THE Commission of Array ARRAIGNED AND CONDEMNED: OR, A DECLARATION of the illegality of the said Commission: SHOWING, That it is Destructive to the late flourishing Kingdom of England, and the Subjects, especially the COMMONS thereof; and to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government.  
Published to the view of the World, principally of Great Britain, and the Protestant Party of Ireland.  
Commended to the view and consideration of the high and Hon: Court of PARLIAMENT, (the Worthies of our English Israel.)  
LONDON, Septemb. 19 Printed by T.F. for H.H. 1642.   

The Commission of Array Arraigned, etc.  
IT is notoriously known to all the World, especially of this (whilom) flourishing Kingdom of England (our dear native soil) that Matter being more than much amiss in Church and Commonwealth, and those occasioned by the unhappy and long intermission and want of Parliaments, this present Parliament, being by divine providence called and convened, hath from its beginning endeavoured with indefatigable labour and pains to rectify matters in Religion and ●he State; and amongst many other things their endeavour and several Ordinances to settle the Militia in the several Shires and Counties of the Kingdom, for the defence of the same. Now it is also as notoriously known, that his Majesty suffering himself to be seduced and misled by evil and wicked Council, who for their own ends, to cross and thwart the Parliaments good, religious, and wholesome proceed, have caused a strange and unparallelled thing, called, A Commission of Array, to be sealed and given unto certain Noble men and others of his evil Counsel, most properly denominated by both the most Honourable Houses of the Lords and Commons of Parliament, the Malignant-party: And amongst other the said most offensive and destructive Commission of Array is given and granted to William marquis of Hertford. And he endeavoured to put the said Commission in execution in Sommersetshire, Wiltshire, and other places, until he was driven away by the Country and Militia, and other Parliament Forces, he fled from Wells to Sherborne Castle etc. The Copy of which the said marquis his Commission, as Lieutenant General for many Counties, being printed and published to the view of all the World, is thus over-viewed, Arraigned, condemned, and confuted, as followeth:  
CHARLES by the Grace of God, etc. To our trusty and wellbeloved, William marquis of Hertford, etc.  
It is wondered how his Majesty, were he not seduced by wicked Counsel, can term Him Trusty and well-beloved, that to gain Honour hath been so untrusty, and an Apostate to his first vows and Votes in this present Parliament.  
And it follows, Whereas there is now in and near the City of London, great Forces raising, and Money raising by order of our two Houses of Parliament, etc. We have found it necessary to raise and levy Forces for defence of the Protestant Religion, Our Person, the two Houses of Parliament, the Laws of the Land the Liberty and Property of the Subject, and Privileges of Parliament,  
O Dens bone! have either Houses of Parliament, or any of the major and Orthodox Party gone about to raise any Forces against, but for the defence of the Protestant Religion, the King's person, their own sacred two Houses, Property of the Subject, and Privileges of Parliament? If there be any such among them, as some Tares will always be found amongst the finest Corn; If, I say, there be any such Monsters of men amongst them that go about to enslave them-selves and their Posterity, let them be accursed with Anathoma Maranatha, and to this curse no doubt but all good men will say Amen. Indeed we are not ignorant that not a few Members of both Houses proving false to their Countries (that have put their trust or confided in them for good) are for their several ends, like Renegadoes, run away and become the Malevolent and Malignant party, such as hate Religion in its purity and the power thereof, and the peace of the State and Commonwealth; for as the Scripture saith, The way of peace (the wicked) they have not known.  
The said great Commissioner by his said large Commission of Array is commanded and charged to conduct and lead all such his Majesty's subjects Arrayed, tried, and Armed, as well men of Arms as other Horsemen, Archers & Footmen of all kinds of degrees, meet and apt for the War against all and singular Enemies, Rebels and Traitors and their adherents, attempting any thing against Us, Our Crown and Dignity, etc. for so run the very words.  
Verily, if any such singular Enemy's Rebels and Traitors, and their Adherents be to be found, they are not the right Noble Earl of Essex and his adherents, his Excellency being appointed Captain General by both the Honourable Houses of Parliament, which were to make both the Houses Enemies, Rebels, and Traitors, who are the Representative Body of the Kingdom, and the Worthies of our English Israel, which is most absurd to think or believe by any moderate minded Christian; but in very deed, the very Enemies, Rebels and Traitors, are the Malignant party: And his Majesty's Army is too well known to consist (for the most part) of Papists, Atheists, or Libertines, amongst whom must be found those Enemies, Rebels and Traitors, and they having purchased the name of Cavaliers, do glory in it, and for the most part, they are fearful and most execrable Damne-me Swearers, which fearful execration they never would once use, much less not usually and often use; if they had any Religion, fear of God, or spark of Grace in them, and did consider the Word of God in the sacred Scripture denounced against all wicked and resolved ordinary profane men, whose Damnation sleepeth not: they I say, doubtless would not so often invocate Almighty God to aggravate and accelerate their Damnation. But to leave all such to their desired, doom of Damnation.  
The said Commission of Array hath such a large extent, that if put in Execution, it overthrows and destroys all the fundamental Laws of the Land and Liberty of the Subject, of the Commone especially, and brings all to be involved in War, thraldom and slavery: and not into a defensive War against any foreign Enemy, but a Civil and unheard of intestine War and Bloodshedding amongst ourselves. And his Majesty's wicked Council the better to confirm and strengthen the said Commissions of Array, have caused him to set up his Standard-royal as it is called: whereby what else is but a Flag of Defiance and a denunciation of open War and Hostility with his Parliament, the great Council of Him and his Kingdom, and His most faithful religious and loyal Subjects: and never was any Standard set up since K. Richard the third, against the lawful Competitour for the Crown Henry Earl of Richmond, in all the Haleyon Reigns of Henry the 8. Edward the 6. Queen Elizabeth, and King james. But what ill success the Marquis of Hertford and other great Lords and Commissioners of the Malignant-party have had in attempting to put the aforesaid Commission of Array in Execution is well known daily to the Hon: Houses of Parliament, and to be seen by every ordinary observant Eye in our printed weekly Diurnals,—  Sitque tota Britannia Testis. 
The Lord Strange, who is a main man of the Malignant party and a great Commissioner in the said illegal Commission for divers Counties, gives out a Warrant, to all and every the High Constables in the Hundred of Amounderves in Lancashire, for putting the said Commission in Execution, The Copy of which his Warrant is as followeth here inserted, with the Animadversions or marginal Notes of some ingenuous as ingenious Parliament-proofe-Pen-man, And it is a Strange Warrant from a Strange Nobleman.  

A true Copy of the Lord STRANGE his Warrant, for putting in execution the Illegal Commission of Array in Lancashire.  
To all and every the High Constables in the Hundred of Amounderves.  
WHereas his Majesty by his Proclamation dated at York the 12. day of August last, hath declared; That an Army of Horse and Foot is in a 
(a) That is a lie.  Rebellious manner raised in the South parts of this Kingdom by 
(b) The Commissioners of Array may apply that to themselves.  ill affected persons who are now Traitorously and Rebelliously marching in Battaile-Array against his Majesty, contrary to their duty and allegiance, and that he intended upon Monday being the 22. of August, to set up his Standard Royal: and whereas his Majesty by his Commission under his Highness' great Seal, hath authorized and appointed me Lieutenant General of this and other Counties, to raise forces of Horse and foot Soldiers, to attend his Majesty, for the defence of his Majesty and the true 
(c) Here let the world judge whether Papists will defend the true Protestant Religion, & whether base and beggarly Cavaliers that have nothing to lose, but 〈…〉 themselves, by ruins) will maintain the Subjects 〈◊〉, and property, and whether 〈◊〉 (that are great incendiaries) would maintain the being of Parliaments, that dare not look the Parliament in the face.  Protestant Religion, their Liberties, Properties, and the very being of Parliaments; These are to require and Command you, that you summon and warn all Knights, Esquires, Gentlemen and Freeholders', within your several divisions, chargeable with Arms and all such as are of ability to provide and maintain Arms, and are well affected to his Majesty's service 
(d) If they be not Popish Recusants, they may thank the Pope for it, who hath given dispensations to take the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy, that they might do the more hurt with less suspicion.  (Popish Recusants always excepted) that they be at Preston upon Tuesday being the 23. of August, by 10. of the clock of the forenoon, where I intent if it please God to be there, further to acquaint them with the particulars of his Majesty's Commands, and to confer and advise with them of the best and speediest way to advance and further his Majesty's Service in this behalf, which I doubt not, but 
(e) I hope and believe all good Subjects will not.  all good Subjects will readily and willingly perform, and that they will in the mean time consider and take into their thoughts, what aid or assistance they or their neighbours, tenants and friends can and will by their means yield to his Majesty in this needful occasion, and will prepare to have the same in readiness: fail not as you tender his Majesty's Service, and will Answer the contrary at your perils.  
Given under my hand and Seal, at my Manor of Lathum this 17. of August, An. Dom. 1642. James Strange.   
We that have read the Chronicles and Histories of England, did never read that such a Commission was made or granted, nor that ever any King in this our Fairie-Land did ever cause Arms to be leavyed and taken up with such a large extent against his own Loyal Subjects, His Bowels the two Houses of Parliament, etc. God for his mercy sake grant peace, Amen.  
And now, albeit both the Houses of Parliament, the King's great Council, and the Representative Body of England; Their so solid, and serious Voting, Declaring, and Demonstrating this aforesaid Commission of Array, to be illegal and destructive. And Learned Mr. Sergeant Wild, Recorder of Worcester, (and a Member of the House of Commons) his public confutation thereof; We are not ignorant that some of the Cabinet or Cavalier-Councell have pumped hard, and most notoriously abused His Majesty and the Laws, (unto which He is sworn) to set out in Print in his name, so many sheets (about eight) of paper, The Book entitled (pretending) to show the legality of the Commission of Array.  
And we are not out of hope but some of us may live to see such Apostate judges, and Achitophel Council as have caused his Majesty to create the said Commission of Array, and to prate the legality thereof, to have Chief Justice Trissilian his Fate, either upons barren Heath, a high Bank, or up H●lborne, as fare as Tyburn; nor can we exempt the nimble tongued Chequer-Baron. Yea, though they never so long Hid themselves as Trissilian did under the King's wings, having King Richard the second (that unhappy and unfortunate Prince) for his Lord and Master: And I never think of the late Lord Major of London Sir Richard Gurney, but we call to mind Sir Nicholas Brembre Lord Major of London in the said unhappy King's reign.  
We hope by this time sufficient is said for the Arraignment and condemnation of the Commission of Array.  
By the next ye are like to see the illegality of his Majesties late erecting His Standard.  
FINIS.