An Admirable SPEECH Made by the Mayor of READING, upon the occasion of the late choice of a Burgess for that Town, JUNE 28. 1654. WITH A true and impartial NARRATIVE of the whole proceed thereupon. Wherein is discovered the design of the said Mayor, with the Aldermen and Priests of the said Town, to deprive the Inhabitants of their vote of choosing.  
Published by a wellwisher to the present Government in the making good of former engagements to defend the free born people of ENGLAND in their Laws and Liberties.  
Printed at LONDON, 1654.   

THe Author hereof having been an eye and earwitness of the late irregular and unjust proceed of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Priests of the said Town of Reading, in their choice of a Burgess to serve in the approaching Parliament; and meeting with divers false reports touching the same, tending to the dishonour of the inhabitants of the Town afore said, but finding no true account thereof given to public view: Therefore, for satisfaction and information of the people, and for the love be bears to the Liberties of his native Country, (which are not a little concerned in this matter) the said Author is induced to publish to the world an impartial Narrative of the whole business; which is as followeth.  
THe Sheriff of the County having proclaimed the Writ from his Highness the Lord Protector for summoning a Parliament to meet at Westminster the third of September next, Mr. Frewen the Mayor of Reading appointed Wednesday the 28 of June last, at ten of the clock, for the inhabitants of the said Town to meet in the Town-Hall, in order to the choice of a Burgess to serve in Parliament; and that at the day and hour aforesaid, the Writ for choice should be read. The people met accordingly.  
Between nine and ten of the clock, the Mayor and Aldermen withdrew themselves in private (as did appear) to choose a Parliament-man: For as soon as the Clock had stricken ten, his Worship with all his retinue came into open Court; which being full of the inhabitants, the Crier proclaimed Silence; and then the Town-Clerk with an audible voice did read the Writ for choice of a Burgess as aforesaid. Which being done, the Mayor made a Speech to the people, such a one as it was; however, it was not much unlike his actions. Which Speech (for the singularity thereof) I have here inserted; and it is as followeth.  
Why d'ye hear me? here is a Writ directed to me, to choose a Burgess to serve in Parliament; and we have chosen Col. Hammond, and him we will have; and I will return the Writ for him.  
What, right or wrong Mr. Maior? said a Gentleman that stood by. I, (said Mr. Maior) we have chosen him, and will return the Writ for him; and therefore you may go home again, (said he to the inhabitants.) Is not the Writ directed to us? (said he meaning himself and Aldermen) and we have chosen Colonel Hammond, and we will have him.  
But Mr. Maior (said a Gentleman) the most considerable part of the Electors except against Colonel Hammond, and are here present, ready to publish to the world whom they have made choice of to serve them in Parliament, viz. Captain Castle, a man of conscience, wisdom and valour.  
Whereupon, there was a cry amongst the choosers, four or five several times, A Castle, a Castle; insomuch that the odds did clearly appear (to the impartial and indifferent standers by) to be five for one for Captain Castle against Colonel Hammond.  
But the Mayor still stood it out, that the inhabitants had no power to choose a Burgess, and that the power did lie in himself and his Brethren the Aldermen. Whereupon the Electors of Captain Castle demanded, of the Mayor to go to the pole; but he refused; and presently drew forth the inhabitants into a Field called the Forbury, (without any adjornment of the Court, which signified a dissolution thereof) and in the said Field the difference remained for matter of number as before, on Captain Castle's sided, and the Electors again demanded of the Mayor to go to the pole, and took witness thereof; but he refused again, saying, He would do as he pleased, he would return the Writ for Colonel Hammond; and so returned into the Town-hall again with the people following of him, and then sent forth the Bellman (his common call or crier) to go about the streets with his bell, crying, All you that are for Colonel Hammond (to be a Parliament-man) must presently appear at the Town-Hall. (For Mr. Maior is now sitting to take your names.) The Mayor's Officer (also) John Bartlet most industriously run about the streets, searching the corners thereof, and Alehouses, crying out, Who are you for, ho! For Colonel Hammond, would some answer; but alas, we dare not, neither must we vote, because we are not worth 200 l. That's false, (would the Mayor Officers reply) you may vote for all that.  
And then demanding of another, Whom he was for, who said, For Captain Castle; are you? (said the Mayor's Officer) you had best have a care what you do; for if you are not worth 200 l. you are not capable to vote.  
Thus did the Mayor's Officers run about the streets, two hours after the Writ for the choice of a Burgess was read, and a clear election thereupon passed, as by the testimony of sufficient witness may appear.  
In the mean time the Mayor (who ought to have been Judge of the truth of election) with some of his Brethren sat in the Town-Hall to take the names of such which his Bellman and other Officers sent in out of the streets and alehouses; and withal, Parson Fowler standing up above the people, in the Mayor's presence, vaunting as in a stage-play, and persuading such so sent in, as aforesaid to subscribe for Colonel Hammond. And when they had acted their part, the Mayor departed the Town Hall, being near two of the clock in the afternoon; whereas a clear choice had passed for Captain Castle, at ten in the morning.  
Thus far have If declared the truth of things as acted by the Mayor, and his brethren the Aldermen, with some few other Priestridden men, who indeed have been ridden so hard, that even their understandings have been weakened thereby; so that any ingenious man may behold the face of folly (and envy) upon their actions, as by this Relation may appear.  
Further, consider the Mayor's bold attempt upon the Liberties of the people, in going about to introduce that which must needs render the people of England as absolute slaves as any under the Turks dominion, by denying them the choice of their Lawmakers, directly contrary to the mind of his Highness the Lord Protector and his Council, who have so far testified their tenderness of the People's Liberty in that respect, that they have enlarged the number of choosers in Counties, by making many capable of choice, that were incapable heretofore.  
What colour can the Mayor show for such his practices, in running so great a hazard as the Fine of above 1000ls. to force the inhabitants of the said Town out of their Liberties? Or how could he conceive, that such irregular, foolish, and ridiculous ways and practices for the choosing of a Burgess, should be either honourable to himself, or acceptable to any wise man?  
But certainly (as I said before) the minds and spirits of these men being ridden so much by the Priests, they are become barren and empty of all reason and understanding.  
He who by the Instrument of Government was bound to see the choice orderly and peaceably made, in stead thereof, made factions and sidings amongst the people, as if he had purposed to set them together by the ears: and the Priests, who would be counted the Ministers of the Gospel of peace, are commonly found to be the fomenters of strifes and divisions; and did so show themselves in this Election of a Burgess.  
Monday June 26. Parson Ford publicly in his Pulpit (in a base disgraceful manner) said, that he heard that the inhabitants of the Town did intent to choose a man on the other side of the water, (meaning Captain Castle:) its true, (said Ford) he is fit to make up differences between men about hogs breaking over, or to mend up the hedge or ditch: but if you choose such, (said he) than it will be Goodman Parliament-man, and Goodman Justice. Now if the pride and insolency of this Priest Ford be such, that he dares publicly speak in such scorn and contempt of one of his Highness the Lord Protectors Justices of the Peace, what would he not do, had he power?  
Correspondent whereunto, was the carriage of Priest Fowler, who in a disgraceful manner called the Tradesmen (inhabitants of the Town of Reading) The Ragged Regiment, because many of them came in Waistcoats, and with their Aprons before them. Which language, how well it becomes a Messenger of Christ (as he and his brethren call themselves) any sober Christian can judge. And indeed, 'twas a mercy, (if not a marvel) that such language, at such a time, from such a man, amidst a multitude, had not caused bloodshed.  
But these are they that have in all Ages embraced all opportunities of sowing discord amongst brethren, and who have been the incendiares, and even the bellows, to blow up such sparks, as have set whole Nations in a combustion. And it is to be feared, that they have some such design now, as when they would have disbanded the Army: And therefore (my dear Brethren and Countrymen) have I penned this sheet, to give thee warning of such designs and designers, in the like case.  
There are (as I hear) six Gentlemen of Reading (viz. Mr. Dean, Captain Curtis, Mr. Goad, Mr. Writ, Captain Goddard, and Mr. Stockwel) employed by the inhabitants to represent the Case to his Highness the Lord Protector.  
FINIS.