EIGHT ANTIQUERIES IN ANSWER To the Author of the Eight Queries: Proposed to all true lovers of their Country and Parliaments, and conscientious Soldiers in the ARMY.  1 THESS. 5.21. 
Try all things, and held fast that which is good.  JER. 5.1. 
Run to and fro in the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, & know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth Judgement, that seeketh the truth, and I will pardon it.  
LONDON, Printed for GILES CALVERT, 1647.   

EIGHT ANTIQUAERIES In Answer To the Author of the Eight Queries.  
1. Antiquaerie. 
 WHether this nameless Author of these Queries, be a man of a right Christian, and truly charitable spirit who raiseth up such groundless and causeless jealousies and suspicions of a whole well-minded and well-meaning Army, who both have and do hazard their lives for the public good and safety against the enemies thereof, so as all their carriages from the beginning hitherto, have been so orderly and uniform, as all circumstances wellweighed, do not admit of the least crimination of their worst enemies. And therefore, whether such a Christian Armies Pretences, compared with their constant practices, are likely to prove such, as that of a cursed heathen hypocrite Haza●l, 2 King. 8.12, 13. And whether no religious and specious pretences can carry with them real intentions, as that all Christian profession were mere hypocrisy, and dissimulation. And whether such in the Army, whose conscience is not persuaded by clear evidence of Scripture; of the lawfulness of Baptising of Infants, and whose conversation hath been, and is blameless, and who have adventured their lives for their Country, as fare as any other, are likely to prove such as those Anabaptists in Germany, in Luther's time, who denied all civil Authority, which these do not, but sacrifice their lives for it.  
2 Antiquaerie. 
 Whether the nameless Author, confessing the Army's dutifulness, and meritoriousness, be not very rash in this Quaerie, as unreasonable in the first, in charging the Army with such a distemper, as overruling their General and Officers, touching the removeall of the King's Person; and whether this Author ought not to have suspended this prejudice, unt●l● the truth of the cause were tried. And whether the Armies marching up, be against the Parliament, because against a party and faction in the Parliament; and whether this be a dis-engagement of the People. City, and Kingdom from the Parliament, any more than the parliaments endeavouring to regulate the King's evil Counsellors, and Ministers, was a dis-engageing of the People, City, and Kingdom from, or an engageing of them against the King's Person, contrary to their Solemn Covenant; and whether the Army's refusal to disband at this time, was not necessary for the Kingdoms both ease and peace, if that charge of theirs, against those in the House shall upon just trial find them such, as are neither for the Kingdom's ease, and peace. And whether the Army do in this, act by their own mere power and will, when many Counties in the Kingdom, that (for their nearness) best understand the carriage of things above, have Petitioned the General not to disband till things be better reform, and whether in all this (for Vox populi, Vox Dei, the People's voice is God's voice) the righteous God hath not put that miraculously unanimous spirit, into the heart of the whole Army for the good of the whole Nation (whose Protector and Preserver God is) to stand in the gap, and to call for justice, the want whereof ruins Kingdoms and States, and provokes the wrath of Heaven against a land; and whether in this case, all the Counties, and Countries in the Kingdom, be not bound to manifest their assent herein with the Army, and to stand by them, if they find their trust betrayed: and whether it may not be said of this Army in this business, as to Hester of old, Who knoweth whether this Army be raised up of God, not only to subdus open enemies, 
Hest. 4.14.  but to be instruments of bringing lurking Traito●s and underminers of the Commonweal to condign punishment, seeing desperate maladies must have desperate remedies. And whether this Author can devise any means under the San so probably instrumental for redressing those Arbitrary proceed in the Houses, Committees, and others, now complained of, as this Army now is, and that with the consent and desire of so many considerable Counties, And therefore whether their refusal to disband, or to remove further off from London, be any a sobedience to the Parliaments present just commands, if the men, whom they charge, do by their power of Votes, overpower those, who stnding for the public good of their Country, and not their own private Interests, are to be accounted the Parliament of England, and not any faction in the House. And whether it be Just, for these, who are so charged, to have a Vote for the impeding of the prosecution and proof of such a charge so much concerning the public state. And whether this refusal, be not so far from conjuring up a Spirit of universal disobedience to Parliaments, Magistrates, etc. As it rather tends to conjure down all tyrannical usurpations, and factions, combinations in Parliaments, and Arbitrary power in Magistrates, when they see that the people of the Kingdom are not so base and slavish, as to put their necks under such yokes, and not to vindicate their native liberties, and birthrights when God puts an opportunity into their hands. And so, whether those be wellwishers to the weal and tranquillity of Church and State, as do not dislike, or oppose such opportunities the neglect whereof brings inevitable ruin both to themselves, with Church and State.  
3. Antiquerie. 
 Whether Jack Cades insurrection, or Henry Germines, Percies, and goring Treason, in practising to bring up the Northern Army towards London, to overaw and force the Parliament, can in the judgement of any, who are endued but with common reason, and honesty, be a fit parallel to equalise this Army with for Rebellion and Treason: seeing Cade was a private Person, the Army General: Germin, Percy, Goring professed Enemies to the Parliament, the Army a most faithful preserver of it. And so whether the Author were in his right wits, and not wholly transported, when he wrote this. And whether this Army, having first so often with the hazard of their lives delivered this Parliament from eminent destruction, and now do seek to deliver both Parliament and Kingdom from evil Members and Instruments, aught to be Voted as Violators of the Rights and privileges of Parliament, unless it be a Privilege of Parliament to be exempted from the people's complaints for oppression, or that the Privilege of Parliament be as boundless, as Regal Prerogative, so as not to be censurable, or corrigible by any, in case the liberties of the Subject be subverted, and justice denied to have a free course, and Malefactors, Delinquents, Traitors, maintained with a high hand, when Justice is demanded, and for want whereof the Commonweal is destroyed, and so, whether this Army in not disbanding, to have Justice done, be justly censured by this Author, as justifying the forementioned Traitors, who sought unjustly and tyranically to oppress those in the Parliament, who at that time were reputed the most faithful, and the Army on the other side, lays a charge only upon those that are unfaithful in their trust, and those to be tried by the Parliament itself, as their lawful Judge.  
4. Antiquerie. 
 Whether (in Answer to the fourth Querie) the Armies not disbanding, and doing as they do at this time, all things, and Circumstances weighed in a just balance, be not necessary in a Case of absolute necessity, for the Kingdom's necessary preservation against oppressors, whom they complain of, when there is no other remedy: as the Author confeseth of the Netherlands in the like case, And whether the Army, in so charging and prosecuting, for Justice, do thereby any whit blemish their former reputation and fidelity, seeing by so doing they set a Crown upon all their former glory. And whether, when the justice desired, is done, either the Parliament in giving way to justice shall have cause to complain of the breach of their Privileges, 
Fiat Justitia ruat Coelum.  or be in danger of adjournment or dissolution, or the City of pillaging, or the Kingdom of embroiling, or the Malignants to be encouraged, or the well-affected to be grieved, or more mischiefs procured then redressed.  
And whether if Justice be not yielded unto by the Parliament, before the Armies disbanding, there be more hope of it after the disbanding; wherein the Author is specially desired to give as a sound resolution upon some solid reasons.  
5. Antiquerie. 
 Whether this Author hath not more sedition in his spirit and Pen then the Army discontent, when nothing will serve him, but an equal Armed force for the Parliaments, Cities, Kingdom's defence, while yet he confesseth all their present demands to be just and reasonable to be granted. And whether, if granted, it be not superfluity of malice causelessly to surmise and suggest jealousies of further demands neither honourable, nor reasonable, and yet dangerous to deny. And whether he is able to produce any one instance of any Antimagistratical Principles holden by such, as he calls Heterodox Chaplains, Officers and Soldiers in any of their Writings, or Speeches. And whether those persons in the House charged by the Army, may make it their plea, that doing and voting as they do, being out of Conscience, (and liberty of Conscience in speech and vote should be most free in Parliament) they ought to be further prosecuted, and more than others for their Conscience, so as if they vote what is unjust and oppressive, cut of conscience, they shall go free.  
And whether it is not to be feared, that after the Army hath procured the outing of some evil Members out of the House, they will labour to recruite it with such as are of their party, as they have done in the Army, to wit, such as are most godly and have proved themselves most faithful to the Parliament and Kingdom, and so game a power to change the Laws and Government of Church and State, and dispose of all Officer, and places to their own Creatures. And, whether the Laws and Government of Church and Stat● are ●n all things so punctually perfect, as they may not ado it in some things some alteration coming nearer to perfection, and the further well-being of the Kingdom. And whether free and impartial Justice pleaced for, may not confist with the standing of the Army, when, if disbanded, injustice and oppression might prove too strong both for Parliament and Judges, as is intimated before; and when the Army is only assistant, and not assailant, of the freedom and impartinity of public Justice. And whether Justice may not be free, and not forced, when both Parliament and Judges are (as they should be) conscientious, so as not to be biased by fear or favour. And whether this Author can, out of Perhaps, prove Members of the Army's party, to be justly impeached of higher crimes, and misacmenours, than any of their opposites, and yet that the Army will be so partial, as to lay no impeachment or censure upon them, contrary to their present pretences.  
6. Antiquerie, 
 Whether there be not a grand difference between those that inform, and persuade the people to elect good, honest, and faithful Patriots to be Members of the House, whose studies and ends are the welfare and good of the public state, and those, who labour for such to be chosen, whose sitting in Parliament is to drive on their own designs, and private interesses, and to side with others, whose mutual votes may further one another's private designs, while all men's complaints are superciliously neglected, and the people's liberties in bonds. And whether it be not requisite, that some good course be thought upon, and pursued, for the better informing of the people in their Parliamentary elections, that they look neither upon greatness, nor nearness, but merely goodness (in their choice, as where depends the weal or woe of the Kingdom. And whether all this and much more may not be done without the preseat disbanding of the Army, till a foundation be laid.  
7 Antiquerie. 
 Whether those in the Houses whom the Author calls Independendants, be more exempted by the Army from examinations about accounts, then others: and if they be not, whether he ought not for this, and for the rest of his accusations be brought to public trial. And whether that which the Author calies a recruting of the Army without warrant of Parliament, be not a voluntary coming in of the Subjects to stand for the vindicating of their just liberties. And whether those listing of Soldiers in and about the City and Parliament, without public authority of Parliament, be not to some dangerous design, tending to the maintenance of injustice and oppression against the just desire of the Army and Country, and so to bring a plague upon the Parliament and City. And whether those recrutes, and the Army stand so much upon their pay, or Arrears, as upon the public interest, if their whole carriage and actions be well examined of, And whether as here again the Author queries) the marching up of the Army be against Parliaments privileges, when therein they seek nothing of the Parliament but justice, which extraordinary necessity for the vindicating of the Subject's liberties, from oppression, and subvertion, hath put them upon, and that according the Solemn Covenant, and their Commission from the Parliament.  
8 Antiquerie. 
 Whether here be not another tautology, or repetition of the same thing, as before, as in the fourth Antiquerie, where it is answered that the Armies not disbanding at present, is so fare from being a diminution of their formerly purchased honour, as that it is, (all the circumstances considered) not small addition thereunto. And whether the Army by all their carriage hitherto hath given the Author or any other, the least occasion to surmise, that they set a greater price upon their acquired glory which God yet hath put upon them, than they do upon the safety, honour, and welfare of their Native Country. And whether their example and practise herein be not as great a testimony of their fidelity to their country, and an honour to true religion, as all they have done hitherto. And whether Ireland might not have been long ere now, by others, than the Army provided for. And whether (had the Army disbanded for Ireland) greater ruins might have fallen upon our own Nation at home, than yet we have seen, or known. And lastly, whether the Author of this, and of all his other queries, ought not by the Parliament and City, and the whole Kingdom (all those evil and sad consequents considered, which these his queries draw along with them, if not the more wisely prevented) to be convented before the great Tribunal of the state, there to be tried, whether these his 8 queries be not most factious, seditious, incendiary, pernicious, and precipitious to the confounding, and setting the whole Kingdom if not Kingdoms together by the ears, if God's great mercy, and the wisdom of the Parliament, City, and Kingdom providently and prudently prevent not. And whether one chief means of this prevention be not in a joint giving away of all these for justice to be done, the refusal or denial whereof might justly bring upon us all, that fearful judgement of the Benjamites for refusing to do justice upon those sons of belial (Judg. 20.) even an utter extirpation of the whole Tribe: which the Lord in mercy avert from England, Parliament, London.  
FINIS.