of God the safest for you and the Army Saints to follow, yea, the short cut to Peace and settlement? Ruminate upon it, and then be wise, both for your souls good, and the Kingdoms too. 7thly. Consider, that you now meet, and sit under the armed force and violence of a mutinous Army, who have leavyed War against the Houses to dissolve them, imprisoned many of your Members, forcibly secluded more, and driven away almost all from the Houses; That till the removal of this horrid force, and re-assembling of all your scattered Members with freedom and safety in the Houses, all you Vote, Act, Order, or Ordain, by the Armies own Doctrine, in their Remonstrance of August 18. and the Declaration and Ordinance of both Houses (made at the Army's instance August 20. 1647.) is null and void, even at and from the time it was voted, acted, ordered, ordained, and so declared by yourselves even by this unrepealed Ordinance, and by former Parliaments too, as 21 R. 2. c. 12. 1 H. 4. c. 3. 31 H. 6. c. 1. 39 H. 6. c. 1. And however you may take upon you the name and power of the Houses of Parliament, and unvote, vote, order, and ordain what you please: yet take it for an infallible Truth, that none of the secluded and absent Members, none of the Counties, Cities and Boroughs, for which they serve; See the Protestation Dec. 11. 1648. not those for whom you serve and represent; nor yet the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, (who have as great, yea greater shares and interests by far than yourselves, in the Person of the King, as their lawful Sovereign, and are engaged by Oaths, Protestations, Covenants, and all the premises to protect his Person and Crown with their lives and estates against all violence and danger) nor yet his Queen, Children and Allies in foreign parts of what Religion soever, will ever own you (in your present condition and constitution,) to be a legal English Parliament, but rather a Conventicle or Juncto, nor any thing you vote, order, or ordain to be r See A Collection, etc. p. 93, 221, 222, 225, 253. valid. And therefore whatever you vote, Order, or Ordain concerning the Treaty, the deposing or executing the King, the Disinheriting or Banishing the Prince, dissolving the present Parliament, setting up a new confused Representative, or new form of State-Government, only to please the Officers and Army, or rather those Jesuits and popish Priests, who have overreached, and instigated them forcibly to prosecute these their Treasonable designs, and accomplish this their long-expected, desired work; you must do only as private men, not as a Parliament: and if so, what lesser offence than High Treason, against the King, Parl and Kingdom, your present actings and proceed will amount to in the conclusion, if you persevere and persist in them, I leave to a free and full Parliament, the learned s See Mr. Saint-Johns Argument at Law, at strafford's attainder, and Cooks 3 Instit. c. 1. 3 Jac. c. 1, 2. Judges, and all Lawyers now sitting and voting among you, to consider and resolve. Which the Officers and Council of the Army considering, would cast the Odium, and danger of all upon you, the better to exempt and acquit themselves if after-reckoning should come, as probably they may, and t 1 Kings 2.9,10.28, to 46. 2 Kings 14.6. c. 15.30. c. 21.23,24. certainly will do in God's due time, if you and they repent not, give over, and crave pardon ere it be over-late. 8ly. Remember, That no Protestant Kingdom or State, ever yet defiled their hands, or stained the purity and honour of their Reformed Religion, with the deposition, or blood of any of their hereditary Kings or Princes, much less of a Protestant King or Prince, of a temperate and sober life, as the King is; who never immediately imbrued his own hands in any one man's blood, in any Tyrannical or bloody way before or since the Wars (for aught I can hear) but only in a Military, by his forces in the field. And for a Reforming Protestant Parliament, pretending the most of any to Piety, Religion and Loyalty, to slain their profession or honour by the deposition, or defile their hands with the blood of a Protestant King, or for an Army of Saints to do it, or they to please a Saint-seeming Army, and that against so many Oaths, Protestations, Declarations, Remonstrances, Solemn Leagues and Covenants one after another obliging them to the contrary, would be such an unparallelled scandal to the Protestant Religion and all professors of it (who have upbraided the v 3 Jac. c. 4. Dr. John whites Sermon at Paul's Cross and defence of the Way, c. 10, 11. Jesuits and Papists with this and Treasonable practice, of which they have been deeply guilty, and themselves yet innocent) both in our own 3. Kingdoms and the whole Christian world, as would give the greatest occasion, advantage, and encouragement to the Jesuits, Papists, and all licentious persons to join their hands, heads, purses to suppress and extirpate it, and all the * See Ludovicus Lucius Hist jesuitica. Professors of it, both at home and abroad, that ever yet they had, and make Parliaments for ever hereafter execrable and detestable, both to Kings and people. 9ly, Consider, that Scotland and Ireland are jointenants, at leastwise tenants in common with us in the King's person, as their lawful Sovereign and King, as well as ours; and that the Scots delivered up and left his person to our Commissioners at Newcastle upon this express condition: That no violence should be offered to his Person, &c, according to the Covenant. How then you can unking or depose him as to them, or take away his life upon pretext of Justice, without their concurrent assents, is worthy your saddest thoughts. If you do it without ask or receiving their consents, you engage both Kingdoms to make a just War against you, to * This fell out accordingly. Proclaim and to Crown the Prince of Wases their King (though you should lay him aside) as being next heir apparent. And no Ordinance you can now make will be any legal bar against him to his * 1 jac. c. 1. hereditary declared right to the Crown of England, where he will probably find a 1000 persons for one, who will join with Scotland and Ireland to set him upon his Father's Throne, as King of England, and avenge his blood upon all who shall be aiding or assisting to its spilling, or his dethroning. And what then will become of you and your army, when thus deserted by most, opposed by all three kingdoms, and all the Kings, Queens, and Princes Allies, united forces? Where will your new St. Cromwell, St. Ireton, St. Pride, St. Peter (that fast and lose carnal Prophet and Areb-Jesuited incendiary in these present tumults) with other Grand Officers of the Army, [who now force you, the General, Army, and whole kingdom, upon such dangerous Counsels as these, by the Jesuits principles and practices] then appear, to save either themselves, or you, or their and your posterities from exemplary justice without mercy, or hopes of pardon? Consider this then seriously, if not as Christians, yet as Politicians and self- ended men, and then repent and be wise in time. 10ly, Remember that you have neither Law nor direct precedent for what you are going about. a Walsingham Hist. Ang. 107. 108, 109. Polichron 1 cap. 44. See Speed, Hollinshed, Grafton in Ed. 2. and Rich. 2. Henry the 4th. 1 H. 4. Rot. Par. n. 1. to 60. My Plea for the Lords, P. 424. to 429. where the whole proceed are at large related. Edward the 2d. and Richard the 2d. were forced by Mortimer and Henry the 4th to resign their Crowns in a formal manner, the one to his Son, the other to his conquering successors, neither of them to the Parliament, & then deposed by a subsequent sentence in Parliament, as unfit to reign, without any formal, legal trial, or answer: and that not in an empty Parliament, under a force, as now, when most Members were forced away, and secluded, but in a full Parliament, wherein the Articles drawn up against them were never so much as read before them; and their depositions made [upon their own voluntary confessions only] to confirm their precedent Resignations. Besides, neither of these Kings, though very bad and Papists, were ever condemned to lose their heads or lives, but were to be well and honourably treated. And those proceed were only by Popish Parliaments in times of ignorance, who had no such Oaths of Supremacy, Allegiance, Vows, Covenants, Protestations and other forementioned considerations to tie their hands as you and we all have now; yea this very Parliament hath very solemnly and particularly protested, b Exact Col. P 695. 699. That they did never suffer these Precedents to enter into their thoughts, and they should never be their practice, whatever they suffered from the King or his, and that for the honour of our Religion, and the most zealous in it. But that which is very observable, Roger Mortimer, the principal actor in deposing King Edward the 2. and Crowning his Son Edward the 3. King in his stead, [as you must now crown the Prince of Wales, in his Father's stead, if you depose the King, else you pursue not this Precedent, as you should do] in the Parl. of 1 E. 3. [In which I find no record concerning this deposal] was in a full Parliament within four years after, with some other of his Confederates, c 4 E. 3. Rot Par. n. 1. to. 7. 23 E. 3. Rot. Parl. n. 9 to 14. Plea for the Lords, p. 275. to 283. impeached, condemned and executed as a Traitor and Enemy to the King and Kingdom, by the Judgement of the Lords, and that by King Edward the third his own assent, without any legal hearing or trial, (just as he had there deposed this King without it) for murdering King Edward in Berkley Castle after his deposal: and d 4 E. 3. n. 16● Sir Thomas de Berkley, in whose Castle he was slain, being indicted of Treason likewise for the same murder, before the Lords in Parliament, pleaded not guilty thereunto, and was tried at the Lords Bar in a legal manner, by a Jury of 12 Knights there sworn and impanelled, and by them acquitted upon full evidence and trial; when as e 4 E 3. n. 35 Sir Simon de Bereford was impeached, condemned and executed by a Judgement given against him by the Lords alone, without any Trial, for murdering this deposed King, & Thomas de Gourney, & William Ocle adjudged Traitors by them for the same offence, without any evidence appearing on record. These Precedents than will be of very hard digestion, and not paralleled to our times, or the King's case: Who, having upon the late Treaty granted us, for the speedy settlement and security of our bleeding Kingdoms, Churches and Religion, whatever we could in honour, justice, or reason desire, and far greater advantages, and security than any of our ancestors, or any Kingdom under Heaven, from the creation to this present, demanded or enjoyed from any of their Princes, (as I dare make good to you and all the world) and that which the Commons House, after above two whole days and one whole nights debate, thought and voted f See My Speech Dec. 4. 1648. and vindication of the secured and secluded Members, Jan. 20. 1648. a sufficient ground for them to proceed with the King to the speedy settling of the Kingdom's peace: how you, or the Army, after such large concessions, contrary to the Votes of both Houses of Parliament, when full and free, can in honour, justice, reason, discretion, or conscience proceed to depose or decapitate the King as a violater of his faith, a Traitor, etc. without making yourselves more perjured, treacherous and greater Traitors in all kinds than you repute the King, and without g Rom 2.1,2,3, incurring the same judgement and execution as you shall pass and inflict upon him: I leave to your saddest consultations to adv●…e of. I have thus freely, faithfully and plainly discharged my mind and conscience to you, without fear or flattery, for the Kings, the Kingdoms, Parliaments, Protestant Religions, I am certain, for Ireland's, (almost irrecoverably lost) Scotland's, your own and the Army's weal and safety too, if God in mercy please to give you heads or hearts to make timely use of this Memento, and not suffer yourselves to be Jesuit-ridden any longer. Consider, you have most of you Estates, all of you heads, or lives, and souls to save, or lose both here and hereafter. If this, and all the precedent considerations will not prevail with you to take you off from your present desperate Counsels and proceed, for your own, the Kingdoms, Churches, Religions, Ireland's, Scotland's, the Parliaments, your own posterities, and the Army's Honour, Peace, Welfare and safety too, Ride on triumphantly still in Ignatius Loyola his fiery Chariot, like so many young Phaeton's, till you fall and perish; It is sufficient for me (however you digest this present friendly Memento to you) that I can truly say, liberavi animam meam, what ever become of you or me. Who do here solemnly protest to all the World against these your proceed, as altogether null, void, unparliamentary, illegal, unchristian, antichristian, if not Perfidious and Treasonable in these respects. I shall close up all with that Golden sentence of God himself, and the wisest of men, King Solomon, which is twice repeated, verbatim, that it might be the better remembered and considered by you, and all others in such Exigences of public affair●, as we are now fallen into, Prov. 22.3. and 27.12. A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself, but the simple pass on and are punished. And with that which is parallel to it, Pro. 14.14,15,16. The simple believeth every word, but the prudent m●n looketh well to his go. A wise man feareth and departeth from evil, but the fool rageth and is confident, and shall be filled with his own ways: which is thus interpreted, Prov. 1.18,16,32,33. They lie in wait for their own blood, they lurk privily for their own lives, whose feet run to evil, and who make ●aste to shed others blood. For the turning away of the simple shall s●ay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them: But who so hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. From the King's head in the Strand. Jan. 1. 1648. Your affectionate friend and servant, as far as you appear to be Gods, your Sovereigns, the Kingdoms, the Parliaments, Religions, theirs who have entrusted you, or your own true Friends. WILLIAM PRYNNE. Prov. 28.23. He that rebuketh a man, afterward shall find more favour, than he that flattereth him with his lips. A POSTSCRIPT. I Am confident that if the Members now meeting at Westminster, will but persuade the General, and his Protestant Officers immediately to tender the Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance, the solemn League and Covenant, and the New Oath of Abjuration, for the better discovery, and speedier conviction of jesuits, Popish Priests and Papists (consented to by the King in the late Treaty) to all the Officers, Agitators and Soldiers in the Army, they will presently discover an whole Conclave of Jesuits, Popish Priests, and jesuited Papists amongst them, who have instigated them, to disobey and force both Houses, imprison their Members, to impeach, try, execute the King, dissolve the present Parliament, subvert our Kingly Government, and constitution of Parliaments, betray Ireland to the Rebels, and involve us in new Wars and confusion, instead of Peace and settlement, the practices, designs, and studies, of none but jesuits, and Papists; which all true Protestants, cannot but abhor. FINIS.