A PREPARATION For a day of THANKSGIVING To the PARLIAMENT, for their late ORDINANCE for tithes.  
Newly mounted and well charged with triple damages, for the people not giving the tenth part of their Estates to the clergy or Impropriators.  
Being the result of the Parliaments friends in Hartford-shire.  
Printed in the year. 1647.   

when we delivered our last Petiton against tieth, which did express the unjustnesse of paying it, and that we expected relief from the House of Commons of England: they then commanded their Speaker to tell us we were mistaken, his meaning we did not then well understand. But now this explanation Ordinance doth declare the meaning of that House, that we were mistaken if wee did expect any help from them, for any such burden as lay upon us: but especially such as they themselves had gain by, as in impropriations, indeed this doth declare to us and the whole world, that this House of Commons intend to deliver us from all our oppressions as Rehoboam did the Israelites, from thence he  told them his little finger should weigh down his Fathers loins in oppression, but by it he lost ten Tribes to his servant let our Parliament take heed now for England is moved with oppression, and such answers to Petitions.  
2. A second reason why we should take more notice of this then other Ordinances of this nature formerly past, as worthy of thankes and praise, is because it was as we conceive in opposition to Sir Thomas Fairfax, and the Armies Propositions, of which this was one, to regulate tieth: We cannot but be sensible of this, for we petitioned Sir Thomas, and the rest at St Albans, to do their utmost for the bringing of us out of our worse then Egyptian bondage, we looking upon him as one appointed and fitted of God for that purpose, as Moses was one who rather chooses to suffer with the people of God, then to be poysonned with a self-seeking Parliaments honour: or a Silver Charger filled with( not only) the head of innocent John Baptist, but also the heads of all the harmless ones in the kingdom, but should have been covered over with Gold, by a company of treacherous Aldermen and their Abettors, but blessed be that God who let him see what was in the bottom before ever the Gold did dazzle his eyes.  
3. A third reason of our returning thankes, is because this Ordinance is to be fired by two Iustices of the peace: and the greatest part of our Commissioners in that kind are such as have been against the Parliament in all these times of trouble, or else such self-seeking men as we are fully persuaded, will never do any action that shall tend to the public good, much less to any private or particular man, as we by woeful experience can speak in all causes, that have ever yet come before any of them, for the greatest favour that they use to show is to let the plaintiff produce what conscionlesse witness he will to swear for himself: and then to pass a censure of triple damage, according to the oaths made against the poor Defendant, and to give out their warrant to seize upon any of his goods, and fell them as the plaintiff will, and the Parliament have left no way of relief for the poor Defendant but the Court of inequity, which is a remedy worse then the disease.  
And some of our wise and honest Iust-asses who are glad to take any occasion to whip those who have faithfully served their Country in these times of trouble, have against some given above four times the value of what their very enemies had sworn their tieth was worth.  
Now the premises considered, let all rational men judge, if we have not cause to return thanks when we see such glorious Ordinances guilded over with pretence of Gospel maintenance, for Ministers come forth especially( at this time) when our expectations were altogether for deliverance from such yokes and burdens, now we did suppose our Parliament men would have done something to gain their Countries love again, for it is almost past recovery, but we see now they are out of hope( if this Parliament be dissolved) ever to be choose any more, and therefore they intend to pay us home now: and if God prevent not to plunge us so deep in Bondage, that two or three Bienniall Parliaments will scarcely be able to bring us out again.  
And if any shall object and say, I but there are some in the House of Commons that do stand for the public good and are willing to free us from our oppressions, but that they are over powred by others that are enemies to common freedom.  
We answer, if we knew who they were we should be very sorry to accuse any such that stand for our good in the least, for we confess we had more need encourage such that they might grow more bold and courageous and if there be some that are against opressive votes and ordinances we would be glad they had courage enough to declare to the kingdom who are their enemies that they might be cheated no more with such men.  
But truly it doth not appear to us who are our friends, for our proverb is silence gives consent & non declare that they have a desire to ease us but are not able: for if they did we would help them as much as possible we could for by the Parliaments Declaration wee are to oppose oppression in whom so ever we find it, and so we are now resolved to do whatsoever it cost us, for as God hath made Sir Thomas Fairfax and the rest of that gallant Army a means to preserve this perishing Kingdom, so he hath endued his Excellency, and the rest of his faithful Commanders and private Soldiers with gallant resolutions to recover long lost freedoms, and in this with them we resolve to stand till death.  
Therefore now wee shall for this time conclude with these desires.  
First, that the dissembly of 
* For to call them Divines, is blasphemy.  devisers of oppressions for the kingdom be desired to set a day apart, for thankes to be returned to those Gentlemen that made and mounted this gallant Ordinance to shoot through al the cornfields in the Kingdom at once, & that worthy Mr. Vines be desired to preach, because he is an able conscientious man for his ability he hath 120 l. per annum, at Clemons without temple bar, he hath also at Wooton in our country 260 l. per annum & he is also Master of pembroke hall at Cambridge which is thought to be worth nigh 200 l. per annum besides he hath four shillings per diem for sitting to device how to keep the people in ignorance and bondage, and his parish in warwick shire whereof he was wont to writ himself Minister before he had got all these; now judge if he be not an able man, and that he is as conscionable as those by whom he hath his means and honours, judge ye, for he neaver comes to Wotton where he hath his 260 l. per annum but a matter of twice in a year, and that is out of conscience to receive his rith of the people for his great pains, but he doth supply the place very well, for there is one that hath been outed by Parliament three several times for his baseness, therefore we think this man fit to preach first at this thanksgiving: in the afternoon we desire Mr. Hardwick of Hadam in our Country, bee desired to preach at this thanksgiving for he is a man whom the Parliament have given a living of 320 l. per annum and is a man of sound doctrine for his Parish had a charge of blasphemy and lies against him, enough to out 20 better Members then he if ther had been any Iustice to be had, but he is a good Common wealths man for if there happen a Fast day to fall in Harvest he can dispense with that when he hath tithe abroad, and tell his parish, tis most fit for great Market towns to fast that have but little corn to get in and therefore we think him a very fit man for this purpose, that so the Proverb may bee fulfiled like Priest like hearers.  
We also desire our neighbours in Essex to do as much as wee have done in order to this thanks, and wee think it will be very fit for them to desire Obediah Seighwick there belowing bull calf to bleat out thankes for them. We also desire all other counties to do the like that so those that did make this ordinance may thereby be encourageed to make such an other as soon as may be in order to common freedom.  
FINIS.