THE FREEMAN'S FREEDOM VINDICATED. OR A true Relation of the cause and manner of Lievt. Col. john lilburn's present imprisonment in Newgate, being thereunto arbitrarily and Illegally committed, by the House of Peers, june 11. 1646. for his delivering in, at their open Bar, under his Hand and Seal, his PROTESTATION, against their encroaching upon the Common Liberties of all the Commons of England, in endeavouring to try him, a Commoner of England, in a criminal cause, contrary to the express tenor and form of the 29. Chap. of the great Charter of England, and for making his legal and just appeal, to his competent, and legal Tryers and Judges, the Commons of England, in PARLIAMENT assembled. TRue bred Englishmen, that have a life to lay down, for the defence of your just Liberties and Freedoms, (for to such alone I direct my speech) against all incroachers, destroyers, and usurpers thereof, (be they what they will be) I desire to let you understand, that I your Countryman amongst many others, have embarked all that I have in this world, in this one vessel, called the good Ship of good Hope, sailing in the troublesome Seas of England, bound for the long desired Port, called the safe enjoyment of England's liberties and freedoms, the direct road tending thereunto, is the path of justice, without the sailing in which road, it is forever impossible to arrive there; And therefore fearing my Venture should lately miscarry, I took upon me the boldness to write an Epistle to Judge Reeve, one of England's Pilots, which hath occasioned a desperate Storm to arise against me in particular, though there be nothing but wholesome and sound advice therein contained. And perceiving by my late being with the Judge, that it was not well taken, nor likely to provide for my safety, against Col. Edward King, one of England's rotten members, and branches, fit for nothing but to be cut off, out of England's pleasant and fruitful Vineyard I thereupon writ further instructions to my Attorney, to draw up my Plea, which thus followeth. To his faithful and much respected friend and Attorney, Mr. George Ingram, at his Chamber in Clifford's Inn, these. Sir IN the cause wherein Colonel Edward King is plantive against me, in an action for pretended words spoken by me again him: I entertained you to be my Attorney, whereupon you appeared for me, and received Kings declaration the last Term to which I am now to plead, I desire you therefore to plead to the same, that the said Edward King long before the pretended words alleged by the declaration, to be spoken viz. in August 1644. was by Master Muffenden and Master Wolley and divers others of the Committee of Lincoln, accused and charged before the Honourable House of Commons of high Treason, for his betraying the town of Crowland unto the Enemy, as by the fourth Article of the said charge (whereunto reference being had) will appear. And by the eight Article of the said charge, the said Edward King is accused for the negligent loss and delivery up of Grantham to the Enemy, which is adjudged to be high Treason, Rot. Parl. 7. Richard 2. Num. 38. 39 40. And for further plea, that the said charge was before this action brought, and yet is still depending, and only examinable and triable in Parliament, neither is the said Colonel King yet acquitted or tried for the same, besides plead also that I am a witness so the proof of the said Charge, and so not compellable to make further answer, or oath plea than this, until the said King have had his trial upon the said Charge of high Treason in a Parliamentary way. This I hope the Court will accept and approve of, for a satisfactory and plenary answer and plea to his declaration, which you may draw up in form as you shall find cause, whereunto I do Authorise you, and for this pleading, this shall be your warrant and discharge, this I thought good to do for the preventing of any colourable advantage, Colonel King might seem to have, or any ways take through my neglect, or for want of a warrant to you to plead to his declaration, a judgement should pass for him against me by default. I have written to Master Justice Reeve, setting forth the true state of the cause, a printed copy I left at his house for him, which I perceive he hath perused, another I send you here enclosed, whereby you may be the better informed, and enabled to draw up my plea, and what you shall do herein according to this warrant, I shall allow, in testimony whereof to this my warrant I have subscribed my hand, and set to my seal this ninth day of June 1646. and rest, Your affectionate and faithful friend JOHN LILBURNE. Sir, if you think fit to show this to Judge Reeve or any other I shall approve of it. Being moved out of mature consideration, to give him these instructions, because, (as I told him) if I should plead in a formal way to the Plea, guilty, or not guilty, I should thereby be the beginner of a dangerous precedent of destructive consequence to the whole Kingdom, because that if a man entrusted, did turn traitor, and a company of honest men did endeavour, according to their duty, and to avoid the grievous sin of perjury, did endeavour to bring him to condign punishment for his treason, & for that end▪ referred Articles of high treason in Parliament against him, with their names to them, and they, by reason of many public businesses, by reason of the wars in, & distractions of the Kingdom, cannot conveniently, for half a year▪ a year or more, try and adjudge the business, the traitor or accused person, being a crafty fellow, full of ill gotten money, and corrupt Allies, and because that his trial is delayed, he picks quarrels against his just prosecuters, and arrests them in actions of 2. or 3000 l. at the Common Law, for calling him (as really he is) traitor, and tosseth and tumbleth them, yea and it may be, by an unjust Puntillo in Law, brings them unto unavoidable ruin, by Common Law, which principally is inherent in the oracles of erring judges breasts, who it may be, two hours before he passeth sentence, is not resolved what to decree for Law, and so by this means every honest man that complains of a knave or traitor in the Parliament, or is a party interested, in making good the charge against him, may by such ways and means (by reason of delay in judgement, which is not his fault) be brought by his cunning adversary into the Common Law Briers, as I am by King, who ought by Law to be in Prison fast by the heels) and so all honest men forever discouraged in such a cause, to complain of such transgressors, let them act treason against the State universal and representative, and do what they will; and this is just my case with Col. Ed. King, as by my printed letter to judge Reeve, I have truly & clearly declared. But by my foresaid instructions sent to my attorney, I gave him authority (if he pleased) to show them to the judge, which for aught I know to the contrary he did, which it may be may occasion a complaint from him, or some others against me to the Lords, for immediately upon it, I am summoned before them, their warrant thus followeth. Die Mercurij 10. June, 1646. IT is this day ordered by the Lords in Parliament assembled, that Lieu. Col. Lilburn, shall forthwith upon sight hereof, appear before the Lords in Parliament, to answer such things as he stands charged with before their Lordships, concerning a Pamphlet, intittuled, the ●ust man's justification, or a Letter by way of Plea in Barr. And hereof he shall not fail, as he will answer the contrary at his peril. joh. Brown. Cler. Parl. To the gentleman Usher attending this House, or his Deputy. The Officer coming june 11th. last passed to my House, about 6. of the Clock in the morning, called me out of my Bed, and after I had read his warrant, I told him that if there were not a tye of respect laid upon me to the Lords, for their fair and courteous dealing with me about my business, that was lately depending before them, I would not in the present case, obey their warrant, nor twenty more of the like nature, but would defend myself in my own house (which is my Castle) against all that in such cases they should send unto me, to the death, because they have by the Law, no authority at all to make me dance attendance upon them, in the present case, or to try me a Commoner, in any Criminal cause whatsoever, ceither for Life, Limb, liberty or estate, which I told him was the case now in hand, for his own warrant did summon me to appear to answer a charge then before their Lordships, and this I wished him to tell them must be my plea at their Bar at which, having promised him to appear, he departed, so fitting myself in the best manner the present Incomes of God enabled me for the brunt. I took my Journey towards Westminster, and in the streets meditating, desired God according to his wont manner to direct me, I presently had contrived in my own brain, without any humane help in the world, a Protestation and appeal, my heart being set up so high to go on with it, although it should be present death unto me, so I took sanctuary at a friends lodging to compile it in a method, which being done I transcribed it fair with my own hand, and then set my hand and seal unto it, and being loath to run so high a contest with the House of Peers if by any means possible I could avoid it. I repaired to a Lord a member of that House, and told him my whole heart in my intentions, shown him my paper, and read part of it to him, and desired him to till some more of the Lords of it, if he judged it convenient, that so they might a little better consider of it before they brought me to their Bar, and forced me to do that that would tend to their extaordrnary dishonour, or my ruin and destruction, and do it I both must and would by God's assistance (I told him) if they called me to their Bar, telling him I judged it as base an action in me (both in the sight of God and man) to betray my known and fundamental liberties, as with my own hands to cut my own throat, protesting unto him, that if he and the rest of the Lords endeavoured to destroy Magna Charta and to tread, it under their feet, as they would do if they meddled with me in this case, I would draw my sword against them every man as freely as I would do against the King, and the desperatest Cavalier with him, with much more that then I told him he departed to the House, and I immediately by water followed him, and what he did in it I do not fully know, but I was not called in till about one a clock: And being commanded to their Bar, the Earl of Manchester (their Speaker) commanded Master Smith to show me my printed Epistle to judge Reeves, and asked me (to this effect) if I knew that book, and whether I did not leave (or cause to be left) one of them at judge Reeves house for the judge himself. Unto which I replied, my Lord, if it may stand with the pleasure of this House, I desire to know whether or no you have any formal or legal charge against me in writing, if they had I desired to see it? that so I might read it, and then I would give them an answer to their question Whereupon after a little pawze and looking one upon another, the Earl of Stamford stepped up and with much zeal pressed his Lordship to hold me to the question, (so saith the Earl of Manchester) answer to the question. My Lord (said I) under favour, I conceive the thing I desire of your Lordship, is very just and rational (& so it is if you consider their own summons which expressly commands me to appear before them to answer a charge) but if nothing will serve your turn but a positive answer to the question, than my Lord there is an answer in writing under my hand and seal, which I will justify and maintain to the death, I beseech you it may be read; And with this I gave my paper to Master Smith their Clerk then at their Bar: Whereupon the Earl of Lincoln stepped up and said to the Speaker, my Lord what have we to do with his paper? command him to answer to the question. Lieutenant Colonel Lilburne (saith the Earl of Manchester) the Lords command you to answer positively to the question, unto which I replied my Lord, in that paper in Master Smith's hand is my answer to the question, and to all others whatsoever that you shall ask me, and no other answer I have to give you, neither shall I, and if that will satisfy you well and good, if not, seek it where you can have it, for I for my part shall give you no other, where upon I was commanded to withdraw. And one of the Lords commanded the Clerk to give me my paper, (for saith he, what shall we do with it) but I refused to take it, and told them, I would not meddle nor make with it, there it was, and it was enough to me, that I had delivered it at their open Bar, do what you will with it, for my Lords, I am as careless as you are, whether you will read it or no, so the Clerk threw it after me, but I would not meddle with it, but withdrew, the words of which thus followeth. The PROTESTATION, PLEA, and DEFENCE OF Lieutenant Colonel JOHN LILBURNE. Given to the Lords at their Bar, thursday june 11th. 1646. with his Appeal to his competent, , and legal tryers and Judges, the COMMONS of ENGLAND, assembled in PARLIAMENT. My Lords, THis morning I received a summons under your Clerks hand, to appear upon sight thereof before your Lordships in Parliament, to answer such things as I am charged with before your Lordships, touching a Book called by your Warrant, a Pamphlet entitled, the Just man's justification, or a Letter by way of Plea in Bar. My Lords I told your Messenger, Mr. Baker's son, that your Lordships had dealt friendly, honourably, and fairly with me in my apprehension, in my late business, being in a legal and Parliamentary way, transacted, first by the House of Commons, and so brought before your Lordships, which did lie as a tye upon my spirit, by way of Obligation, and now I would repay it, in laying aside (so far at present my privilege, as I am a Commoner of England) as in obedience to your summons (salvo jure) to appear at your Bar, although (as I told him) your Lordships, by Magna Charta and the Law of this Kingdom have nothing to do with me, being a Commoner in any judicial way, to try me in a criminal cause either for life, limb, liberties or estate, which is now the present case betwixt your Lordships and me, as appears by your own summons, and this I desired your messenger to tell your honours must of necessity be my plea at your Barr. But that it may appear that I do nothing headily or rashly either in contempt of your just rights and powers, which I desire you may long enjoy, always provided, you endeavour not my ruin and destruction with them, neither out of any desire in the least to contest with you, which in me to do, (I acknowledge) would argue abundance of ingratitude, it being my principle to do to others as I would be done to myself; and as much as in me lies, to endeavour to live in peace with all men. But to be rob of my life, or give way to be made a slave to any whomsoever, either by a voluntary giving up, or in silent suffering to be taken from me, my native, natural, just legal and hereditary freedoms and liberties, I am resolved rather to undergo all extremities, hazards, miseries, and deaths, which possibly the wit of man can devise, or his power and tyranny inflict. And therefore my Lords, you being Peers as you are called, merely made by prerogative, and never entrusted or empowered by the Commons of England, the original and fountain of Power, Magna Charta the English man's legal birth right and inheritance, so often bought and redeemed with such great seas of blood, and million of money, hath justly, rationally, and well provided that your Lordships shall not sit in judgement, or pass sentence in Criminal causes, upon any Commoner of England either for life, limb, liberty or estate, but that all Commoners in such cases shall be tried only by their Peers and equals, that is to say their fellow Commoners, as is amply and effectually declared in the 29. ch. of that great Charter, which previledge & immunity cannot justly be taken away, from the free Commoners of England by any power whatsoever on Earth, without a better and larger given in the room of it, for all betrusted powers must and aught to be for the good of the trusters, Book decls. Pag. 150. And this Charter in all ages hath in an especial manner been maintained, preserved and defended by our Progenitors, and in a special manner confirmed by 5. of Edward 3. ch. 9 the words be these, that no man from henceforth shall be attached by any accusation, nor forejudged of life nor limb, nor his land Tenements goods or chattles, seized upon otherwise then by the form of the great Charter, which is further confirmed by the said King, in the 25. of his Reign, ch. 4. and by the petition of Right-made in the third year of this present King; and the Act made for the abolishing the Star-chamber etc. made this present Parliament, therefore my Lords as a free Commoner of England, I do here at your open Bar protest against all your present proceedings against me in this pretended Criminal cause, as unjust and against the tenor and form of the great Charter (which all of you have sworn unviolably to observe and caused the Commons of England to do the same And therefore my Lords I do hereby declare and am resolved as in duty bound to God, myself, Country, and posterity, to maintain my legal liberties, to the last drop of my blood, against all opposers whatsoever, having so often in the field etc. advenrured my life therefore, and do therefore from you and your Bar (as incrochers and usurping Judges) appeal to the Bar and tribunal of my competent, proper and legal triers and Judges, the Commons of England assembled in Parliament: in testimony whereof, to these presents I have set my hand and seal, this present eleventh day of June, 1646. JOHN LILBURNE. And being not long without, the Gentleman usher came civelly to me, and told me I must put off my sword and give it to some of my friends, for I must go a prisoner to Newgate, so desiring to see my Commitment, and to have a copy of it before I stirred to go, I had it accordingly, which thus followeth. Die jovis 11. june 1646. IT is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament assembled, that Lieutenant Colonel john Lilburne shall stand committed to the Prison of Newgate, for exhibiting to this house a scandalous and contemptuous Paper, it being delivered by himself at the Bar this day, & that the Keeper of the said Prison shall keep him in safely, until the pleasure of this House be further signified, and this to be a sufficient Warrant in that behalf. joh. Brown Cler. Parl. To the Gentleman Usher of this House, or his Deputy, to be delivered to the Keeper of Newgate. My usage to me seems very strange, that for doing my duty, in a just way to bring Col. King to condign punishment, I should be so t●st and tumbled as I am, by his means, (that per jure, aught to die for his offence or at least by Law should be in durance, till he receive his just doom) clapped formerly by the heels, (as in my epistle to judge Reeve is justly declared) and lately at King's suit arrested upon an action of two thousand pounds, and brought into Court, that have nothing to do with the business, it being dependant in Parliament, and there tied up to such rules, formalities, and Puntilloes, as all the reason I have, cannot understand, and then for writing my Plea, threatened, and told by the Judge himself I had forever undone myself, by endeavouring to root up by the roots, the fundamental law of England, by which I enjoy my life, and all that I can call mine, though as I told his Lordship, although he were a Judge, yet under his Lordship's favour, I conceived he was in an error, I having not in the least, meddled with any fundamental, known or visible Law of England. For the Law that I meddled withal, was merely, and only an invisible, uncertain, and unknown Law, that resided in the Oracle of his Lordship's breast, and his fellow judges, which (as I told him) I thought no man in England knew besides themselves, no nor I thought they themselves neither, no not two hours before they decreed, and adjudged it for Law. And yet for all this I must be forced to dance attendance (contrary to Law) to answer a charge without form or fashion in Law, at the Bar of the House of Peers, who knew very well, or at least wise might know, that I knew as well as themselves their power, jurisdiction, and the Prerogative Fountain, from whence they sprung, as well as any of themselves, having sometimes discoursed of that subject freely with some of them. And having lately (though unwillingly) contested with those, to whom by nature and interest, I am a thousand times more related unto then to them, merely out of this principle, that I will not be a slave unto, nor part with my just liberty to any. But I clearly perceive the hand of Joab to be in this, namely, my old back friend the Earl of Manchester the fountain (as I conceive) of all my present troubles, who would have hanged me for taking a Castle from the Cavaliers in Yorkshire; but is so closely glued in interest to that party, that he protected from justice Colonel King, one of his own Officers, for his good service in treacherously delivering or betraying Crowland to the Cavaliers, and never called, nor that I could hear, desired to call to account his Officer, or Officers, that basely, cowardly, and treacherously, betrayed and delivered Lincoln last up to the enemy, without striking one stroke, or staying till so much as a Troop of Horse, or a Trumpeter came to demand it, his Lordship's Head hath stood it seems too long upon his shoulders, that makes him he cannot be quiet, till Lieut. Gen. Crumwels' Charge against him, fully proved in the House of Commons, be revived, which is of as high a nature I believe, as ever any charge given in there, the epittomy of which I have by me, & his Lordship may live shortly to see it in print by my means, and for my Lord of Stamford, at present I desire him to remember but one Article, made at the de-livery of Exeter, which it may be, may in time cool his furious endeavour to enslave the free People of England, the earthly Lord and Creator of his Creator, who I am confident do, and will scorn to be made slaves & vasssals, by the mere Creatures of their Creature the King. So being straightened in time at present, I bid you farewell, and rest. Your faithful Countryman, and a free Commoner of England. JOHN LILBURNE. From my Cock-loft in the Press Yard of Newgate, London June 11. 1646. To the right Honourable the chosen and Representative body of England Assembled in Parliament. The humble Petition of L. C. JOHN LILBURNE A Free man of England. Shows, THat your petitioner hath and doth look upon this Honourable House, as the chosen and betrusted Commissioners of all the Commons of England, in whom alone (by right) resides the formal and legal supreme power of England, and unto whom all the Commons of England have given so much of their Power, as to enable you alone, to do all things whatsoever for their weal, safety peace and prosperity, the end of all Government, as is most excellently, by your Honourable declaration of the 17. of April last declared. The knowledge and understanding of which, hath made your petitioner as a Commoner (in his Country's straits and necessities) to take up arms as his duty, to fight against the King (the servant of the Common wealth) and all the forces raised by his Authority (who sought to destroy the end of Government, the safety and weal of the people) and to be faithful in your said service, in the midst of many deaths; contemning and slighting, the large proffers of the King's Honours and preferments, sent unto him by four Lords, when he was a prisoner for you at Oxford, for which he was immediately laid in Irons night and day, locked up close in a room, a Sentinel set at his door, that so he might not speak with any whosoever, forced to lie on the floor, kept without one farthing of allowance although he carried not one penny with him to the prison And within a few days after was (for his continued resolution) arraigned (in Irons) as a Traitor for his life before Judge Heath, before whom he pleaded to his indictment, professing unto him at the open bar (when he pressed your petitioner to save himself) that he your suppliant was not seduced by any to take up arms, but did it out of a principle of duty to himself, his country and the Parliament, and that he was resolved to spend his blood in the defence of his own and his Country's liberties; also your petitioner upon the same grounds, hath often been in the field since, and done good services, and hath continued faithful in all his engagements, and is resolved (by the strength of God) so to do to the death. Now for as much as the liberties and freedoms contained in the 28. & 29. chap. of the great Charter of England, are the best legal inheritance that your petitioner hath, and for the preservation of which, ye have so often sworn to spend your lives and fortunes, and enjoined the people that trusted you to do the same, and for the maintaining of which, your petitioner hath run the hazard of so many deaths and miseries as he hath done, amongst which liberties and privileges this is not one of the least (as your petitioner humbly conceives) that all Commoners whatsoever in criminal causes shall be tried by their equals or fellow Commoners; nevertheless the House of Lords (commonly so called) summoned your petitioner to their Bar to answer a criminal charge there, contrary to the tenor of the great Charter so often confirmed, and although your petitioner told their Messenger, and afterwards some of themselves, that by Magna Charta they had nothing to do with your petitioner in such a case, and that if he were called, he must and would plead this at their Bar, cost it him what it would, and also entreated one of themselves, to acquaint the rest of his fellow Lords, that he must and would protest against them, and appeal to his competent proper and legal tryers and judges your Honours. Yet notwithstanding they forced your Petitioner to their Bar, and would have compelled him, contrary to Law, reason, and Conscience, and to the fundamental liberty of all the free People of England, (so adjudged in his own case of the Star-chamber etc. by your honours and themselves) to answer to Interrogatories concerning himself, without showing him any formal and legal charge in writing, although he earnestly desired to see it, if they had any, which was refused, and your Petitioner pressed again and again with much vehemency, by their Speaker, to answer verbal questions, which forced your Petitioner to deliver at their open Bar his Protestation, in writing under his hand and seal, as also his appeal to your Honours, his competent, proper and legal Tryers and judges; a true Copy of which is hereunto annexed, for which alone, they committed your Petitioner to Newgate prison, (as appears by the Copy of their commitment hereunto annexed) all which your Petitioner humbly conceives, tends to the disfranchizing him of his just liberties and freedoms, (and so to the making him a slave) and to the violation of their own Oaths and Covenants, and to the utter subversion, and alteration of the fundamental Laws and government of this Kingdom, for the preservation of which, so much blood and treasure hath already been spent. Your Petitioner therefore, as a freeman of England, (who to his knowledge never did any act that deserveth the forfeiting of his birthright) humbly appealleth to your honourable Bar and Justice, as his proper, competent, legal tryers and judges, and humbly prayeth. For as much as he is a free Commoner of England, and ought not to be proceeded against, nor his liberties and freedoms to be taken from him, in any arbitrary or extrajudicial way. And for that their Lordships have no power, nor jurisdiction, according to the Law and constitutions of this Kingdom, to try and adjudge any free Commoner thereof, for any criminal causes whatsoever, concerning life, limb, liberty, or estate; And for that your Petitioner is imprisoned, contrary to the form and tenor of the great Charter of England, and therefore altogether illegal, and merely arbitrary; That your Honours will be pleased, according to your unparaleld Declaration of the 17th of April last, whereby is set forth, that you will not exercise, nor suffer to be exercised by any other, any arbitrary power, but that you will provide for the safety and weal of the People, (the primitive end of all government) according to the great trust reposed in you, and committed to you, by your In powrers, the Commons of England, you will take your Petitioner into your protection, and not suffer him any longer to be kept in prison, and spoilt of his Franchises and liberties, but according to the said Charter of liberties, your Protestations, Oaths and Declarations, the laws and Statutes of this Kingdom, he may freely be enlarged out of prison, and restored to his just liberty, with just reparations for his damages, for the great wrongs done unto him, by his reproachful imprisonment in the infamous prison of Newgate, and the vindication and freeing of the whole Kingdom (according to their long and just expectation) from the like usurpation, and encroachments of their just rights and priuledges, and your Petitioner shall ever be ready to spend his life for you, and his Country's just liberties, and in obedience to all just authority, to answer any Charge, when the same shall be in a legal way brought against him. And your Petitioner (as in duty bound) shall ever pray to God, to enable you to go on, to finish, and perfect the great things expected from you, according to the trust reposed in you. JOHN LILBURNE. Newgate, june 16. 1646. A Postscript, containing a general Proposition. GOD, the absolute Sovereign Lord and King, of all things in heaven and earth, the original fountain, and cause of all causes, who is circumscribed, governed, and limited by no rules, but doth all things merely and only by his sovereign will, and unlimited good pleasure, who made the world, and all things therein, for his own glory, and who by his own will and pleasure, gave man (his mere creature) the sovereignty (under himself) over all the rest of his Creatures, Gen. 1.26.28.29. and endued him with a rational soul, or understanding, and thereby created him after his own image, Gen. 1.26.27. and 9.6. the first of which was Adam, a male, or man, made out of the dust or clay, out of whose side was taken a Rib, which by the sovereign and absolute mighty creating power of God, was made a female, or Woman called Eve, which two are the earthly, original fountain, as begetters and bringers forth of all and every particular and individual man and woman, that ever breathed in the world since, who are, and were by nature all equal and alike in power, digniy, authority, and majesty, none of them having (by nature) any authority dominion or majesterial power, one over or above another, neither have they, or can they exercise any, but merely by institution, or donation, that is to say, by mutual agreement or consent, given, derived, or assumed, by mutual consent and agreement, for the good benefit and comfort each of other, and not for the mischief, hurt, or damage of any, it being unnatural, irrational, sinful, wicked and unjust, for any man, or men whatsoever, to part with so much of their power, as shall enable any of their Parliament men, Commissioners, trusties, deputies, Viceroys, Ministers, Officers or servants, to destroy and undo them therewith: And unnatural, irrational, sinful, wicked, unjust, devilish, and tyrannical it is, for any man whatsoever, spiritual or temporal, Cleargy-man or Layman, to appropriate and assume unto himself, a power, authority and jurisdiction, to rule, govern, or reign over any sort of men in the world, without their free consent, and whosoever doth it, whether Cleargy-man, or any other whatsoever, do thereby as much as in them lies, endeavour to appropriate & assume unto themselves the Office and sovereignty of God, (who alone doth, and is to rule by his will and pleasure) and to be like their Creator, which was the sin of the Devils, who not being content with their first station, but would be like God, for which sin they were thrown down into hell, reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgement of the great day jude ver. 6. And Adam's sin it was, which brought the curse upon him and all his posterity, that he was not content with the station and condition that God created him in, but did aspire unto a better, and more excellent, (namely to be like his Creator) which proved his ruin, yea, and indeed had been the everlasting ruin and destruction of him and all his, had not God been the more merciful unto him in the promised Messiah. Gen. Chap. 3. From my Cock-loft in the Press yard Newgate. june 19 1646. per me john Lilburne. Courteous Countrymen to fill up this vacant place I shall desire thee to read the words of the Declaration of the House of Commons, published 27. Ianu. 1641. which you shall find in the 41. pag. of the book of Declarations thus. And this House doth further declare, That all such persons as have given any Council, or endeavoured to set or maintain division or dislike, between the King and Parliament, or have listed their names, or otherwise entered into any combination or agreement, to be aiding, or assisting, to any such counsel or endeavour, or have persuaded any other so to do, or that shall do any the things above mentioned; And shall not forthwith discover the same to either House of Parliament: or the Speaker of either of the said Houses respectively, and disclaim it, are declared Public Enemies of the State and Peace of this Kingdom, and shall be inquired of, and proceeded against accordingly. Secondly the three Votes of both Houses May 20. 1642. which you shall find in the book of Declarations pa. 259. Resolved upon the Question 1 That it appears, That the King (seduced by wicked Counsel) Intends to make War against the Parliament, who (in all their consultations and actions) have proposed no other end unto themselves, but the care of His Kingdoms, and the performance of all duty and loyalty to His Person. Resolved upon the Question. 2. That whensoever the King makes War upon the Parliament, it is a breach of the trust reposed in Him by His people, contrary to His Oath, and tending to the dissolution of this Government. Resolved upon the Question 3. That Whosoever shall serve, or assist Him in such Wars, are Traitors, by the Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom, and have been so adjudged by two Acts of Parliament, and aught to suffer as Traitors. 11. Rich. 2. 1. Hen. 4. Joh Browne Cler. Parliament. 3. The Declaration of both Houses in pa. 576. in these words▪ Whereas the King etc. 4. The words in their Declaration for the vindication of Ferdinando Lord Fairfax. as you shall find pa. 914. in these words, The said Lords etc. FINIS.