ARTICLES OF High CRIMES AND GRAND MISDEMEANOURS Exhibited against Lt. Col. Tho. Kelsey, governor of Dover Castle, Lately Major General of Kent and Surrey.  
The which will be proved and made good against him by sufficient Witnesses.  
LONDON: Printed for Livewel Chapman, at the Crown in Popes-Head Alley 1659.   

Articles exhibited against Lt. Colonel Kelsey, Governor of Dover Castle.  
First, Howsoever he took the Engagement ser forth by the Long Parliament, against King and House of Lords; yet he had a great hand in the very change of the Government from a Commonwealth to a Single Person. For, 1. He was at a Meeting of the Officers of the Army when the Government was presented to them in writing for their approbation; and he himself did alter something therein, and gave his consent, professing it to be his Judgement and conscience. And also, he persuaded many of the Little Parliament to give up their power to the usurping Protector. 2. In the prosecution of the usurped Government by a Single Person, he went to the Fleer at Portsmouth, Decemb. 1653. and carried with him the Paper of the new-intended Government in writing, with a Blank in that Article where the name of a Protector should be inserted. Now in this he most grossly dissembled, and abused the people: for it was known and declared before he came there, that Oliver Cromwell then General should be the man; and yet he carries a Blank, as if nothing had been done or intended about nominating the Person.  
Secondly, That the said Kelsey is a man dis-affected to the Government of a Commonwealth, and against the Liberty and Rights of the people, is most apparent by his actions from time to time. For 1. When he was in the Parliament, not only were his Votes always for a single person, but the Succession to be Hereditary: Nothing then would serve his turn, but an absolute Monarch, and the People all Slaves. 2. Such as did manifest any good affection to the Commonwealth and the good old Cause, his manner was, to discourage them, and basely to abuse them. As for instance: When the Judge in a public Sessions of the Peace, giving the Charge to the Grand Inquest, justified the Authority of Parliament, in opposition to a Single Person, Kelsey could not bear it, but very much rebuked the person for speaking in the behalf of the Commonwealth. Again, when a Member of Parliament had asserted the People's Liberty, and Privileges of Parliament, against the Usurpation of a Single Person, Kelsey was so much discontented at it, as that he sharply checked the good Man for it.  
Thirdly, When he took upon him to be major General, his Actions were most arbitrary, and unchristian like, especially towards such-who stood well-affected to the Good Old Cause, and bore their Testimony against a Single Person. He publicly threatened the People of GOD, in these words, That whosoever amongst them should oppose the present Power, (though usurped) under what pretence soever, he would sheathe his sword up to the hilt in his Bowels, though he were his Brother. And for such as did suffer for bearing their Testimony against the late Usurper, he was not ashamed to declare that it was just upon them, and that they suffered as evil doers. Besides, he sent Soldiers to some honest faithful Persons to quarter upon, because they would not pay illegal Assessments. Neither was this enough, but in a hostile manner, from others he takes away by his soldiers their Corn, kills their sheep, and carries away 4 or 5 l. more than they were assessed at; and from others took the value of 30 s. for Soldiers, for a day and a night's quarter, besides Assessments.  
Fourthly, That the said Kelsey hath been a great favourer and encourager of those that aided and assisted the late King, and men dis-affected to the Commonwealth; as is most apparent by the following particulars. 1. He preferred some to places of eminent trust, who served in Offlice in the last Insurrection & Rebellion in Kent; one of which retaining the same spirit, saith, He hath a black Book for the Roundheads. 2. He hath declared, that such kind of people as are known Enemies, are the fittest persons to be presented for Magistrates in the Town of Dover. And in order thereunto, he by his Agents did invite such to have their free Vote in the choice of Burgesses. Insomuch as the honest & well affected of the town were put out of a capacity to be serviceable to the Commonwealth in choosing to places of trust, Persons that are qualified according to the Order of Parliament, being hindered by those so encouraged as aforesaid. 3. When complaint was made to him of a Malignant Minister in the Wild of Kent, although the matters against him were of high concernment, yet be would not receive the prooss that were brought to him, by many well-affected persons in the Wild, but in contempt and scorn put them off, saying, They were giddy-brained Fellows.  
Fifthly, That Kelsey hath been an open Enemy to the Good Old Cause, and a great discourager of such as stood well affected to a free Commonwealth, appears thus: 1. After he was made Major General of Kent and Surrey, such persons as had formerly adhered to the Parliament, and born their Testimony against the usurpation of a single person, were put out of their Commissions of Justices of Peace, as men not fit to Act any more in their places. 2. Because several honest persons in Dover would not give their Votes for him to be a Parliament-man for Dover (having lost it at Pickenden Heath in Kent) as knowing him to be a corrupt person, and an Enemy to the Commonwealth; he complains of this in a Letter which he writes to his Deputy in Dover Castle, and brands these honest men for disaffected persons to the Government. Whereupon his Deputy drew up a Letter of Recantation, unto which he would have those honest men subscribe: but they altogether refused it, as being firmly principled for a Commonwealth; and no way would comply with such a treacherous person to the freedom and rights of the people, as they knew him to be. 3. When the Freeholders' of Kent were at Pickenden Heath choosing the Knights of the Shire, Kelsey did what he could to dissuade and hinder all honest men from giving their Vote for Sir Henry Vane, Calling them Rascals that cried up Sir Henry Vane, saying, That he was not fit to be chosen, because he was disaffected to the Government of a single Person: or words to that effect. 4. Howsoever he hath made a seeming profession, as if he did own the Principles of the Independents, and Baptised Churches, in preaching as a Gifted Brother without Ordination, Yet that his hypocrisy might be known to the world, he hath declared that he prefers the choice of Malignants before Sectaries to serve in Parliament.  
Sixthly, Besides what is charged upon him, he is guilty of great Oppression, not to mention his Partiality: for thus was his practice, when he took Bond of those that aided and assisted the late King, it was usually from those of the inferior rank, letting the great ones go free. From the meanner for't, whom he forced to give Bond, he would force them also to pay some five shillings, some ten shillings a piece for their own Bond, and half a crown for their servants; besides other gifts wehich he took from them which were not bound.  
Lastly, That the said Kelsey is an enemy to Parliamentary Government (and therefore not to be trusted by Parliament) his actions first and last do show it: When the personal Treaty was with the late King in the Isle of Wight, he did at Oxford Openly declare, that he was for the Personal Treaty, and did endeavour to obstruct a Petition, then in Agitation in the Regiment against the said personal Treaty, The which Regiment was then, and is against a single Person. When the old Protector died, he did sadly complain, and said, The glory was departed from Israel; and did a little after ride in the head of the Proclamation, when his son Richard was proclaimed.   
FINIS.