The PREAMBLE, to all the Freeborn People of ENGLAND.  
BRethren and Fellow-Commons; God and the world knows, that the well-affected party of this Kingdom (discerned by their voluntary aid to the Parliament) having tried all possible and fair means, as much as any People for number and power of any Kingdom or Nation ever did, by Prayers, Assistance, Concurrence, Attendance, Petitions, Oblations, Informations, and Discoveries, as well of Treasons, as of utter desolations, and perceiving themselves now at last to be in a far worse condition, both in number and power (their Lives and Estates, yea and precious time also being so far spent) than they were at the first; and besides, like to lose all, and scarcely to have (or leave) so much as their Lives, Laws, or Liberties for a prey.  
And seeing, by manifold examples of grievous experience, that neither Petitions can be easily accepted, justice truly administered, the Presses equally opened, the cries of the poor heard, the tears of the oppressed considered, the sighs of the Prisoners regarded, the miseries of the widow and Fatherless pitied, nor scarcely any that are in distress relieved but Laws any way wrested, most of our freedoms restrained, Ordinances, Protestations, Oaths, and Covenants slighted, the hearts of all Estates, King, Parliament, Priest and People obdured, the wicked for the most part absolved, the just oftentimes condemned, and most of all in Authority perjured, not only by breaking that solemn Oath, which themselves did make, and compelling others to take, but nevertheless, by persecuting those who make Conscience to keep it, even because they will not break it. In deep, sad, serious, and lamentable consideration of all these grievous proceed, and as much by feeling the smart, as hearing, seeing or knowing the verity thereof, chief the Opressions, taxations, Insurrections, Rebellions, Presecutions, Violences, Robbeies, Sequestrations, and Combustions, I with my poor one Talon, in stead of him that hath Ten, out of a dutiful and conscientious love, tender and pitiful respect to my Nation, now in this her great defection, and apparent desolation, chief for the remnant thereof (who mourn in secret, both for her great abominations, sins, desolations, and their own particular transgressions, and who doubtless are marked to escape the fury of God's fearful indignation;)  
Have used my best endeavours here, both to show the maladies and remedies of this sick, swooning, bleeding, and dying Nation, that if God hath not ordained it, like Babel, to sudden, inevitable and utter destruction, it may yet be cured, and a remnant reserved, according to the Lords usual dealing in all his visitations, remembering his tender compassions and mercy, even in the midst of his most fearful judgements and severity, that in despite of Satan and all his instruments, they may do justice and judgement, and praise him in sincerity.  
Farewell.   

ENGLAND'S BIRTHRIGHT Justified Against all Arbitrary Usurpation, whether REGAL or PARLIAMENTARY, or under what Vizor soever. With divers Queries, Observations and Grievances of the People, declaring this Parliaments present Proceed to be directly contrary to those fundamental Principles, whereby their Actions at first were justifyable against the King, in their present Illegal deal with those that have been their best Friends, Advancers and Preservers: And in other things of high concernment to the Freedom of all the Freeborn People of England; By a Wellwisher to the just cause for which Lieutenant Col. JOHN LILBURNE is unjustly imprisoned in Newgate.  
In the 150. page of the Book called, An exact Collection of the Parliaments Remonstrances, Declarations, etc. published by special Order of the House of Commons, March 24. 1642. we find there a Question answered, fit for all men to take notice of in these sad times; which followeth.  
Quest. NOw in our extreme distractions, when foreign forces threaten, and probably are invited, and a malignant and Popish party at home offended, The Devil hath cast a bone, and raised a Contestation between the KING and PARLIAMENT touching the MILITIA. His Majesty claims the disposing of it to be in Him by the right of Law; The Parliament saith, Rebus sic stantibus, and nolenti Rege, the Ordering of it is in them?  
Ans. WHich Question, may receive its solution by this distinction. That there is in Laws an equitable, and a literal sense. His Majesty (let it be granted) is entrusted by Law with the Militia, but it is for the good and preservation of the Republic▪ against Foreign Invasions or domestic Rebellions. For it cannot be supposed that the Parliament would ever by Law intrust the King with the Militia against themselves, or the Commonwealth, that entrusts them to provide for their weal, not for their woe. So that when there is certain appearance or grounded suspicion, that the Letter of the Law shall be improved against the equity of it (that is, the public good, whether of the body real or representative) then the Commander going against its equity, gives liberty to the Commanded to refuse obedience to the Letter: for the Law taken abstract from its original reason and end, is made a shell without a kernel, a shadow without a substance, and a body without a soul. It is the execution of Laws according to their equity and reason, which (as I may say) is the spirit that gives life to Authority the Letter kills.  
Nor need this equity be expressed in the Law, being so naturally employed and supposed in all Laws that are not merely Imperial, from that Analogy which all bodies Politic hold with the Natural; whence all Government and Governors borrow a proportionable respect; And therefore when the Militia of an Army is committed to the General, it is not with any express condition, that he shall not turn the mouths of his Cannons against his own Soldiers, for that is so naturally and necessarily employed, that its needless to be expressed, insomuch as if he did attempt or command such a thing against the nature of his trust and place, it did ipso facto estate the Army in a right of Disobedience, except we think that obedience binds Men to cut their own throats, or at least their companions.  
And indeed, if this distinction be not allowed, than the legal and mixed Monarchy is the greatest Tyranny; for if Laws invest the King in an absolute power, and the Letter be not controlled by the equity, then whereas other Kings that are absolute Monarches, and rule by Will and not by Law, are Tyrants perforce. Those that rule by Law, and not by Will, have hereby a Tyranny conferred upon them legally, and so the very end of Laws, which is to give bounds and limits to the exorbitant wills of Princes, is by the laws themselves disappointed, for they hereby give corroboration (and much more justification) to an arbitrary Tyranny, by making it legal, not assumed; which Laws are ordained to cross, not countenance: and therefore is the Letter (where it seems absolute) always to receive qualification from the equity, else the foresaid absurdity must follow. So fare the Parliaments own words.  
It is confessed by all rational men, that the Parliament hath a power to annul a Law, and to make a new Law, and to declare a Law, but known Laws in force & unrepealed by them, are a Rule (so long as they so remain) for all the Commons of England whereby to walk; and upon rational grounds is conceived to be binding to the very Parliament themselves as well as others. And though by their legislative power they have Authority to make new Laws, yet no freeman of England is to take notice (or can he) of what they intent till they declare it: neither can they, as is conceived, justly punish any man for walking closely to the known and declared Law, though it cross some pretended Privilege of theirs, remaining only in their own breasts.  
For where there is no Law declared, there can be no transgression; therefore it is very requisite, that the Parliament would declare their Privileges to the whole Commons of England, that so no man may through ignorance (by the Parliaments default) run causelessly into the hazard of the loss of their lives, liberties, or estates: for here it is acknowledged by themselves, that their Power is limited by those that betrust them; and that they are not to do what they list, but what they ought, namely to provide for the people's weal, and not for their woe: so that unknown Privileges are as dangerous, as unlimited Prerogatives, being both of them secret snares, especially for the best affected people.  
It is the greatest hazard and danger that can be run unto, to disart the only known and declared Rule; the laying aside whereof brings in nothing but Will and Power, lust and strength, and so the strongest to carry all away; for it is the known, established, declared, and unrepealed Law, that tells all the Freemen of England, that the Knights & Burgesses chosen according to Law, and sent to make up the Parliament, are those that all the Commons of England (who send and choose them) are to obey.  
But take away this declared Law: and where will you find the rule of Obedience? and if there be no rule of Obedience, than it must necessarily follow, that if a greater and stronger number come to a Parliament sitting, and tell them that they are more and stronger than themselves, and therefore they shall not make Laws for them, but they will rather make Laws for them, must they not needs give place? undoubtedly they must.  
Yea▪ take away the declared, unrepealed Law, and then where is Meum & Tuum, and Liberty, and Propertie? But you will say, the Law declared, binds the People, but is no rule for a Parliament sitting, who are not to walk by a known Law. It is answered: It cannot be imagined that ever the People would be so sottish, as to give such a Power to those whom they choose for their Servants; for this were to give them a Power to provide for their woe, but not for their weal, which is contrary to their own foregoing Maxim; therefore doubtless that man is upon the most solid and firm ground, that hath both the Letter and equity of a known, declared, and unrepealed Law on his side, though his practice do cross some pretended Privilege of Parliament.  
And whereas by an Act made this present Parliament, Anno 17. Caroli Regis, entitled,  
An Act for Regulating of the Privy Counsel, and for taking away the Court, commonly called, The Star-Chamber.  
It is there declared, That the Proceed, Censures and Decrees of the Star-Chamber, have by experience been found to be an intolerable burden to the Subject, and the means to introduce an Arbitrary Power and Government, and that the Council-table have adventured to determine of the Estates, and Liberties of the Subject, contrary to the Law of the Land, and the Rights and Privileges of the Subject. Which Laws are there recited, as first Magna Carta, and the 5. Ed. 3. 9 and 25. Ed. 3. 4. and 28. Ed. 3. 3. the last of which saith, That it is accorded, assented, and established, that none shall be taken by Petition, or suggestion made to the King or His Council, unless it be by Indictment, or presentment of good and lawful people of the same neighbourhood, where such deeds be done; in due manner, or by Process made by Writ original at the Common Law, and that none be put out of his franchise or Freehold, unless he be duly brought in, to answer, and forejudged of the same by the course of the Law; and by another Statute made in the 42 Ed. 3. 3. it is there enacted, That no man be put to answer without presentment before Justices, or matter of Record, or by due Process and Writ original, according to the old Law of the Land.  
Therefore for the Subjects good and welfare in future time, it is Enacted, That from henceforth no Court, Council, or place of Judicature shall be erected, ordained, constituted, or appointed within this Realm of England, or dominion of Wales, which shall have, use, or exercise the same, or the like jurisdiction, as is, or hath been used, practised, or exercised in the said Court of Star-Chamber; that then whosoever shall offend, or do any thing contrary to the purport, true intent and meaning of this Law, than he or they shall for such offence, forfeit the Sum of five hundred pounds of Lawful money of England, unto any party grieved, his Executors or Administrators, who shall really prosecute the same, and first obtain judgement thereupon, to be recorded in any Court of Record at Westminster, by Action of debt, Bill, Plaint or Information, wherein no Essoine, Protection, wager of Law, aid, Prayer, Privilege, Injunction, or Order of Restraint shall be in any ways prayed, granted, or allowed, nor any more than one imparlance, etc. And the Petition of Right, which may be said to be more than a bare Law (for it is a Declaration of the equity, true intent and meaning of Magna Carta,) and other the good Laws of the Land, which provides for the people's freedom (and binds all, as well the trusted, as those that trust) as appears in the Parliaments Prayer to the King, which is, That no Freeman hereafter be used contrary to what is before expressed, etc. which they say is the Rights and liberties of the Freemen of England, unto which the King answers, Let Right be done according to the Laws and Customs of the Realm; But this Answer admitting still a Dispute what was the true intent and meaning of the Laws and Customs of the Realm.  
They Petition the King again to give a more full & satisfactory answer, which he doth, and saith, Let Right be done, as in the Petition is desired; and amongst other things there expressed, it is declared to be contrary to law, to imprison a man without cause showed or expressed, and also that it is contrary to Law, to force a man to answer to Questions concerning himself, or for refusal, to commit him to prison. So far their own words: And therefore it were well that both Parliament-Committees, and all County-Committees, and other Magistrates in this Kingdom would compound with all those honest and Freemen that they have at their own Wills unjustly committed to Prison contrary to the true meaning of this Law, before by the sentence of the Law they be forced to pay 500 l. to every man they have so unjustly Imprisoned.  
From the equity and letter of which Laws, It is desired that our learned Lawyers would Answer these ensuing QUERIES.  
1. Whether the Letter and equity of this Law do not bind the very Parliament themselves, during the time of their sitting, in the like cases here expressed, to the same Rules here laid down? Which if it should be denied, Then  
2. Whether the Parliament itself, when it is sitting, be not bound to the observation of the Letter and equity of this Law, when they have to do with Freemen, that in all their actions and expressions have declared faithfulness to the Commonwealth? And if this be denied; Then  
3. Whether ever God made any man lawless? Or whether ever the Commonwealth, when they choose the Parliament, gave them a lawless unlimmitted Power, and at their pleasure to walk contrary to their own Laws and Ordinances before they have repealed them?  
4. Whether it be according to Law, Justice, or Equity, for the Parliament to Imprison or punish a man for d●ing what they command him, and by Oath enjoin him?  
5. Whether it be legal, just or equal, that when Freemen do endeavour according to their duty Oath, and Protestation, to give in Information to the Parliament of Treason acted and done by Sir John Lenthall, against the State and Kingdom, and long since communicated to several Members of the House of Common●, but by them concealed and smothered; and now by God's Providence brought upon the stage again, and during the time that Inquisition is made of it before the Committee of Examination, before any legal charge be fixed upon Sir John Lenthall, or be required to make any Answer or Defence, that he shall be present to outface, discourage, and abuse the Informers and Witnesses in the face of the Committee, without any check or control from them?  
And sometimes, while they are sitting about the Examination of his Treason, that he shall sit down beside them with his hat on, as if he were one of them, and that he shall enjoy from the Committee ten times more favour and respect, than the just, honest, and legal Informers against him; who by some of the Committees themselves, while they are sitting, are threatened, jeered, nicknamed, and otherways most shamefully abused.  
Yea, and the friends of the Informers for the State are kept without doors, and the friends of the accused admitted to come in always without control, and during the Examination of the Information, that the Committee shall refuse to remove the Informers out of Sir John Lenthalls custody of Kings-bench, to another Prison, although they have been truly informed, that he hath set Instruments on work to murder them, and also importuned to remove them.  
6. Whether it be nor most agreeable to Law, Justice and Equity, that seeing Sir John Lenthall, having so many friends in the House concerned in the businese, that he should not rather be tried by the same Council of War in London, where Sir John Hotham and his Son were, then at the Parliament, his principal crime being against the Law Martial, as theirs was?  
7. Whether to answer to an Indictment, when a man is demanded Guilty or not Guilty, be not a criminal Interrogatory, concerning a man's self, and so a man not by law bound to Answer to it, especially seeing to a Conscientious man, who dare not lie, it is a great snare, who if he be indicted of a thing he hath done or spoken, dare not plead, Not Guilty, for fear of lying, and if he plead guilty, he shall become a self-destroyer (contrary to the law of Nature, which teacheth a man to preserve, but not destroy himself) in declaring that which peradventure all his Adversaries would never be able to prove against him. And  
Whether it be not more suitable and agreeable to the true intent of Magna Carta (expressed in the 28. Chap. thereof) where it is said, No Bailiff from henceforth shall put any man to his open Law, nor to an Oath upon his own bare saying, without faithful Witnesses brought in for the same, and to the true intent and meaning of the Petition of Right, and the Act made this present Parliament for the abolishing the Star-Chamber, etc.  
For a freeman to have a charge laid against him, and his Adversaries brought face to face to prove it, and then the Accused to have liberty to make the best defence for himself he can, which was the practice amongst the very Heathen Romans, who had no light but the light of Nature to guide them, Act. 25.16.  
Yea, Christ himself, when his enemies endeavoured to catch him by Interrogatories, he puts them off, without an Answer. Luke 22.67, 68.70. Chap. 23.3.  
Yea, when the High Priest asked him about his Disciples, and his Doctrine, He answers, He ever taught openly, and therefore saith he, Why ask ye me? ask them that heard me, for they know what I said, John 18.20, 21.  
Hence justly it is conceived, that the Parliament may not condemn that man for contemning their Authority, who refuseth to answer to Interrogatories before them (the supreme Court,) who answereth to Interrogatories in the like case before an inferior Court, but you will say, it is the usual practice of the COMMON-LAW, the Question is, whether that practice be just or no? or whether any Law in practice in the KINGDOM of England doth bind the Freemen thereof, but what is made and declared by Common Consent in Parliament? and whether or no is there, or aught there not to be a plain platform agreed on, and laid down by the Parliament concerning things of so high consequence to all the Commons of England? and seeing the Parliament hath taken care that the Bible shall be in English, that so Laymen (as they call them) may read it as well as the Clergy, ought they not also to be as careful, that all the binding Laws in England be in English likewise, that so every Freeman may read it as well as Lawyers (seeing they have Lives, Liberties and Estates as well as the other) and peaceably enjoy them no longer than they continue in the observation of the Laws of this Kingdom; whereof they are Members: and seeing the Lawyers are so full of broils and contentions, and grow so rich and great thereby; have not the people cause to believe they drive on an Interest of their own, distructrive to the People's welfare; yea juggle, and put false glosses upon the Law (merely) for their own ends: Seeing so great a part of it is in an unknown tongue, (which the Commons call Pedlers-french, or Heathen-Greeke,) even as our State Clergy did in the days of old, before the Scripture was tolerated to be in English, in which days they could easily make the poor people believe the Poops unwritten verities were as binding as Scripture Rules, which the Lawyers have given the Commons just cause to fear, is their present practice with law Cases; many of which are besides the Rule of the Statute-law, and also against Justice, Equity and Conscience, tending to no other end, but to enslave the People?  
8. Whether it be not just and equal, that seeing Monopolisers were thrown out of the House about Four years ago, as infringers upon the Common-right of all the freemen of England, in setting up Patents of Soap, Salt, Leather, etc. why should not those be partakers of the same justice now, that have been chief sticklers in setting up greater Patentees than ever the former were?  
As first the Patent of engrossing the Preaching of the Word only to such men as wear Black and rough garments to deceive, Zech. 13.4. and have had a Cannonicall Ordination from the Bishops, and so from the Pope, and consequently from the Devil, although the Spirit of God doth command every man that hath received a gift, to minister the same one to another, as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God, 1 Pet. 4.10, 11.  
And although ignorance and blindness be so universal all over the Kingdom, experience teaching, that where that most abounds they draw their swords soon against the Parliament and Commonwealth (and so consequently against themselves, and continue the longest in their Rebellion, as now we have woeful experience, yet these grand Monopolizers will neither go amongst them themselves, nor suffer others without severe punishment to instruct and teach them the Principles of Christianity, or Morality, by means of which they become destroyers and murderers of souls and bodies, and enemies to the very Civil societies of Mankind.  
The second Monopoly is the Patent of Merchant Adventurers, who have engrossed into their hands the sole trade of all woollen Commodities that are to be sent into the Netherlands, the mischievousness you may at large read in a late discourse consisting of motives for the enlargement and freedom of trade, especially that of Cloth, and other  manufactures engrossed at present contrary to the law of Nature, the law of Nations, and the laws of this Kingdom, by a company of private men, who stile themselves Merchant Adventurers, the first part of which Discourse (the second being not yet come out) are to be sold by Stephen Bowsell in Popes-head-alley. Wool being the stapell Commodity of the Kingdom, and free by the laws and Constitutions of the land, for all the Freemen of England to trade in. 12. H. 6. 6. and 21. 13. the enjoyment of which is so essential a Privilege to all the Commons of England, that whosoever gives it from them, and by any pretended Patent or Authority whatsoever, assumes it to themselves, are culpable of the greatest of punishments whatsoever, as those that are guilty of Robbing the Free men of England, of their birthright and Inheritance, and yet the present Farmers of the Custom House, and their Associates are guilty of this capital crime, for if Naboath would not part with his Vineyard (which was his Inheritance) to the King, although he would have given him as much money as it was worth, or a better for it, 1 King. 21.2. there is no reason why the free men of England should have so great a part of their Birthright, as this is, taken from them by force and violence, whether they will or no, as their multitude of Petitions to the Parliament yet unanswered, do declare.  
The third Monopoly, is that insufferable, unjust and tyrannical Monopoly of Printing, whereby a great company of the very same Malignant fellows that Canterbury and his Malignant party engaged in their Arbitrary Designs, against both the People's and Parliaments just Privileges (who turning with every wind, do endeavour by all possible means, as well now as then, to sell and betray the Kingdom for their own gain,) are invested with an Arbitrary unlimmitted Power, even by a general Ordinance of Parliament, to print, divulge and disperse whatsoever Books, Pamphlets and Libels they please, though they be full of Lies, and tend to the poisoning of the Kingdom with unjust and Tyrannical Principles.  
And not only so, but most violently (even now in Parliament time, which should be like a cried Fair, and each one free to make the best use of their Ware, both for the bublick, and their own private good) to suppress every thing which hath any true Declaration of the just Rights and Liberties of the freeborn people of this Nation▪ and to brand and traduce all such Writers and Writings with the odious terms of Sedition, Conspiracy and Treason, but to countenance and authorise such as shall calumniate them, and so both accept & reward such men far better than their most faithful servants and best advancers, just as the Bishops formerly did against both the Scots, and the Parliament themselves.  
They do not rest here neither, but are yet further authorized with a general Ordinance of this very Parliament, contrary to all law, justice, equity and reason, under pretence of searching for scandalous Books, to call numbers of deboyst men with Smiths and Constables, yea and the trained Bands also (when they please) to assist them, and in most bold and tumultuous manner to break open and rifle, even the Parliaments own (in all their greatest dangers, troubles & distresses) most faithful friends Houses, Chests, Trunks and Drawers; and from thence to rob, steal, and feloniously to carry away such of the Possessors proper goods, choice Linens, and best things, as they please, as well as Books new and old, after they have put the owners themselves out of doors, and commanded Constables to carry them before a Committee, and from thence to Prison.  
Where they may without any consideration rot, if they will not either betray both a good Cause, and some other of the Parliaments best friends, when they had few others, or else submit to their unjust laws; besides, it is a common thing for such lawless men to break in, and search honest men's shops, when neither the owners nor any of theirs are present to see what business they have there.  
And yet as unjustly as all the rest, they do not only allow the weekly printing, divulging and dispersing of Oxford Aulicus, and other Malignant Books and Pamphlets, tending to the ruin both of the Kingdom and Parliaments Privileges, but likewise the sending of Printing materials to the King, whereby to Print down both Power of Parliament, and freedom of People.  
All which unjust deal do come to pass also with the privity of the Masters and Wardens of the Stationer's Company, as was openly proved to their faces at their public Hall; who therefore like wise men perceiving the Plague afar off, would not go on still and be punished, but most cunningly, both to hid themselves, and their treachery against the well-affected party, and divide their spoil, so unjustly obtained by lying in wait for blood, they have now procured by this their good service to the Parliament (as they did to the Bishops) the form or power of a Stationer-Committee in London among themselves, that they may henceforth without either Censure or Resistance of Higher Powers, both absolve the wicked, and condemn the just, and so do whatsoever they list.  
The next Monopoly, it is to be feared will be upon Bread and Beer, for as justly may there be a Monopoly upon them, as upon the former.  
Oh Englishmen! Where is your freedoms? and what is become of your Liberties and Privileges that you have been fight for all this while, to the large expense of your Bloods and Estates, which was hoped would have procured your liberties and freedoms? but rather, as some great ones Order it, ties you faster in bondage and slavery, than before; therefore look about you betimes, before it be too late, and give not occasion to your Children yet unborn to curse you, for making them slaves by your covetousness, cowardly baseness, and faintheartedness; therefore up as one man, and in a just and legal way call those to account, that endeavour to destroy you, and betray your Liberties and Freedoms.  
9 Whether it be not more agreeable to Equity, Law, Justice, and Conscience, that the badge of a Malignant, or a man uncapable of hearing Office in the Commonwealth, or being chosen to sit in Parliament, as one to make Laws, should not rather be, for being disaffected to common Freedom, and having either in purse or person declared his disaffection thereunto, in any ways assisting the Common enemy, who hath drawn his sword, to destroy the freedom of the Commonwealth, which by the Law of this Land is granted unto the Free People thereof, (by means of which all such have disfranchised themselves) then for refusing out of Conscience to take the Nationall Covenant?  
Which was first ordained to beget Unity between the Nations, but as sad experience teacheth, in its effects produceth nothing less amongst us, setting us at as bitter a War and contestation amongst ourselves, (almost as we have with our professed enemies) who before this unhappy make-baite came amongst us, were knit together in love and affection as one man against the common enemies of our Liberties, Peace and safety, and had no upbraiding one another with being a Covenanter, or an Anticovenanter, which breeds constant heart-burnings amongst us, and which if it be not by some wise, moderate and discreet means) prevented, is likely to burst out into a dangerous flame in the midst of us, so that our being knit faster to God, and each to other by a band of Unity, is hereby frustrated.  
Secondly, the Preamble of the Covenant itself saith, that the taking of it is not the chief part of it, but the keeping of it, the benefits of it being sure and steadfast to us, when we are sure and steadfast in the Observation of the things Covenanted: so that if there be not the Observation of them, the ends and intention of it is void and frustrate; but it is observed that many of those that authorised it, and first took it, within a little after, run both out of the House of Peers and Commons to the King to Oxford, and drew their swords against it, to destroy it, and so became wilfully perjured, and the most part of the rest that still remain, have been very active in setting up things quite contrary to the true and declared intent and meaning of the Covenant.  
As first, it ties all those that take it without respect of persons, to endeavour the extirpation of Popery, but contrary hereunto there is an Ordinance lately made for the strict payment of Tithes, to the Clergy, for their maintenance, although it be one of the greatest branches of Popery that ever was established in Rome, the taking away of which in any place where Popery is professed, is a more direct way to root up Popery, than the taking away all things else professed by the Papists, for the Clergy are such greedy dogs, as the Prophet calls them, that they can never have enough, being shepherds that cannot understand, seeing they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, Esai. 56.10, 11. that they will be of any Religion where riches or profit is to be had, and will be sure to avoid and hate that Religion that brings in no profit to fill and cram their fat guts, who by't with their teeth, and prepare war for those that putteth not into their mouths. Micah. 3.5. Besides, Tithes is a Jewish Ceremony abolished, as all the rest by the death of Christ upon the Cross, Heb. 7.5.12.28. & 8.5. & 9.9.15.26.28. the establishing of which again, is the denying of CHRIST'S death, and a setting up of Moses and the Ceremonial law: for as the Apostle saith, Gal. 5.3. For I testify again to every man that is Circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law, yea saith he, Christ is become of no effect to such a man, so say I, He that compels you to pay Tithes, compels you to keep the whole Law, which whosoever goes about, is fallen from Grace. Gal. 5.4. Again, the p●●●ent of Tithes is an unjust and unequal thing in a Civil sense, for that the Priests who are not one for a thousand of the rest of the Inhabitants in the Kingdom should have the tenth part, yea, or rather the seventh part of all things a man hath (saving his Children) considering that they never labour for it with their hands, nor earn it with the sweat of their brows, nor bestow any kind of Charges, is the most unjust thing in the world, and so intolerable oppressing a burden, that the Free-people of England are not able to bear it, as the Petitions presented by divers persons already to the House, and those many Petititions that are in agitation both in the City of London, and many Shires in the Country do and will fully declare.  
A second thing sworn to in the Covenant, as other branches of Popery is, to root out and exterpate Prelacy (as there it is expressed, Church-Government by Archbishops, Bishops, their Chancellors and Commissaries, Deans, subdeans and Chapiters', Archdeacon's, and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy,) and yet the same men have established the Bishop's Priests, and servants, who have no other calling in the world whereby to stand, but what they had from them, as both the Ordinance and the Priests themselves confess, and yet by virtue of this Papal, Prelatical Call, they Institute and ordain a Generation of Antichristian Officers, to fill the Kingdom (contrary to the Covenant) as full of Popery and Popish Officers, as ever it was in the Bishop's days: the drivers on of which design (if they have taken the Covenant,) are every man of them perjured.  
But you will say though the Parliament and Priests acknowledge the Bishops to be Antichristian, yet the present Priests say, they were not ordained by them as Bishops, but as Presbyters, who had their Calling from the Pope, not as a Pope, but as a Presbyter.  
To which I Answer, the Devil was an Angel of Light, but is now a Devil; the question is, Whether now he doth those actions that he doth as an Angel of Light, or as a Devil? Even so, (admit for Disputations sake only it should be granted,) the Pope was once a Presbyter, but is now a Pope, Antichrist, the man of sin, and son of Perdition, as is confessed by the Priests themselves, The Question therefore to them is ●●ether the Pope doth the actions that he doth as a Presbyter, or as 〈◊〉 ●nd Antichrist the Pope; again, the Bishops, as they themselves confess, are Antichristian, and as Antichristian hath petitioned against them to this very Parliament, that so they might be extirpated root and branch.  
The Question now to the Priests is, Whether the Bishops did those actions that they did after they were made Bishops, as Antichristian Bishop, or as JESUS CHRIST'S Presbyters? and if they were Antichristian, then surely those that are made by them are the same, and not in the least degree any better, for the Apostle saith, Heb. 7.7. without all contradiction, the less is blessed of the greater, therefore for these men to say, they are better than those that made them, is a mere ridiculous foppery; Christ himself telling all such men, they are very fools, Matth. 23.16, 17, 18, etc. where in the like case he saith unto the Scribes and Pharisees; Woe unto you blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swore by the Temple, it is nothing, but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the Temple, he is a debtor. Ye fools and blind: For whether is greater, the gold, or the Temple that sanctifieth the gold? and whosoever shall swear by the Altar, it is nothing, but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the Altar that sanctifieth the Gift. Whosoever therefore shall swear by the Altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon: and who shall swear by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein: read likewise the 1 Cor. 10.17. Hosea. 9.4.  
From all which places, to my understanding, it clearly appears, that no man whatsoever can be instated into any Office whatsoever by an Antichristian Power, but his Function is as Antichristian as his that made him, for as James saith, chap. 3.11. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water, and bitter? therefore in the words of the Prophet Esai. chap. 5.20. I say, woe unto them that call evil good, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.  
But if this be not enough to prove them Antichristian, but that yet they think the stream of Presbyterian imposition of hands is run so clear from the Apostles to the Pope, and from the Pope to the Bishops, and from the Bishops to them, I would feign know of them how they will be able to prove, that it purely came through the hands of Pope JOAN, or where they will ever find in the New Testament, that ever a woman in their sense was a Presbyter, or ever laid her hands upon other Presbyters, to ordain them.  
Thirdly, How they will be able to prove their succession to come truly to them, seeing there hath been sometimes two Popes at once, and sometimes three, and each excommunicating the other as false, how they will be able infallibly to make it appear, that their Ordination came from the true Pope, and not from the false? Or how out of the New-Testament they will ever be able to prove, that a Bishop, Pastor or Teacher, did ever lay his hands to ordain another Bishop, Pastor, or Teacher? and till they be able satisfactorily to answer to all these Queries, I shall account them as Antichristian as the Bishops, and as papistical as the Pope himself, and every man a perjured man that hath taken the Covenant, that doth not earnestly endeavour to extirpate and root them out, their power and Interest being so destructive to the Peace, Safety and Freedom of a Nation, as all ages, times and places do fully declare where they have had footing; and this the Parliaments own Declaration, made the Fifteenth day of December, 1642, doth clearly hold out, which is worth every truehearted Englishman's serious perusal and Observation.  
In the third place, they swear to preserve the Liberties of the Kingdom, and yet commit men to prison for standing for them, witness Lieutenant Colonel Lilburnes lying in Newgate, committed originally, no man knows wherefore; and those that were the Authors of his imprisonment, are ashamed to this day to tell him for what cause they have committed him: And because they would feign pick a hole in his coat, they not only keep his estate from him, but as if they intended to destroy him without remedy, do commit him to prison, which action indeed tendeth to his utter ruin, and then lay all the Provocations and aspersions upon him, which they can devise against him in his Imprisonment, because they had none before.  
And then at their last pinch, examine him upon Interrogatories at the Committee of Examinations, concerning himself, (just High-Commission and Star-Chamber-like,) and because he stands upon his right, and the law of the Land, and will not answer, they turn him over to Newgate amongst Rogues and Cutpurses, there to brand him with infamy as much as in them lieth, that so it shall never be taken off from him as long as he lives, and then to make Orders to arraign him at Newgate Sessions, if they can devise a crime, and get Lawyers to plead against him, before they have done him one bit of justice in helping him to the moneys they own him.  
O Englishmen, what do you think of the makers, and first takers of this Covenant, are they perjured yea or no? are you able to discern the benefit of forced Covenants, are they not like forced Religion?  
In the fourth place, they swear faithfully, To discover all such as have been, or shall be Incendiaries, Malignants, or evil Instruments against the public good, and what mischief they are not able in their own persons to suppress or overcome, that they shall reveal or make known, that it may be timely prevented or remedied; all which they swear to do, as in the sight of GOD.  
And yet notwithstanding, although Lieutenant General Cromwell, according to his duty long since, revealed the Earl of Manchesters' treachery and baseness at Dennington Castle, and other places, and proved it punctually by unquestionable witnesses before a Committee of the House of Commons, and before he could perfect his charge, he was sent upon an unhopefull design with Sir William Waller to relieve Taunton with Horse, although it be an exceeding close enclosed Country, where a hundred foot may deal with a thousand horse.  
And when he came back to Windsor, he was posted away uriah-like, by special command, with his own Regiment of Horse, to lie betwixt Oxford and Worcester, (in the very road way of destruction, had not the Noble General (by GOD'S Providence) exceedingly strengthened his party) and after that, he is posted from place to place, and never suffered to come to the Parliament since, whereby Manchesters' treason lies, as it were hid, although it be more fully proved (as some of that House have since confessed) then ever Strdffords was; and yet he is suffered to act in all the great designs of the Kingdom, unto this present.  
2. Master Mussenden and Mr. Wolley, and divers others (Gentlemen of quality) of the Committee of Lincoln, in August, 1644. exibited Articles of High-Treason, and other heinous misdemeanours against Colonel Edward King, to the House of Commons: which Articles they have since Printed and published to the view of the World; yet can they not to this day get any hearing of them, that so they may prove against him what they accuse him of, howbeit, although in their Fourth and Twelfth Article, they accuse him of plain High-Treason, their own words are as followeth: As  
Article 4. When he (the said Colonel King) was before Newarke, he sent for a Captain, who kept Crowland, who obeyed his command, yet sent word to him of the danger that Town was in, and therefore desired his second pleasure, which was, That he should march; who accordingly did; the Gentlemen of the Country fearing the enemy, procured Major Ireton to send a 100 Musketeers to keep Crowland, which he hearing of, took ill, that without Order from him, any should come into his liberties, and commanded them to be gone, who accordingly departed; the enemy presently surprised the Town, and those few that he had left in it, by which means he betrayed the Town unto the enemy, which was not regained without much charge, hazard, and loss of many men's lives.  
Article the 12. That when the Enemy took Grantham, they being beaten from one part of the Town, wheeled about, to fall upon the other side, at a place called Spittle-gate, which Major Savill (being then Major of the Town) perceiving, commanded Colonel King (being then Captain of a Company there) to march with his Company to defend that place, Colonel King answered, That he scorned to be commanded by him, and rather than he would be commanded by him, he would take his company, and let the enemy into the Town, and he delayed so long before he would go, that the enemy was entered at the said Part before he came thither, by which means be betrayed that Town. Also,  
3. John Musgrave Gentleman, hath complained to the Commons in this present Parliament against Richard Barwis Esq Burgess for Carlisle, and a Member now sitting in the House of Commons, and lately one of the Commissioners of Parliament for both Kingdoms, that at his being at Edinburgh, he held correspondency with the Commissioners of Array, both for Westmoreland and Cumberland, and in his Twentieth Article against him, he saith, That when the said Richard Barwis was at Sunderland, he had Intercourse by Letters with the chief Delinquents in Cumberland, which were, especially Baronet Graham, Baronet Musgrave, Baronet Curwen, and Sir Willfrede Lawson; and that the said Mr. Barwis Estate was protected by means of some of the foresaid Knights, during the time the King had the Command of the North, and that Mr. Barwis was an Instrument in getting men nominated to be Committee-men for the Parliament, while they were in actual Rebellion against the Parliament and Kingdom, and hath been an instrument in getting the Command of both the foresaid Counties into the hands of those that actually have been in Arms, and committed treason against the Commonwealth, who abuse the honest well-affcted to the Parliament there, as much as ever they were while the King had the Command of them: and though complaint hath been made of all this to many of the House of Commons, and much more by Mr. Musgrave, and his partner, who are sent up to the Parliament from the Country (as Commissioners for that purpose) yet they cannot be heard or find any Justice against Mr. Barwis, and the other Delinquents, by means whereof, both the Counties are in danger shortly to be lost and destroyed.  
4. Some Gentlemen of the Bishopric of Durham, long since complained to divers Parliament men of old Sir Henry Vanes wilful losing and betraying their Country, being there Lord Lieutenant, but by reason of his greatness could never be heard, but in regard the substance of his charge is come into my hands, from the hands of a Gentlemen of that Country now in London: I have inserted here, that you may read it as followeth, only with this caution, that seeing in the Copy I took it out of, there were some interlynings at the latter end thereof, that if a word should be displaced, you would not therefore throw aside all the rest of it, for I dare pawn my life, the substance of it will be proved.  
The Militia of the County of Durham was entrusted with Sir Henry Vane the elder, to whom some Gentlemen of the Country repaired, and desired his care therein, which he omitting, the Earl of Newcastle in August, 1642. taking advantage thereof, came into the County of Durham, and to the Town of Newcastle upon Tyne, with divers Captains, Commanders, not exceeding the number of 100 men, to raise forces against the Parliament, and by Michaelmas after, he increased to 500 or 600. men at the most, and Sir Henry Vane having Arms of his own in his House at Rahy Castle, sufficient to arm 100 men, those Arms were carried by his two principal servants, William Conyers, a Popish Recusant, and Henry Dingly his solicitor in his Law affairs, to the Town of Newcastle, where they were delivered to one appointed by the Earl of Newcastle, to receive them, and Conyers and Dingley received a note for the receipt of those arms.  
All which being publicly known in the Country, the people were much disheartened, and for that the party entrusted with the Militia, had furnished the enemy as aforesaid, many were forced to take up Arms under the command of the Earl of Newcastle, divers for fear fled out of the Country, and others of them, who stayed longer, were taken and imprisoned: and shortly after, the Earl's Army increased to the number of 5000. and upwards, as it was commonly reputed; there being 39 Colours of foot, and 25 Troops of Horse, or near thereabouts; and the affected plundered in their Estates to their utter impoverishment. Our humble desire is, That no man that hath taken up Arms, and served, or been active in this unnatural War, against the Parliament, or are Delinquents, or willingly contributed thereunto, be put into Commission, or employment, or Administration of Justice, until the well-affected of the Country be heard concerning their offences, and misdemeanours, and the same be determined of in the Parliament, etc.  
This Information was presented to the Right Honourable the Earl of Essex, in February, 1643. by Richard Lilburne, and his brother George Lilburne, in the presence of Edward Wright, Nicholas Heath, John Ewbanke, and Michael Dawson, all of the County of Durham.  

¶ The Copies of Colonel THO. MIDFORDS' Certificate, with others, given under their hands.  
THat about July, 1642. Thomas Midford and George Lilburne went on purpose to the House of Sir Henry Vane the elder, near Charingcross, and there acquainted him of the frequent meetings of the Papists and their adherents, in the County of Durham, and that they did not only gather together most of the prime Horses of the said County, but did exercise them in Arms, and trained the said Horse, to the discouragement of all the truehearted Protestants of the said County: And that the Seaports of the said County were fit to betaken care of, which the said Sir Henry Vane promised to take timely care of, making show that he intended shortly to go down into the said County: In the mean time, desired the said George Lilburne, and the said Thomas Midford to go to the Deputy Lieutenants, and acquaint them with the aforesaid Information, and to tell them from him, that he could not then write to them concerning the same, but bid them take care thereof, till he gave further Order.  
The said Thomas Midford, about the end of the said month, coming into the said County, went to Durham, and did acquaint Sir William Darcie, being then high Sheriff of the said County, Sir John Conyers and others at John Hall's House in Durham, of the same, who returned the said Midford no other answer, but well, well, and seemed to make no great matter thereof.  
18 June, 1645. Tho. Midford.   

In the year 1643, Nicolas Heath of Little-Eden in the County of Durham Esq came to Sir Hen. Vane signior in Westminster-Hall, and told him that the County was in a very sad Condition, and the Inhabitants utterly undone, unless there were some present course taken for preventing of raising the forces which were then a gathering; but Sir Henry Vanes Answer was, That he never thought otherwise.  
NIC. HEATH. 18 June, 1645.   
Mr. Henry Dingly died in Jan. 1644. at Charingcross, and lodged near Sir Henry Vanes House, testis John Marr, Esq Clerk of the Kitchen to the Prince.  
Mr. William Conyers, Steward of his Land, hath continued in his service likewise, and lived in Raby Castle, ever since the carrying of the Arms from the said Castle to Newcastle upon Tyne, till within these Four month's last passed, Testis, Mr. George Lilburne, and Col. Rob. Lilburne, his Nephew. June 2. 1645.  
5. When Alderman Gurney was Lord Major of London, the Citizens complained to the Parliament of him and others of his Brethren, and also of the Recorder Gardner, those that prosecuted the City's business, was principally Alderman Folkes, and Alderman Gibbs, that Monopoliser, and Mr. Gline now Recorder, sat in the Chair of that Committee, but as soon as they had justled out those, they complained of, and set themselves down in their places or Saddles, road and spurred the poor Commons of London as hard as ever the former did, and troad in Strafford's paths of Arbitrary Government, as much as the former, and the People sigh, groan, and cry out of their unjust bondage by the Lord Major present, Recorder and Court of Aldermen, and the Parliament look upon them with a slighting eye, and afford them no help, though the Commons of London have been chief Instruments under GOD of saving their Lives, Liberties, and Estates, howbeit now they go about to make them slaves for their pains; it were well therefore the Commons of London would ask their Four Burgesses, if they did not send them to sit in Parliament, to preserve and defend their Liberties, and if they find they have not performed their trust, then to desire to choose Four more Faithful, Careful and stouter in their places, and that the Commons of London are sensible of their being robbed of their Freedoms by the aforesaid parties, the Petition of divers of them presented to the whole Common Council, sitting in Guildhall in April last, and since printed, doth fully declare; whereof a true Copy here followeth.  

To the Right Honourable, The LORD MAJOR, and the Right Worshipful, the Aldermen, and Common-council of the City of LONDON; In Common Council Assembled. The humble Petition of divers Citizens of this Honourable City.  
SHOWING,  
THat the afflictions and sorrows of our hearts are unexpressable in regard of the manifold miseries that are upon us, and thousands of our dear Brethren, and fellow Citizens, complaints being general, and very grievous. As amongst many other;  
I. That the Poor is in great necessity, wanting wherewith to set themselves on work, their Children uneducated, and thereby prepared, to wickedness and beggary.  
II. That Trading is exceedingly decayed, whereby thousands that have lived in a free and plentiful way, are many fallen, and are more falling into great extremity.  
III. That Assessments are made very unequal, whereby the Taxes laid upon the City, are made burdensome, and paid with much repining.  
iv That the Forces of the City are very much abated, and that the City is not in a Posture of War answerable to its greatness, or its danger.  
And though there hath not been wanting continual endeavours of judicious charitable persons to prescribe remedies for those grievances, yet our miseries are such, that we are in effect debarred from opening our griefs, or proposing our remedies to any that hath power to help us.  
For if we motion our going to the Parliament immediately (as was usual and successful in former times) our mouths are presently stopped with this prejuditiall rumour. That the Parliament will not receive any Petition from the Citizens, but by the Common-council; whereupon few or none will move in that way, though there be never so urgent necessities.  
If we propose to go through the Common-council, sad experience hath proved it so difficult to obtain a Common-council, that men are weary in pursuance thereof. The Lord Major and Aldermen challenging to themselves Prerogative of calling Common Counsels only when (they see cause,) also that nothing shall be debated, but what hath been first presented to the Court of Aldermen, and that after debate, the Lord Major hath a negative voice or power to Null or frustrate all that hath been debated by refusing to put to Vote, or by dissolving the Court at his pleasure. By which Prerogative Rules, if the Lord Major will not, or cannot preserve the Citizens from miseries and destruction, Will not hear our Complaints, nor be sensible of our necessities, The whole power of the chosen Common-council men, may not interpose, or use any means for our preservation and relief. We willingly give all due honour to the Lord Major and Aldermen in reference to their particular Offices. But that the safety and well-being of so great a People should depend upon the understanding and affections of so few, and that the whole City must be without a just means to preserve themselves, or to remedy things that are any ways amiss, except the Lord Major and Aldermen will assent, And that those whom the People yearly choose, and principally intrust, should be made useless at their pleasure. And themselves estated with such a power, that no Authority in the City can call them to an account in cases of misgovernment, is so perniciously obstructive and intolerable, as is not to be pleaded, but to the enslaving of the People.  
Whereas of Right, the People of the City are a free People, and are not to be bound or concluded, but by their own consents, or by the major part of those they yearly choose to give their consents in common and free Council, who are Commonners chosen from amongst themselves, with reference to their Consciences, and good affections. In whom the concluding law-making power of the City justly is. It being destructive and improper that it should be estated in two distinct jurisdictions. And therefore, since we have none to open our griefs unto, but unto you, And that it is thought convenient, that we should apply ourselves to this Court in whatsoever we desire to present unto the Parliament.  
We most earnestly entreat you to shake off all pretences of Prerogatives, by which (and the like) the City and Commonwealth have been most grossly enslaved, and that you will reduce yourselves into so proper and just a method of proceeding, as may stand with the condition of a free people, and conduce to the remedying of all grievances, and removal of all our afflictions.  
Unto which end we humbly propose to your grave consideration, as followeth.  
I. That you will be pleased to Order a Court of Common Council once every week to meet without warning upon a certain day, and express hour, and to publish the same, that all the Inhabitants of the City may be informed thereof.  
II. That you will also publish your readiness to receive all Informations and Petitions from any of the Inhabitants, there having been many most necessary and useful things stifled for want of encouragement in this kind.  
III. That you will resolve within yourselves, to maintain the Essence and freedom of your Court, As namely,  
To take into your Considerations, and freely to debate whatsoever the present or greater part shall think meet and necessary. To Vote and conclude whatsoever to the major part shall seem good: To continue the present Session or Court, as the present occasions shall require, To adjourn to what day and time shall by the greater part be thought convenient, over and besides the set weekly Court, without which, and the due Observations of all reasonable Orders, as by your wisdom shall be provided, you will appear to every judicious understanding, but as a mere shadow of Power, and no ways helpful. And therefore,  
IU. That you will be pleased to make a perpetual standing Order, or Law, that whatsoever Person or Persons shall from henceforth by secret or open means endeavour to deprive the Court of Common-council of the foresaid Rights, Freedoms or Privileges (in the vindicating whereof some members of this Court then Commoners expressed much zeal against that obstinate Lord Major Gurney, and his perverse Associates) shall be instantly disfranchised, and otherwise punished, as shall seem good to the Justice of this Court.  
These we most earnestly entreat may be speedily established, as being the only means to encourage your Petitioners, and all other well-affected People, to study and present you with such materials as may happily tend to give a speedy end to all our miseries.  
And we shall ever pray, etc.  
This Petition was delivered the 15. of April, 1645. to the Common-council of London, sitting at Guildhall.   
6. Sir John Lenthall having acted and done many things of extraordinary prejudice against the State, one Captain Cob, a sea-captain, and then Prisoner in the hands of Sir John Lenthall, out of duty and affection to the welfare of the Public, informed by a Letter the Speaker of the House of Commons of it, and sent his Letter by the hands of one Mrs Jencts, who faithfully delivered it to him, and by her importunity to some that belonged to the said Speaker for an Answer to it, the said Captain Cob was brought out of Prison to the House of Commons door, as he thought to justify the said Letter, who had brought along with him three or four Witnesses, to prove all the particulars mentioned▪ in the said Letter.  
But the Speaker, contrary to his duty, never caused him to be called in, but only sent him out word, that he should go home again, and he would shortly come over to his brother Sir John's House, and speak with him there, who accordingly did, but would admit none to be present to hear what passed amongst them there; yet Cob, as soon as he came into the Prison amongst his fellows, gave unto them a true Relation, upon his Reputation, of what passed amongst them, which as they aver, was to this effect; as soon as he came up, saith the Speaker, Sir do you know me, yes sir, saith Cob, I know you to be Speaker of the House of Commons, which was the reason I writ to you, judging you the fittest man to bring to light so great a business of importance, as I have to make known to you, for the good of the State and Kingdom, than the Speaker shown him his Letter, and asked him if he would justify it, and he told him, yes, and a great deal more, if he would do his duty, in making it truly known to the Honourable House of Comm●ns.  
The Speaker turning himself to his Brother, said, Sir John, if this be true, hear is enough to hang you, well Sir, saith Sir John; whereas he chargeth me of letting Violet go twice to Oxford, during the time that he and Sir Bassell Brooke were contriving their Plot against the City; you know I never let him go but once, and then I had your warrant for it; well, well, said the Speaker, Captain Cob, I see you are an honest man, and much wronged by your adversaries, but shake hands and be friends with Sir John, and I will get you your Liberty, so they parted.  
But Captain Cob perceiving the Speaker did nothing in it, but endeavoured to smother it, sent a true Copy of his Letters, that he had sent to the Speaker, to Mr. William Fendry of London, with Ellen Thomas, her information about the threescore thousand pounds of Sir Bassel Brookes, that then was in Sir John's hands, which Letter and Information the said Pendry communicated to two Knights that are members of the Committee of both Kingdoms, who took no more care than the Speaker to have it brought to light, nor the 60000 l. attached, and now it is upon the stage, before the Committee of Examination, the Chaireman of which, Justice Whittiker, with Mr. Knightly and Sir Robert Pie, who is desired to remember a Letter that was going to Don Cottington, etc. have not dealt fairly in the business, as both the Informers, and some of the 6. Citizens that were permitted into the , to see to the managing of the business do declare.  
And therefore assuredly, if so foul and heinous a business as this is, be smothered up again, I am very confidently persuaded, some one or other will publish all the particulars of it (ere long) in print, to the view of all the Commons of England, that so they may see and judge how they are juggled with, by some of those they have reposed their greatest trust in, although Sir Jo. Lenthall, and the Speaker have (as it may justly be supposed) set Dr. Bastwick at work to publish to the view of the world the innocency of the parties accused, saying in the 8. page of his late book against Mr. Lilburne, that there is nothing made good against them, so much as with a seeming probability, much less proved, and so busy and earnest is the said Bastwick to defend their rotten Reputations, and their wicked and unjust deal towards the State and Kingdom, that he thinks with his lies and base and sordid language, to salve up their credits, and to baffle and justle the just and honest prosecuters out of their just ways and paths they tread in, to do the Kingdom faithful service in bringing treason to light.  
Yea, so bold and impudent is he, being backed by their Authority and Interest, that rather than truth shall come to light, and their wickedness be discovered, he will lay such a blot upon the Parliament, that will render them ridiculous to all that seriously read his Book, and consider that the Parliaments own Authority hath licenced him to call them Ninneys and Grols.  
For saith he in the last page of his Book, For as there is no family, though never so honest, that hath not a Whore or a Knave of their kindred, so it is impossible in such a great Counsel as the Parliament is, but they should have some Ninnyes and Groles, and men that have no more wit, then will reach from their nose to their mouth: It were well Dr. Bastwick would do the Common wealth that service, as to name those men, that so some men may beg them for fools, to take upon them so high a calling, as to be Lawmakers to so great and knowing a People, as England is, and to have so little wit in them.  
Surely this Parliament will be contemptuous, not only to their foes, but also to their friends, and will never shake off this blot while they sit, unless they call him to an account, and make him name whom he means, and punish that Licencer that durst be so bold, to let such a book be published cum privilegio, to the dishonour of the very Parliament itself, surely Sir John and his Brother the Speaker have feed Bastwick well, and are not very sound, that they put him (their packhorse) upon such desperate courses to salve up their credit, and he hath as little wit or honesty in him to be so earnest for Sir John Lenthall in particular, who is notoriously known and reputed so grand a Knave and Tyrant, by thousands that know him, as England hath not his fellow, being at this present Outlawed, and hath so continued 3. years, and of whom for murder, Cruelty, Bribery and Arbitrary Government, and what not, there hath so many complaints been made to this present Parliament, (though little effect they have taken, by reason of the Speakers Power and Interest) whose common practice it is, to walk in a constant contempt and violation of the known Laws of the Kingdom, and to the making of them null, and of none effect, as much as in him lies, to the ruin and destruction of thousands of the free Denizens of England.  
For though the Law provide, that if a man in Execution escape or walk abroad out of Prison, the Jailor is liable to pay his debt, yet for his own gain he doth constantly do both, and the undone and wronged Creditor can have no satisfaction of him, neither Law nor Justice against him, by reason of the Speaker his great faction in the House, supporting of him.  
Sir John Lenthal, besides his Outlawries, hath dozen of executions upon him, and yet walks abroad, and continues keeper of Kings-Bench Prison, and Justice of Peace, and as it is reported, is Chairman of a Committee, by means of which, he is invested into a Power to crush and destroy every honest man that but opens his mouth to speak of his baseness and injustice, the height of his injustice and of his Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government, scarcely in Strafford to be parralelled, which is so insupportable to the poor oppressed Prisoners in King's Bench, that they have got a proverb amongst them in these words;  
The Lawyer's rule Committees, the Speaker rules the Lawyers, Sir John Lenthall rules the Speaker; Thomas Dutson rules Sir John Lenthall, and the Devil rules Dutson.  
But for all Bastwicks' brags of Sir John Lenthalls innocency, if he please to do the State so much service, as to prevail with his good friend the Speaker, to procure the same Court Martial in London that sat upon the hotham's, as soon as the Ordinance is past, he shall have the names of some of reputation in the Kingdom, that will before that Counsel accuse Sir John Lenthall of High Treason, and hazard the loss of their lives upon the proof of it.  
In the last place, the Parliament men swear to be at enmity with indifferency or newtrallity, which newtrallitie in the Covenant, is branded as detestable by them, and yet notwithstanding, divers of them cannot endure them that would have an end of these wars speedily; but hate and abhor all those who with all their might endeavour the end of them: and though such men walk by better principles then taking the Covenant, even by Principles engraven upon their souls by God himself: yet unless they will take this (impossible to be kept) Covenant, (the framers and makers of which have run into wilful perjury themselves) they must be turned out of Committees and their Regiments disbanded (as in Hartfordshire, etc. and Newters put in their places, that are neither hot nor cold, nor have any other principle whereby to walk, but base pecuniary principles and self-Interrests, and by this means the Kingdom is in danger to be utterly destroyed, even by such covetous neutral indifferent Committie-men, and men of excellent public principles, disfranchised, and undenized, contrary to the fundamental Constitutions of the Kingdom, which do allow none to be so dealt with, but only for an act done or committed against the welfare of the Public.  
And though many conscientious men have laid out their wits, their time, their pains, their purses, their blood; yea, and all that in this world is most precious to them for the preservation of the Public, yet they must not sit in Parliament, though never so fit and able, unless they will take this makebate (persecuting, soul-destroying, Englands-dividing, and undoing) Covenant; I shall therefore desire all the Commons of England, and the Parliament themselves, seriously to read over some part of their own words, in their Exhortation to the taking of the Covenant, the words thus follow:  
And as for those Clergy men who pretend that they (above all others) cannot Covenant to extirpate that Government, because they have (as they say) taken a solemn Oath to obey the Bishops, in licitis & honestis, they can tell if they please, that they that have sworn obedience to the Laws of the Land, are not thereby prohibited from endeavouring by all lawful means the abolition of those laws, when they prove inconvenient or mischievous.  
And if there should any Oath be found, unto which any Ministers or others have entered, not warranted by the Laws of God and the Land, in this case they must teach themselves and others, that such Oaths call for Repentance, and not obstinacy in them.  
O that the Parliament would mind these their own words, and give free leave to some of their honest fellow Commoners to remonstrate the inconveniency and mischievousness of this Covenant, and I am confident, it would easily and clearly be made appear to themselves so vild, that they would never enforce it any more, but rather recall it again, Judg. 11.30. Est. 3.10. Dan. 3.3. etc. Mark. 6.23.  
12. Whether it be not most agreeable to Law, Justice, equity and conscience, and the nature of a Parliament man's place, that during the time of his being a member, he should lay aside all places of profit in the Commonwealth, and tend only upon that function, for which he was chosen; or if he be poor, or have lost his Estate, whether he ought not at present, to be content with his master's wages, that is to say, with so much a day, as the Commonwealth by the Law of the Land is to pay him for his day's labour, which is expressed in 33. H. 8. 11. to be 4 s. per diem to every Knight, and to every Citizen and Burgess 2 s. a day, or more, as heretofore hath been accustomed, etc. or with some reasonable Competency, being the Commonwealth is grown so poor, that it is not able to pay her common Soldiers their 8 d. a day, though they constantly adventure their lives to preserve her, which the Parliament men seldom do, and not to thirst after great and rich Places, fare less to possess or enjoy them.  
Seeing by woeful experience it is found, that the possessing of them breeds nothing but factions and base cowadlinesse, yea and sowing up of men's lips, that they dare not speak freely for the Commonwealth, nor displease such and such a faction, for fear of being Voted, and thrust out of their unfit to be enjoyed Offices, the Common wealth hath just cause to fear they will set up an interest of their own, destructive to that common Interest and Freedom, whereof the poorest free man in England ought to be possessor, and so make this present Parliament an everlasting Parliement, and the War a never ending War, seeing it tends so much to the enriching of Parliament men and their Officers, who have already wisely, as they think, fenced themselves with an Ordinance made the 26. of June, 1645. That they shall not be called to account for their Masters the Commonwealth's money, nor Plate that once cometh into their fingers.  
Object. But would you have those Parliament men, that had their Places before the Parliament sat, turned out of theirs?  
Yes, I would have Sir Henry Mildmer, Sir Henry Vane the younger, Solicitor Saint-John, Mr. Holland, etc. turned out of their Places at present, though I conceive it just they should be secured of the enjoyment of them again so soon as the Parliament is ended, for their present enjoying thereof, sows but up their lips, and makes them they dare neither speak nor do that they should, and without them is hoped they would (and for avoiding the jealousy of partiality) I think there is as much Justice, to turn them out during the Parliaments continuing, as to turn out Mr. Greene, Sir Robert Harlow, Sir Walter Earl, Mr. Reynolds, the Speaker, Mr. Prideaux, etc. and all the Chancery Judges, for to me it is one of the most unjust things in the world, that the Lawmakers should be the Law executors, seeing by that means, if they do never so much injustice and oppression, a man may spend both long time, and all he hath besides, before ever he can get any Justice against them, yea, and it may be, hazard the loss of his life too.  
And therefore it were a great deal better for the Commonwealth, that all the executors of the Law should be such persons as do not in the least belong to the Parliament, that so they may not be able to make any fictions to save their Lives and Estates, when they do injustice: and I am confident, there is never an honest-hearted Parliament man that means well to the Commonwealth, but he will upon the debating of this needful point, be of my mind, though it be never so contrary to his own particular Interest and profit.  
But you will say, This will fetch that gallant man Cromwell from the Army, which will be a mighty loss to the Kingdom, seeing he is so able and active a Soldier, and so extraordinarily beloved of the Officers and Soldiers in the Army, yea, and such a stay to that unparalleled General, Sir THOMAS FAIREFAX.  
I answer, it is very true, that the Kingdom will have a mighty loss of him indeed, if he should be taken out of the Army, and be made unserviceable to them any where else; but if he come into the House of Commons (that proper seat whereunto he was chosen,) and do them ten times more service there, than he doth, or can do in the Army, what loss hath the Commonwealth then? Consider seriously the grand service he did the last Winter, when he was in the House, and see whether any action that ever he did in his life can be parralleld to it, and I believe it will be found good to have him at home: for he is sound at the heart, and not rotten cored, hates particular and selfe-Interests, and dares freely speak his mind.  
Therefore home with him, as well as the rest of Parliament-men, according to their own Ordinance, and let him perfect what he began, and either lay Manchester flat upon his back, or himself, for the best service can be done the Kingdom, is to pull out homebred Traitors, and to help to keep and preserve the Great Counsel aright: for if there be Twenty Armies abroad, and your Counsels be not absolutely safe, sound, and Unanimous at home, you are not safe, but still in danger; besides, I have heard it reported, that he was about a design of getting a Committee set apart, and an Order made and published to the whole Kingdom, that if any man were unjustly oppressed by any Member of Parliament, Committe-man, or any other Officers or Ministers, let him bring his complaint, and he shall have a just and a fair hearing, and Justice done not in words, but in actions upon the Transgressor.  
O for selfe-denying Cromwell home again, to set this on foot, which would be a salve for all our sores, and would gain the Parliament more ground in one month, than their forcing the Covenant will do in a hundred; And if you will seriously meditate upon these things, you will find there was a hidden mystery in sending him from the Parliament, when he had impeached Manchester, the fresh pricking of which vein again, would cause good blood to grow in the body of our Commonwealth; and besides Cromwell may reasonable well be spared now from the Army, seeing there are so many gallant, brave, and truehearted Englishmen there besides himself, who are well known for their Honesty, Parts, Valour and Soldiery to the Noble General: and besides, Cromwell, if he were at the House, might (if it were thought fit) now and then visit the Army, to solder them together, if there should be any disjointed, (as I hope there will not) in which Art he hath good skill, and unfeignedly hates all factious partaking, and base selfe-gaining.  
Again, Whether is it not agreeable to Law, Justice, Equity and Conscience, seeing that by the 4. of Ed. 3. 14. that there should be a Parliament once every year, and more often, if need require, and in the 36. of E. 3. 10. it is enacted, That for maintenance of the Laws, and the redress of divers mischiefs and grievances, which daily happen, a Parliament shall be holden every year, as at another time was ordained by a Statute, that seeing this present Parliament, (by reason of the extraordinary necessities of the Kingdom) have sat four years, and many of the members betrayed their trust, and those that remain, engross Law-making, and also Law-executing into their own hands contrary both to reason, and to the true intent and meaning of the Law, which saith, delays in judgement in other Courts shall be redressed in Parliament, as also false judgements and difficult Cases that shall happen, shall be there decided: Read the 14. E. 3. 5.  
By which manifest abusing, negligent and not true using the Laws, oppressions, mischiefs and grievances are no less (if not far more) increased, than they were before the Parliament began; and many times by the powerful Interest of a Faction in the Parliament, to save some one, two or three of their Members, undeserving credits; they so violate the known, unrepealed, and declared law of the land, yea and their own Votes, Ordinances, Declarations, and Protestations, as if they had never made them; I say, all these things considered, ought not the Freemen of England, who have laboured in these destroying times, both to preserve the Parliament, and their own native Freedoms and Birthrights, not only to choose new Members, where they are wanting once every year, but also to renew and inquire once a year, after the behaviour and carriage of those they have chosen.  
And if they find that since they came into the House, they never made any motions for the public good, nor so much as for theirs that sent them, but do sit like so many Ninneys and Groles, that have no more wit in them, then will reach from their noses to their mouths, as Doctor Bastwick says, or have any way been unfaithful and unserviceable to the public, or groundedly suspected so to be, that then those that choose and sent them, may have liberty to choose more faithful, able and better men in their places, for standing water will speedily corrupt, if it have not fresh running springs to feed it, though it were never so pure at the first.  
Therefore I earnestly desire all truehearted: Freemen of England, to have a care in their present new choices, and seriously consider, that Gallant man, Major George Withers advice to them in his late Book, especially his 20. page, who there saith, Some men give their voices to their friends, some to their Landlords, some to the richest (and he forsooth must needs be the wisest) men's merits are measured by the acre, weighed by the pound, so let a Beast be Lord of beasts, and possess many acres of dirt, he shall be preferred to be a Parliament-man, in admiration of his wealth, and not wit: although (as Varro saith of a swine) he hath no more soul than will serve in stead of salt to keep his body from putrifying.  
But who thinks upon the poor wise man, who as Solomon saith, saved the City? who thinks of the just man, whose integrity keeps God's blessing amongst us, and us together amongst ourselves? No not one; who wonders then to see a crooked representation of a crooked Commonwealth it is no true glass that ca●ts not a shadow as crooked and deformed as the substance: but above all others, have care of choosing Lawyers, as the same Author in his late Poems called Vox Pacifica, page 183. saith of them; for if the Commonwealth had Peace with their professed enemies; yet they will reincrease.  

— Your Quarrels, else, assoon as you agree:  
By their formalities, and flow proceeding,  
Your remedy f●r injuries is made  
A mischief, the disease oft times exceeding;  
And if some eye unto them be not had,  
So many places in your Parliament,  
They will supply, and fill so many Chairs  
In your Committees; that, much detriment  
Unto the Subject; and some close impairs   

Of Public Freedoms ( you be ware)  
Which slip upon you, if you have not care.   

So strong a party they have always had,  
That your great-Charter, which doth interdict  
Delay of Justice, was in that point made  
(Ere since the Grant) a Law without effect.  
But when their Courts, and practices have reached  
Oppressions height; they, as the Clergy were;  
Shall down into another Orb be fetched,  
And taught to keep a constant motion there:  
This work, upon some Court hath been begun,  
Another time, it shall be fully done.   
And as the worthy Author of that late sheet of paper, called Some Advertisements, for the new Election of Burgesses for the House of Commons, saith in his 6. page.  
Take heed how you fill up Elections with these kind of men (meaning Lawyers) the Recorder of every Borough will of course look to be chosen; as being the mouth of his Corporation: but it is a Custom not fit for the necessity of these times, our affairs require rather Statesmen than Lawyers; my Reasons against such Elections follow:  
1. The Knowledge of the Common Law, doth no way conduce to the making of a Statesman: it is a confined and topical kind of Learning, Calculated only for the Meridian of Westminster-Hall; and reacheth no further than Dover. Transplant a Common Lawyer to Calais, and his head is no more useful there, th●n a Sun-dyals' in a grave: who ever heard of the Polyticks written in Law-French?  
2. If the making and penning of good Laws were the work of these times (as they are not) it were not wisdom to choose Mercenary Lawyers to make Laws: because they are the first men to invent subtleties to evade them, and make them useless; and will pen them obscurely on purpose to procure themselves work in the interpretation.  
3. Lawyers, being a bold and talketive kind of men; will intrude themselves into the Chairs of all Committees, where (being accustomed to take fees) they will underhand protect delinquents, and their concealed Estates with tricks and devices.  
4. The Reformation of Courts of Justice, is a work of absolute necessity, without which (though the sword of the Lord returneth again into its scabbard, so that you have no war yet) you shall have no Peace: but if you have many Lawyers, they will never suffer any effectual Law to pass for this purpose: Because they yet move by the corruption and delays of the Law, then by the Law itself:  
5. It is necessary to make a Law for limitation of exorbetant fees, extortion, and prevarication (or collusion) amongst Lawyers, as it is used in other Countries.  
6. It is necessary to limit the certain number of practisers in each Court, that they swarm not (like Locusts) over the land, devouring and impoverishing it.  
These blessings you will never attain unto, unless God give you the wisdom to avoid such Elections: lay to your heart's sin as well as the shame and smart, of oppressions and transgressions of lawyers, and you will find that the cries of the oppressed have been a principal motive to draw down God's vengeance upon this mournful Land.  
Was ever so desperate a wound given to the Laws, Liberties and properties, as the predetermined judgement of Shipmoney. Who gave that blow? Judges. What were they? Thiefs cum privilegio Rege majestatis, who bought Justice by wholesale, and sold it by Retail? Who assisted them? Lawyers; who undertaking to plead for their Client's against it, (pretending one thing, and doing another thing) for the most part: and betrayed the Cause, all to get favour and preferrment; and yet such proceed▪ were both against the Judges, and the Coronation Oath; upon an extrajuditiall opinion collusively given: (for saith the Record) Sacramentum Domini Regis erga populum suum habent ad custodiendum: But our Judges, (though more wicked) have the happiness to live in a more wicked age, and outlive their crimes, paying only a small part by way of fine: and enjoying there to their stolen treasures: and after they had made Peace as devouring as war, and the Law as cruel as the Sword; who's that is not a better Christian then these Brothers of the Coif, brothers in evil: will not cry out with Epicures, that God takes no more care what men do on this earthly balk, than man doth what Aunts do on an Em●n●t-hill; when Verres: (being Consul of Sicily,) had peeled that Province, and (other Proconsulls, and Propraetors were punished for lesser Extortions) he laughing at their foolish moderation, vaunted to his Brother Ty●●●●kedes: that he had got enough to buy the friendship of the Senate, and commendation, of a rich and Honourable man: So our Judges enjoy their crimes, and the prize and reward of them: Nay, they grow fat and prosper upon the anger of God and man, whilst this Land groans under the sad weight of the Sword, Pestilence, and famine, the effects of their injustice: but through whose favour is it they have not expiated their Crimes with their blood: and washed away the Gild of the Land▪ but the Lawyers? who wisely consider it may be their own Case another day.  
I have showed you how unsafe it is to trust Mercinary-men with making or keeping of your Laws; I will epitomise what I have said in Pleniea's words (in Panegyr. ad Trajanum,) Heretofore we were laden with our Crimes, now we are oppressed with our Laws: and it is to be feared, lest the Commonwealth (though founded by the Laws) be confounded by the Laws (or rather by the Lawyers.)  
Likewise to this purpose read what the Author (reputed to be a member of the Assembly, as well as he that writes the Brotherly and friendly Censure of Mr. Prinnes 4. late Queries:) in his Antidote against the same 4. dangerous Queries, pag. 3. saith, That if the thing be granted, that he disputes, for Judges will be taught, That they judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with them in judgement, people will grow more peaceable and free from continual contentions: Lawyers shall not get the wealth of the Land into their hands by fishing in troubled waters: encouraging men in unlawful and quarrellous suits, pleading wicked Causes for large Fees, prolonging suits; and making men spend in long suit unto twice the value of their just Right, and debt for which they sue, and by taking treeble fees, and keeping them, though they fail their Cliant, and have been employed at other Bars, when his Cause was to be pleaded.  
Godliness and true Religion being increased by faithful Preaching and godly Discipline, in the hearts of men, will make the Commonwealth free from the necessity of many Lawyers, which the learned Philosopher held to be a Plague in a State and Kingdom: and therefore it is no marvel that the corrupt ones of that Profession, are deadly enemies to the Maintenance, Honour, and other encouragements of the true Ministry of the Gospel.  
Also: Read what that honest Author (and true principled Commonwealth's man:) of the little book entitled, A Help to the Right understanding of Mr. Wil Prynne, saith of Lawyers; and lay all the aforecited Authors together, and you will easily find, they make it evidently appear, that there is as little use of Lawyers to be in the House of Commons, as there is of a Plague or Pestilence, or of the Bishops and Popish Lords in the Honourable House of Peers; their Interest being both as Delatory, and as destructive to the true Peace, Prosperity and welfare of the Commonwealth of distressed England: for the procuring of which, as principal helps and means under the powerful and wise disposing Providence of the Lord JEHOVAH, who in his own due time, (as Mordecai said to Esther, Est. 4.14. and Isa. 63.3. when all means faileth, is alone able without and beyond all means, to bring Salvation by his own outstretched Arm, Yet let not us be idle or secure, but observe and endeavour these ensuing means for our part.  
I. By Petitioning, and by all other lawful ways and addresses, strive to procure from the Parliament, and all other just Authority, that they (according to their duty, Oath, and Profession; yea, and our trust reposed in them) will Administer JUSTICE impartially, (according to that loud and earnest desire of distressed and Imprisoned Lieutenant Colonel LILBURNE, in that late Letter, (which frequently is called his,) and according to those sad and lamenting Expressions in that just complaining Epistle (of an Utter Barrister to his special friend,) called England's Misery and Remedy,) and that without turning either to the right hand, or to the left, or knowing of any Relation either to Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, Kinsman or other; or without regarding of any Faction, either Popish, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Independent, Separate or Anabaptist, but Cordially to do every one Justice, because it is just: and severely to punish all perverters of Justice, whosoever they be: one Months doing of which, would procure the Parliament more Cordial friends than the fight of all their Armies, or the forcing of all their Covenants, or the Pressing of all their Soldiers, or persecuting all their Sectaries will do in ten month's space.  
II. To endeavour to set the City of London right in the enjoyment of her Privileges: (being the Metropolis of England, that she may indeed be a true Precedent to all the Cities and Corporations in the Kingdom, and a balance to all the Tyrants, or Arbytrary-principled men in the same:) the means to set her right, is first, for the Commons to get a Copy of their Charters, and translate them into English, and print, them, that so every freeman may see and know his own rights, and endeavour the more earnestly the exemplary punishment of the infringers and incroachers thereupon.  
III. To rise as one man under faithful, honest, experienced, constant, well-affected Commanders, such as those that rise, shall choose to adventure their lives with; and beleaguer all the King's Garrisons before the storm grow so great in the North, that no man dare travel under pain of his life, according those honest and good Directions lately printed▪ which are entitled, England's Cordial Physic.  
iv To call to a just and strict account all Fingerers, and Receivers of money, whatsoever, even Parliament men as well as others; for they are all but the Commonwealth's servants) and severely (according to the greatest penalty of any declared and unrepealed Law) to punish all those that have any ways cheated and cozened the Commonwealth, and unjustly made themselves rich by her treasure now in the time of their great richer, and her extreme poverty; and for future time, to make a Law to punish with death all such gross transgressors, who deserve to have their skins flayed off, and stopped full of straw, and hung up publicly in the places where they so unjustly executed their undeserved Offices, and deceived their own Nation to enrich themselves, to the terrifying of all such as shall succeed them in their places, from the acting of such unchristian▪ yea, and worse than Heathen-like Roguery.  
For I am confident, that the portion of all such covetous State-robbers, Nationall Felons, mighty thiefs, and secret Traitors will be such as are described (or painted lively in their colours) throughout the Twentieth Chapter o● Job, from the fourth Verse, which I express here at large, and more Scriptures after them, for the use of those that have no Bible's, to read (they are become so dear, and Monopolised like other things, as shall yet hereafter appear,) the words a●e these.  
Knowest not thus this of old, since man was placed upon the earth, that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment. Though his Excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the Clouds, yet he shall perish for ever, like his own dung: they which have seen him, shall say, Where is he?  
He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found, yea, he shallbe chased away as a Vision of the night, the eye also which saw him, shall see him no more, neither shall his Place any more behold him. His Children shall seek to please the Poor, and his hands shall restore their goods: His bones are full of the f●rme of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust. Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hid it under his tongue: though he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it still within his mouth.  
Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him: He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again, God shall cast them out of his belly: He shall suck the poison of Asps, the Viper's tongue shall slay him: He shall not see the Rivers, the shods, the brooks of honey and butter; That which he laboured for, he shall restore, and shall not swallow it down; according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.  
Because he hath oppressed, and hath forsaken the poor, because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not: surely he shall not find quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.  
There shall none of his meat be left, he shall be in straits; every hand of the wicked shall come upon him: When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him, while he is eating.  
He shall fly from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through: it is drawn, and cometh of the body: yea, the glistering sword cometh out of his gall; terrors are upon him: all darkness shall be hid in his secret places; a fire not blown shall consume him: it shall go ill with him that is left in his Tabernable. The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise up against him: the increase of his House shall departed, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath: This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.  
Cnsider and apply these Judgements to yourselves ye wicked Lawyers, (if you apprehend yourselves to be guilty of the blood, and of grinding the faces of the poor, by your professions, and especially you grand Lawyers, (who are out of your element) in the House of Commons, by your practices.)  
And as the Psalmist saith well of wicked men, Psal. 73.5. etc. They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other men: their eyes stand out with fatness, they have more than their heart can wish, they are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression, they speak foolishly, they set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth; therefore the people return hither, and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, bow doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High: Behold these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world, they increase in riches.  
But in the 18. verse it is said; Surely thou (O Lord) didst set them in slippery places, thou castest them down into destruction.  
And in the 49. Psal. 16▪ he saith, Be not thou afraid, when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased, for when he dieth, he shall carry nothing away, his glory shall descend after him, etc. And in the 50. Psalm. 16, etc. But unto the wicked, God saith, What hast thou to do with my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth: seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, than then consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with Adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother, thou slanderest thine own mother's son. These things hast thou done, and I have kept silence: thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself; but I will reprove thee, and set them in Order before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye that forget GOD, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Whoso offereth praise, glorifieth me, and to him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I show the salvation of God.  
But as the Prophet Jeremiah saith, chap. 23. etc. But this people hath a revolting and rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone: neither say they in their heart, let us now fear the Lord, our GOD, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter in his season, he reserveth unto us the very appointed weeks of the harvest: your iniquities hath turned away these things, and your sins have withdrawn good things from you. For among my people are found wicked men; they lay wait, as he that layeth snares, they set a trap to catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit, therefore they are became great, and waxed rich. They are grown fat, they shine, yea, they overpasse the deeds of the wickod, they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless; yet they prosper, and the right of the needy do they not judge.  
Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord, shall not my soul be revenged on such a Nation as this? A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the Land, the Prophet's Prophecy, falsely, and the Priests hear rule by that means, and my people love to have it so, and what will ye do in the end thereof?  
But to return to our former matter, especially the grievances of the Nation; (through the mistake of the Printer, in omitting of some Manuscripts) and the absence of the Author, when the Monopolies in the former part of this Book were expressed; as chief that soul-starving, or murdering Monopoly, in hindering the free passage of the Gospel, by extorting the prices of Bibles, which the false self-loving Stationers, as deadly enemies to all goodness, have been enterprizing a long time to obtain, and against all common freedom, to engross into their own hands the sole and only selling of them, by which means, they intent to sell at what rates soever they please, though already they sell at double the rate that honest well-affected Commonwealth's men may print and sell them, and also be conscionable gainers by them:  
So of all Monopolies or Patents, next the monopolising of engrossing the Preaching of God's Word into the Tything and gripeing claws of the Clergy; this is the most wicked and intolerable, because it deprives many, both poor servants, and others of mean condition to buy any Bibles at all, by reason of the extraordinary dearth or dearness of them, that thereby they might be instructed in the way to heaven and happiness; and taught their duty also towards their Masters, and the Magistrates; whereby it is evident, that those Stationers, thus enterprising, are self-seekers, and as great enemies to the Commonwealth, as they are to all goodness.  
And besides, they employ the Bishop's old Thiefs and Rogues about their robbing affairs, as Hunscott their Beadle for one, and a tall pale-faced fellow for another, who lately with their base crew of robbing Partners, under pretence of Parliamentary Authority, to search for dangerous Books, have rob divers honest men's houses in London, who have been the Parliaments best friends and servants, and particularly, Lieutenant Colonel Lilburnes house, who being Prisoner in Newgate, and his wife with him, and the great with Child, & near her time, those robbers took advantage of their absence.  
And none being in the House, but an old Gentlewoman at that time, whom they much frighted; as they did a young Gentlewoman in another place, to the great danger of her life (insomuch that she cryeth out in her extreame-Fever, Hunscott, Hunscott,) they ran up into the Chambers, & stole out of his wives Drawers, divers pieces of her Childbed linen▪ and such other things as they pleased, and refused to show the Old-woman what they had stolen, though she earnestly entreated them.  
And in other the Parliaments friends houses, under the colour of Parliamentary Authority, they at least do rob all choice old books, as well as new, upon all occasions of such grievous oppressions, and unexpected persecutions.  
And not only hath this base fellow Hunscott this so needful and profitable Office of Robbing, but it is reported, that he hath also another as needful and profitable, for he gathereth the Excise for Cattles, and Hats, etc. which with the former, is esteemed to be worth 500 l. per annum to him.  
Oh! what a clear demonstration of future and intended slavery may be well and clearly perceived by any (who have but half an eye) to begin again among us (though after more hidden and obscured ways then formerly) when such sturdy Rogues, bold Robbers, shameless covetous, and impudent Tyrants as this, or his fellows, are authorized and sent from high Judicatories, upon such ungodly & barbarous designs, & inhuman erterprises, & yet found good enough also to be employed in the great Affairs of the Kingdom!  
Is there never a conscientious nor honest man left unkilled, exiled or imprisoned, that hath the fear of God, & done good & faithful service to the State, there would be some colour of excuse, that such abjects and off-scouring of mankind should be accepted, and well-deserving worthy men quite rejected? Well, these are brave times for the wicked, who are advanced by the ruin of the godly, the allowed thief permitted to rob and destroy the honest man, the rich to rob, plunder and sequestrate the poor, until they can get no more, but when they have gotten all, and done with all what they please, it rests only that the poor also, in their turn, render them the like measure, and find out their Riches for the State's service, which all this heavy time they have saved, whiles poor men's estates have been exceedingly destroyed.  
But as the Watermens at Queen-hive do usually cry, Westward hough, hough, so according to the present current of the times, most honest men have more than cause to cry in the Watermen's language, Egypt hough, hough, the house of Bondage, slavery, oppression, taxation, heavy and cruel, heavy and cruel, we can no longer bear it, we can no longer bear it, we can no longer bear it; we are as much provoked & forced to cast off all our yokes and crosses from our shoulders (except only that of Persecution) as ever any people or Nations, though no People or Nation under heaven have been more free, beneficial and helpful to those whom we entrusted to help and deliver as from Oppression, which saith the Wiseman, is enough to make wisemen mad.  
According to the Parliaments Declaration, in their own words, expressed on the second page of this book, is it not justly said, that in the General of an Army should turn the mouths of his Cannons against his own Soldiers, would not that his attempt contrary to the nature of his trust and place committed unto him, ipso facto, estate the Army in a right of disobedience, (even by standing on their own defence, as the Parliament themselves do (and we also in helping them, or else where had they been, against the fury of the King, which Solomon calleth, like the roaring of a Lion; except we think that obedience binds men to cut their own throats, or at least their companions, so (as they truly teach us) it is the equity, and not the Letter of the Law, unto which we must have recourse in our greatest necessity, as the Parliament themselves were forced to do, and still doth in this their own extremity.  
But some will say, that our bondage is not yet so bad as that of Egypt was, for all the Jews were in great bondage under the Egyptions, and yet many of ours are exempted: unto that I yield, and do confess, that few of our great and mighty men do either work the clay, or make the bricks; but they lay either all, or most part of the burden on the poor by heavy labour, and sweat of their brows in the heat of the day, not only in working the clay, and making of the bricks, but if they do complain to Higher Powers, upon their cruel and Tyrannous Taskmasters, they are so fare from getting any kind of Justice, that because they moaned and complained, and groaned under such heavy and grievous burdens, that they were not able any longer to bear or endure, they are further ordained (even for their complaining) to gather stubble too, because they are so idle.  
Innumerable instances there are throughout these three mourning and bleeding Kingdoms, to prove all these businesses, but I will only choose a City instance, and let every man who is in his profession after that manner grieved and wronged, turn the simile home to himself, according to his smart; Though the poor Hat-makers, who earn their living with heavy and, hot labours, both early and late, do pay Excise both for all the materials, and fire which they use, for the bread they eat, for the liquor they drink, and clothes they wear, yet when they have made their Hats, and done all they can with great trouble and toil, day and night, they are forced to pay Excise over again out of their very labour, notwithstanding it was both so dear and heavy in buying all the necessaries before.  
O cruel, pitiful, lamentable and intolerable Bondage, no longer to be endured, suffered, nor undergone, the burdens being far heavier than the poor labourers can bear! and yet the Spiritual Taskmasters do gape, and roar like Lions for their prey of Tithes, also over, above, and besides all, without any kind of pity, compassion or commiseration, in these grievous days of affliction.  
When this Kingdom was in any way or possibility of subsistence, the ancient custom was, that Taxations should be raised by way of Subsidy, which is the most just, equitable, and reasonable way of all, for it sets every tub on its own bottom, it lays the burden upon the strong shoulders of the rich, who only are able to bear it, but spareth and freeth the weak shoulders of the poor, because they are scarcely able to subsist, pay rend, and maintain their families.  
But our new invented pay, lays the burden heavily upon the poor, and men of middle quality or condition, without all discretion, and scarcely maketh the rich touch it with one of their fingers: yea, many of them are more and more advanced in their prosperous estate, through the great ruins, distractions, and miseries of the Kingdom, by their great salaries they have for executing their places, as 500 l. 1000 l. 1200 l. and more, per annum, besides all the bribes they get, and the false Accounts they make; So that in this life, the rich have their pleasures, but poor Lazarus pains.  
Seeing the Parliament ordained, that none should be accepted to be a Parliament-man, that had been a Monopoliser to the King's Counsel, and false Judges against the Liberties of the freemen of England, is it not as unjust to employ any man in a place of Trust, Credit, or profit now in Parliament time, that have been known to be a Monopoliser in any place or Office to or for the Parliament, to the prejudice of the Freemen of England?  
Further it was omitted in the former part of this book, where complaint is made both of injustice to well-doers, and no justice to evil doers, that (according to the Parliaments book of Declarations, pag. 259. and 260.) Whosoever shall serve or assist the King in these Wars, are Traitors by the fundamental Laws of this Kingdom, and have been so adjudged by two Acts of Parliament. 11. Richard 2. 1. Hen. 4.  
And pag. 576. of the said book, It is declared by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, that whereas the King, seduced by wicked Counsel, doth make war against his Parliament and People, and for the promoting of that war, divers forces both of horse and foot have been, and are levied and raised by several persons, and his Majesty's good Subjects are most cruelly rob, spoiled and slain.  
To the end that no man may be misled through ignorance, the Lords and Commons in Parliament declare, that all such persons as shall upon any pretence whatsoever, assist his Majesty in this war with Horse, Arms, Plate or money, are Traitors to his Majesty, the Parliament, and the Kingdom, and shall be brought to condign punishment for so high an offence.  
Yea, and according to the book of Articles for War, pag. It is enacted to be death unto any whosoever, who holdeth Intelligence and correspondency with the enemy.  
All which Sir John Lenthall, and the Speaker his Brother have done, and yet it must neither be proved against them, nor they tried nor arraigned, but altogether excused, cleared, and freed, even by Vote of Parliament, and the accusers both prisoned and arraigned for them; yea, & a Commit chosen to devise and inflict punishments against the Accusers, so that still the just are condemned, and the wicked absolved.  
Psal. 9.18, 19 For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever: Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail, let the Heathen be judged in thy sight. And 12.5. For the oppressions of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD, I will set him in safety, from him that puffeth at him. And 35.10. All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee! which delivereth the poor from him that is too strong for him yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him? And 37.14. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bend their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to stay such as be of upright conversation.  
And 62.9, 10. Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie, to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. Trust not in oppression, become not vain in robbery; if riches increase, set not your hearts upon them. And 74.19. O deliver not the soul of thy Turtle Dove, unto the multitude of the wicked, forget not the Congregation of thy poor for ever. And 82.3, 4, 5. Defend the poor and fatherless, do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy, rid them out of the band of the wicked, they know not, neither will they understand: they walk on in darkness, all the foundations of the earth are out of course.  
And 92.6, 7. A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand this; When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish, it is, that they shall be destroyed for ever. And 118.8.9. It is better to trust in the Lord, then to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord, then to put confidence in Princes. And 146.3. Put not your trust in Princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.  
Isaiah. 10.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and write grievous things, which they have prescribed. To turn aside the need, from judgement, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that Widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless. And what will ye do in the day of Visitation: and in the desolation which shall come from fare? to whom will ye seek for help? and where will ye leave your glory? Without me they shall bow down under the Prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain, for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical Nation; and against the people of my wrath, I will give him a charge to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire in the streets.  
FINIS.   

The chief faults escaped in the printing, either through the Authors absence, or the Correctors negligence.   

In page 4. l. 22. read the last but one of. p. 5. l. 2. read and that. & l. 7. read for the same. p. 7. l. 37. r. and justly for hence justly. and read may condemn for may not condemn. p. 9 l. 20. r. of which you may. and l. 32. r. are culpable. p. 10. l. 19 r. public for bublick▪ p. 15. l. 18. r. that call evil good, and good evil. and add to the next line, Job 14.4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. read 25.4. and Psalm. 51.5. p. 16. l. 16. r. to prison without cause showed. and l. 18. r. to force him to commit a crime. & l. 26. r. and then make for and then to make p. 17. l. 14. r. strengthened for straightened, l. p. 37. l. 18. r. suits for suit, p. 39 l. 1. r. according to those, for, according those. p. 40. l. 23. r. consider, for cnsider. p. 43. l. 16. r. If there were, for, Is there.   

THE POSTSCRIPT, Containing divers sentences belonging to several passages of this Book, which were in their due places omitted, and here at last remembered.  
Add to page 16. l. 29. So that first, he was committed by Order and Vote of Parliament, without cause shown, and then secondly, for refusing to answer upon Interrogatories to their Committee of Examinations; which is contrary, 1. To the Great Charter of England. 2. To the very words of the Petition of Right. 3. To the act made this present Parliament, for abolishing the Star-chamber, 4. To the solemn Oath and Protestation of this Kingdom. 5. To the great Covenant and Solemn Vow, made upon pain of eternal damnation, for uniting the two Kingdoms together. 6. And most principally of all, contrary to the infallible Rules of Gods own most sacred Word, which forbids that any man should answer upon questions to accuse, condemn, and consequently to kill and destroy himself, or that any man should be condemned before he be heard. And 7. Contrary to all justice, equity, conscience, sense, reason, the very practice of the Romish Heathens, love, duty, brotherly affection, Christianity, Reformation, Commiseration, or Compassion. 8. Contrary to the Kingdoms great trust, committed by their grand Commission to the Parliament, for defending and improving, and no wise for destroying nor disannulling their Liberties, and so always for the Weal, but never for the woe of the Freemen of England, otherwise they are not only to be bidden▪ take heed to their injustice▪ but to be called to an account, and censured accordingly.  
That in regard the Kingdom is in so pitiful and great distress, and that the most and best things that ever this Parliament did, were first motioned by private men, and then authorised and established by them; it would be excellent and needful, if they would ordain, that every freeman of England, who is able, would bestow his servico one year at least, freely for the good of the Civil State, in any Place or Office of Trust, whereof his skill and breeding do fit him, to be most capable, according as they shall be chosen, and those who are not able to serve freely for a year, and to have competent maintenance allowed unto them, to the value of 50. or 60 l. a year, according to their charge; if such be chosen for their skill and diligence, though they want outward means: for which allowance, those that are conscienscious, will do as good service, at least, as some others, who have 1000 or 2000 a year.  
The like rule is no less, but rather fare more excellent and needful, to be observed and established in matters concerning the Church-state wherein her servants are to perform their duties freely, they being able to maintain themselves, and those with them, whether by means obtained formerly, or industry used daily; otherwise, to have the like allowance of 50. or 60 l. a year, according to their charge.  
And that the remainder of all Church-living, obtained by the subtlety of Antichrist, be n●w wholly employed to the supply of the Kingdom's manifold present necessities, and after the Wars are ended, to the payment of the Kingdoms great debts, contracted upon the public faith.  
But if in case, that the Clergy or any of them shall not be content with the aforesaid allowance, which is sufficient for as honest men, that then it might be free for those whom God shall be pleased to fit with sufficient abilities to supply their places freely: to the intent, it may not be said of them, as of the Scribes and Pharisees, that they shut up the Kingdom of heaven, and will neither enter in themselves, nor yet suffer those that would. Matth. 23.13. Luk. 14.52.  
In the Appendix of one of Mr. Prinnes books, authorized by the Parliament, called The Sovereign power of Parliaments and Kingdoms, beginning at pag. 1. It is manifested by sundry Histories & Authors, that in the ancient Roman Kingdom and Empire▪ in the Greek and Germane Empires, derived out of it, in the old Grecian, Indian, Egyptian Realms, in the Kingdom of France, Spain, Italy, Hungaria, Bohemia, Denmark, Poland, Swethland, Scotland, yea of Judah, Israel, and others mentioned in the Scripture, the supreme Sovereignty and Power, resided not in the Emperors and Kings themselves, but in their Kingdoms, Senates, Parliaments, People, who had not only power to restrain, but censure and remove their Emperors & Princes, for their tyranny and misgovernment: Where also there is an answer to the principal Arguments to prove Kings above whole Kingdoms and Parliaments, and not questionable nor accountable to them, nor censurable by them for any exorbitant actions.  
The 4. page, 6. 7. 10. 11. 13. 17. 101. 112. 123. 125. 150. 151. 153. 154. 159. are most excellent for deciding those differences, which I refer to the judicious and courteous Reader to peruse at his leisure.  
FINIS.   

Printed Octob. 1645.