A REMONSTRANCE To the Valiant and well deserving SOLDIER, And the rest of the CREDITORS OF THE Commonwealth; CONCERNING 

The Publique-Faith Soldiers Arrears,  
AND Other Public Debts of the Nation.    
Written by Samuel Chidley, Solicitor for the payment thereof till the time of the dissolution of the late Parliament, April 20. 1653.  PSAL. 11.3 
The Foundations are cast down; what hath the just Man done?  
London, Printed for the Author. 1653.   

A REMONSTRANCE TO To the valiant and well-deserving Soldier, and the rest of the Creditors of the Commonwealth, concerning the Public Faith Soldiers Arrears, and other Public Debts of the NATION.  
Considering that in this present Juncture of time a few seasonable words will be useful to the People, who have opened their mouths, and panted a long time for justice, as a tired Hart after the Water-brookes, concerning the moneys due unto many of them upon the Public Faith, and Debenters; and because they may not count my labour concerning the same, or their disbursements, or public services for the Commonwealth as utterly lost, notwithstanding the dissolution of the late Representative, unto whom I have been an importunate Solicitor in much weariness, and diligent attendance, for the space of 15 months' last passed, for satisfaction of the said Debts, at the entreaty and earnest desire of many well-affected people who entrusted me with the management thereof; I do hereby declare to all the said Creditors of the Common Wealth, that they need not be discouraged by what hath lately happened to those men who were then in present Authority; for there is no cause to believe otherwise, but that this late and sudden change will work a more speedy settlement of security, and general satisfaction to all the good people of England, without such importunate solicitations for justice to those whom God by his Providence setteth over Us. For albeit it is a rare thing to find Rulers suitably qualified according to the Rule, able men in judgement, fearing God, and hating Covetousness; yet it's hoped our future Governors will prove better than them of late. Nevertheless, this my Hope is not without some doubts and fears, lest the continual sins of the people, and their impenitency, provoke the Lord of Hosts to give children to be their Princes, and Babes to rule over them. Although my earnest desire is otherwise, that our Officers may be Peace, and our Exactors Righteousness, that so the Widows and Fatherless may no more be forced to complain of the vanity and deceit of men in high degree; nor shed their precious tears upon the foot steps of their Oppressors, as water spilt upon the ground, which no man gathereth up. For doleful Experience teacheth Us what Fountains, Rivers, and Streams of tears, have issued from the bleeding Hearts of the sighing Spirits of the groaning, afflicted, and needy people, to water the face of the Earth with continual springs from souls that wept in secret, and so covered the Altar of the Lord that no Sacrifice could be regarded or received with goodwill at the hands of their Religious Oppressors. So that when they stretched forth their hands, the just God hide his eyes from them, and though they made many prayers he would not hear them, because their hands were full of blood. For indeed the price of blood is very precious; and the loss of life is the loss of losses, which was little regarded by them. For many of the said Creditors have ventured their lives; many of them lost their blood, and the primest of their strength; many of them lost their husbands, their fathers, their brethren, and near friends, and dear relations, in the late wars, whose Heirs or Executors they are, and could not have satisfaction for their Arrears, the price of their blood, unless they would sell the same at an inconsiderable value, or double the like sums upon the Credit of the Commonwealth, which abundance of them could not do; many of them freely and voluntarily lent their moneys and Plate, with other useful Materials, for the use and benefit of the Commonwealth upon the Public Faith, and Propositions to be paid again out of Delinquents 〈…〉 of them borrowed upon credit 〈…〉 of the Commonwealth, paying 〈◊〉 r●st for t●e same unto this day; a●d many of them being in extreme poverty suffering imprisonment, and seeding continually upon the bread and water of affliction for want of that monies to relieve their necessities, and satisfy their Creditor, many of the faces of the poor Creditors have been ground away by reason thereof; as witness their countenances; and many have been forced through their extreme necessity to sell their Bills and Debts for 5 s. 4 s. 3 s. yea, less than 2 s. per pound, their ●ys failing with longing expectations for the performance of the Parl. promises upon their Declarations and Engagements, they having deeply suffered for their constant good affections and adherence to the Public, and fainted with sighing, and had no rest; For the rich men by these deficiences, and taking advantages by the unrighteous Decrees, and grievous prescriptions of the Parl by which they sold justice for nine parts in ten, were tempted more and more as it were to pant after the dust upon the heads of many of the poor Creditors, which made them weary; and in the bitterness of their hearts, in the midst of their pining and perishing condition wish for a new Representative, which might make better provision for them. Besides, divers well-affected persons having money due from the Commonwealth, upon the credit of the late King, Queen, and Prince; and in great necessity for want of it to supply themselves and families, yet could not obtain it. In the midst of the people's cloudy calamities they knew not what to do or say, they having waited so long, many of them above seven or ten years, and still to have their hopes deferred from time to time made their hearts sick, and their spirits so dead, that they could not commend the PARLIAMENT to GOD or MAN for any good, And no marvel that they lost the affections of the People, for they sold the Needy (as it were) for silver, and the Poor for a pair of shoes, having more respect to their bruit Beasts, then to men who were made in the Image of God: No truth or constancy was found in them; for amongst 30 or 40 Orders gotten with much ado, from them, for the Public Faith, they kept but a tenth part of them; and those three or four which they observed were altogether ineffectual by their delatory proceed, clothing justice with sackcloth, and turning judgement to wormwood and gall. Although they were chosen and put in trust to keep judgement, and do justice, and to use their utmost diligence and best endeavours for the good of those who had entrusted them for their weal and not for their woe. And they had professed, that justice they would not sell deny, or defer, much less tyre our the people and make them faint and perish at their feet with fruitless attendance: yet they altogether broke the yoke of their Engagements, and burst the bonds of their Promises, which they se●, appointed, and made to the Creditors of the Commonwealth, putting them off with Orders from day to day, from week to week, from one fortnight to another, from month to month; yea, and we may say from year to year; for by their Order in January 1652. they faced about as they were in january 1651. as may appear by the books left in the Parliament House. So did they make the poor Public Faith to go round like a horse in a Mill, and thereby ground the faces of the Poor, and stopped their ears at their cry.  
Oftentimes have they been earnestly desired to make no further delay, but to ascertain and satisfy the said Debts by Discoveries, Cathedrals, and other Particulars, according to their own Orders and Acts read in the House, and several times by themselves appointed to be read again.  
Therefore, the Creditors did make it their humble Request, that the same might be done without fail, and have a free and speedy passage, as adjudging it to be both honourable and advantageous to the Commonwealth, and much tending to the glory of God, and the just, equal, and orderly satisfaction of the many Thousands of their well-affected Creditors, who drew out their Souls for Good in times of public and general calamities; and for whose relief, reparation, and just satisfaction, the Parliament would have been more forward, if they had loved the Commonwealth better and preferred the Public good before their private self-interest.  
And although it concerned them in an especial manner to vindicate the credit and reputation of the Public Faith to succeeding Parliaments, that after ages in cases of eminent danger & extreme necessity might not startle at the engagement upon the Public Faith of the Commonwealth of England, but respect, credit, & look upon it, as the most substantial security in the world. Yet they pretended other business intervening, that they could not dispatch this business of great importance, although they oftentimes ordered it to be done the first business, yea and nothing to intervene; and entered the same in their Books, which were daily before them in the House: yet neither their own words de die in diem, and Orders, to make speed in the business, would drive them, nor the excessive pains of the Solicitors for the Public Faith draw them, nor the multiplicity of their promises and engagements in conscience oblige them, nor the cries of the poor (following them in the streets and at the Parliament-doors) terrify them, nor the fair speeches of their cordial and bosome-friends woe them nor the extreme necessities of the Creditors compassionately move them, nor their own Honour which lay at the stake rationally persuade them to be true and faithful in their promises to the Creditors of the Commonwealth of England; but they, like men of high degree, not being as good as their words, but breaking their own Orders, Promises, & Engagements from time to time, as if the just God had given them up to hardness of heart; and the selfish cares of the world choked them, and covetous thoughts stupefied their senses, and made them (like men bewitched with their own fancies) both senseless and shameless.  
Therefore the poor people were put to a stand, not knowing what was the matter; for they were more and more distressed; and their Solicitors spent their precious time in fruitless attendance: for they saw there was little good to be expected, without great pains, and importunare solicitations a whole year, for that which might be done in a day, because there was no good settlement, nor a total removal of corrupt Lawyers, and other mercenary self-seekers, out of the House, who were the prime obstructors of the Act for the ascertaining and satisfying of the debts of the Nation, and were averse to all discoveries which should be made for the benefit of the Commonwealth (saying, Tush, they will come to nothing) as if they feared lest themselves, or some of their relations, should be called to account concerning the Public Revenue, although they had passed the Act of Oblivion.  
And the pretences of such corrupt men in great places being foreseen by the well-affected, divers fair Proposals were made and presented to the Committee of Parliament for matters of great importance, with the engagement of the undertakers, tending to the full and speedy satisfaction of the debts of the Nation, to be satisfied out of Delinquents estates undisposed of, and not remitted in the Act of General Pardon and Oblivion, And all the concealed estates of the late King, Queen, and Prince, Bishops, Deans, Deans and Chapters, & prebend's, etc. and All moneys in Treasurers and Collectors hands, which they have not yet accounted for, but concealed from the Commonwealth; And (every particular man's just right and legal interest preserved, and industry considered) the Ours, Forests, and Waste lands, and other particulars justly belonging to the Commonwealth, and of little or no use or benefit to the State (as the Popish Cathedrals) were proposed for the satisfaction of the public Debts.  
And by the Order of the House April 27. 1652. the aforesaid Committee was appointed to sit in the Court of Wards, to receive Proposals for the Public Faith; and according to the appointment of the Chairman of the Committee, the Undertakers (which were Thomas Pride, Dennis Gourdaine, Daniel Norman, Francis Finch, Francis Bloomer, Roger Smith, Thomas Sherman, Robert Mallory, Clement Oxenbridge, Esquires; William Allen, Hoogan Hovel, and Praise Barbone, Citizens of London) had notice given them to meet in the Court of Wards; and accordingly coming there, where they sat in Committee upon the business, there they owned the Engagement, which they subscribed and undertook, in relation to the satisfaction of the debts of Nation, to manage the business, and disburse all sums of money requisite for all incident charges whatsoever thereunto belonging; provided they might be reimbursed out of the discoveries; for the undertaking of which worthy work, they deserve to be had in perpetual remembrance. For whose encouragement, divers other Gentlemen of good rank and quality engaged to disburse one moiety for promotion of so good a work, and to be reimbursed with them, and to take the security of the aforesaid Undertakers for the same.  
The engagement of the Undertakers, and Proposals being received by Order of the House, it was expected that the Committee would have made a speedy progress, and that the House would make an Act to empower the said Undertakers accordingly for ascertaining and satisfying of the Public debts, according to the former Proposals.  
But contrary to expectation the Committee took no care of this weighty business of the Commonwealth, neither could they be got together without great difficulty, at the times and places appointed by the House; for one or other would be still wanting: and when there was a full number for a Committee, the Chairman would be absent, and they would not appoint another in his room; and people in waiting on them were put to much difficulty to keep some of the Committee together, whilst they fetched more. And when they had brought them in, then sometimes the first would slip away, pretending other business. Many a weary step have some of them taken, to find them out in their nooks and crooks; with lantern and candle light have they been sought; by night and by day have they been followed; whether Frost or Snow, Wet or Dry, 'twas all one. The necessicies of the people were such, that they could admit of no delay: Their patience was used, and also abused; with much ado, were they persuaded to hold it fast, without using violence to the violators of their promises, but that the Solicitor for the public Faith pacified them with his constant attendance and great patience, for experience sake, to see the end of their many Orders, promises, and fair speeches, which most deceived the people, and did the greatest injury, as is thought by some who admired at the patience of others: but Solomon saith, Better is the end of a thing, than the beginning of a thing; and the patiented in spirit, is better the preud in spirit.  
But though it was more difficult to get a Committee together to do us any good, then to hale five Bears to a stake; yet we had Committees divers times, through much industry and importunity, but when they came they did little or nothing but trifle, and spin out the precious time, and took upon them to amend the Bill, when the House & pressed no such thing in their Orders, but only for the names of the Commissioners; And they razed out such lines which most savoured of honesty, and tended best to the satisfaction of the people, that the Act might begin with these words, Be it Enacted, without expressing a ground for it, so making as if the Parliament were to rule by their own Wills, and not (like the best law makers) to render a Reason for the Laws they make, whereby the people should be informed, and have some ground work to obey through love, as well as serve in fear.  
And when the Committee mer, and altered a few lines, they thought they had made a large progress in it, enough for a whole week; a line or two to be mended was well the week following: another day to mend a word or two was something; at another meeting to change or alter a letter was good. But all was as good as nothing: what catches and snatches, was at it! one while they were of one mind, at another meeting of a contrary opinion, doing and undoing, playing fast and lose, as if they had a mind to undo the Creditors of the Commonwealth, and had agreed together to weary them out, and keep the Solicitors for the Public Faith to serve apprenticeships, to follow their footsteps in their delatory proceed. And when the business depended before the House, much ado there was to get any thing done to good purpose, for they resolved to pass Acts for Delinquents Estates, upon doubling; and do other things that might prove as spoaks in our carriages, and thereby strike off the Chariot-wheels of that gallant Bill, depending before them (and lying now in the Speakers Box) for general satisfaction of the debts of the Nation, relief of the poor, and other Public uses, in order to the easing of the people, which they read 30. Novemb. and by several Orders, Ordered it be read again the second time, the first business and nothing to intervene, the first business and nothing to intervene, yet they never did it first nor last, when they could they would not, and now if they would they cannot, God hath removed them, and now I find the words of understanding men to be true, which they have often spoke at the Bell-savage, and elsewhere; & which I desired might have proved otherwise, That the work which I had in hand was too good, & too great for God to honour this Parliament with, And whereof I did admonish them in my printed books which I delivered at the Parliament door. But I thought I would never give over, till I saw the utmost of it, believing the words of the wise would prove true, He that being often reproved, and hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy. For I had a design in it for God (and for the reputation of the Nation) beyond the satisfaction of a thousand men, who under their hands entrusted me to act and manage their business for them.  
But the Parliament still pretended other weighty business, and that something else must be done before; and to say the truth, they sat so little a while together, but three hours in a day, and four days in a week, that is twelve hours in a week, but a days work at the most, but fifty two days in a year, that they could not do much good for the Nation, so that justice at the most came by drops, and did not run down as it ought, like a mighty stream. And how was it possible for weighty matters to be well done and dispatched, when there was so much time spent in idleness between? And by Calculation they have not sat of this thirteen years, the space of three; for twelve hours in seven days, is but according to one year in seven years. Therefore the Triennial Parliament, upon this account, would not have ended their three years sitting, till the time of three Apprenticeships were complete and fully ended.   

The Appendix.  
YOu welaffected and valiant Soldiers, that have born the burden and heat of the day; You bear not the Sword for nought.  
And you that have lent Money, Plate, or other useful materials for the Commonwealth; do not repent your bargain.  
You welaffected Creditors of the late King, etc. The right Successors must pay their Predecessors lawful debts.  
And you that have been plundered by the late King's party, and lost upon the public account; The Parliament gained when you lost, and now their loss is like to be your gain.  
I suppose many of you are not unacquanted with the Parliaments propositions, promises, and invitations in their many Declarations, when they were in distress and fear, they promised very solemnly that they would be willing and ready upon all occasions, to assist and protect all those that were employed in the service of the Commonwealth in the Battle at Edge-hill, with their lives and fortunes, to the utmost of their power: and ordered the same to be recorded in Parliament. Book declare. pag. 744. The 29 Sept. 1642. They promised that the lender's upon the public faith should be repaid their money with interest at 8. per cent. and should be taken into consideration for a further recompense for their forwardness. Jan. 7. following; they acknowledged the people's forwardness, and promised to be as careful of their safety, welfare, and reimbursement with interest accordingly as of their own, The 30 of Jan. 1643. they declared that those who have the public faith engaged to them for their security, and have been faithful and so continue, should be publicly considered, their losses fully repaid, and such persons regarded and honourably rewarded, and not slighted or neglected; but one way or other should be remembered to their own honour and good of their posterity, and that the Delinquents Estates should be employed for payment of public debts, relieving of the common burdens, and repairing particular losses: They have promised to Order the revenue in such a way, that the public charge might be defrayed; the Soldiers pay justly and duly settled, and the debts of the Commonwealth satisfied, and to remove all grievances and oppressions of the people, and to establish peace and righteousness in the land, and this they say they declare not in word only, but really and speedily they intent to effect, and accordingly they expected God's blessings on their proceed.  
What could they say more than they said? or what could they do less than they did, in pursuance of what they promised? What encouragements was there upon their promises? and what a multitude of discouragements in driving them to performance thereof? They made the people feed upon the ●in●e, and follow after the east-wind, and fed them with the bread of tears, and gave them vinegar and gall to drink, and made them live in misery and die in distress, crying to God against them in the bitterness of their souls.  
While I was your solicitor at the Parliament-door I learned experience, and was more acquainted with the sorrows and grievances of the Nation then before, and sympathized with the people's afflictions: And who was more sensible thereof then myself? How many have come to me with sighs and groans in their spirits, and tears flowing from their eyes, enough to melt the stoutest heart, unless he were without all sense of humanity! In my Parliamentary pilgrimage, I saw so many objects of misery, (and to me they made their mournful applications and pitiful complaints) which caused me to expostulate with myself in my mind at the Parliament: Am I the messenger of tears, travelling as it were in the valley of Megiddon, between the high and shady rocks of Adamant, inhabited with Satyrs, under the sable clouds of affliction? And must I be laden with bottles of precious tears, in evil times, times of war, in mourning times, in such times wherein one man ruleth over another to his hurt? Then said I to Laughter, Thou art mad; and to Mirth, what doth it? For the red ●o●e of war prevaileth, and peace is taken from the earth, and the chambers of the world are hanged with discontent. Nevertheless I was resolved not to fear, though the mountains should be moved in the midst of the seas. But I wished for some man, like Job, who sat as a King in the Army, to search out the cause he knoweth not, and pluck the prey out of the jaws of the wicked, to relieve the fatherless, and make the heart of the widow to sing for joy. This is the Nations expectation; And although my desire is not fully accomplished, yet to that man, or those men, whom God raiseth up to be the Supreme Authority of the Nation, I shall make my application, upon their declaration or manifestation, and rest,  
Your friend and Procurator, to his power, Samuel Chidley. Belsavage, April 22. 1653. GOD Grant Repentance to our Enemies, GOD Give Salvation to the holy Separated Church, GOD Preserve the peace of the Commonwealth of England. Amen.  
FINIS.