THE SILKEN INDEPENDENTS SNARE BROKEN.  
By Thomas Prince, close Prisoner in the TOWER.  
TURNING The mischief intended upon him, in Walwyns wiles, upon the Seven Independent Authors thereof, viz. William Kiffin, David Lordell, John Price, Richard Arnald, edmond Roster, Henry Foster, Henry Barnet.  Prov. 30.12, 13. 
There is a Generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.  
There is a Generation: O how lofty are their eyes! and their eie-lids are lifted up.  
LOND●… Printed by H. H. for W. L and 〈…〉 of the Blackmore near Bishopg●… 〈…〉.   

THE SILKEN INDEPENDENTS Snare broken, &c.  
AFter I had been violently fetched out of my bed and house by Souldiers, horse and soot, and had been imprisoned in the Tower above six weeks, for no other cause that I know, but for manifesting my affection to the liberties of my Country; and, with my fellow-Sufferers, had been visited and comforted with abundance of single-hearted Christians, both Men and Women, whose affections I shall ever thankfully remember: After this, upon a sudden, by Order of Parliament, I was deprived, not only of those my Comforters, but of the society of my true Friends, and fellow-Sufferers, and( as they) was made so close a Prisoner, that my Wife and Children were for a time denied to see me. This, considering it was a measure I never looked for from a Parliament, and from persons for whom I had adventured my estate and life, more then once: This, I conceive, will be soon apprehended to be of a sore and cutting nature; and, I confess, it did very much oppress my spirit.  
When behold( as the fittest season to add unto my sorrowful condition) seven of Job's Comforters give me a visit, In a slanderous Book, styled, WALWYNS wil●ss; and therein present me with a cup of gull and vinegar to drink. I looked upon their names, considered they were men that were most zealous professors of Religion, that had boasted very much of the Spirit of God, and called themselves Saints, men that I had done all the good I could unto: I wondered and stood amazed to see and read the horrible falshoods there related, purposely to destroy me and my Friends.: So th●… for a good while I was even confounded, to see how far different this dea●… ng was from all true and real Christians: This, I thought, might be suitable to professors, but no way approvable in the School of Christ, by any that make his precepts a rule of their practise. Professing Christians might possibly hear no better fruit: but, I thought practical Christians throughout the World, would blushy to own it.  
But when I thoroughly weighed the men, and this their Communication, I found it no new thing for reall-hearted Christians to be scandalised and abused by men that took upon them a mere form of godliness( serving God very much with their lips, when their hearts are far from him) having no power thereof in their lives and conversations; and that it hath been the constant practise of such in all ages, as the Scriptures and other Histories do manifestly declare.  
Hereupon I left to wonder, that I and my fellow-Sufferers should be thus flandered and abused by these false Teachers, and false Brethren, who call themselves Saints and Christians, but are more like the Jews at this day, who are said to make no scruple of mischieving any that are not of their Synagogue, of their Congregations, or Churches.  
But God, I trust, will enable me to cast these seven Vipers off, that thus leaped upon me at an advantage, with intention to sting me to death; and will preserve me, and my Friends, that we shall take no harm at all by their malice, but make them lick up the poison they have here vomited; and that all men shall see their snare broken, and the harmless birds escaped: For if their wiles be well observed, they at once labour to poison our good names, and lay snares purposely to entangle us in our answers: but God, in whom I trust, is All-sufficient.  
In their Epistle, they are pleased to say, That they that do look upon Mr Lilburn, and myself, to be simple-headed and simplo hearted— It's well yet, you deny not but Mr Walwyn, and Mr Overton, have plainly, and for many years, seen your juggling and hypocrisy, and only Mr Lilburn and I are simplo: You do not say, in what; and if you mean that we were simplo in that we did not see your dissembling, and the dissembling of your Faction sooner: Believe it, you are mistaken, for we have both seen it many months, and some years, and  told some of the chief of your Faction at least 22 months ago, that you carried on A New England design: That, under pretence of Religion, our Laws, Liberties, and many mens lives, should all lie at your mercy, if once you composed your desires.  
You proceed, and say, That although in words we profess, yet in works we deny the interest of England, viz. that the People at Westminster are not a lawful Parliament, but th'are maintained by the power of the Sword, to overawe and tyramnize over the free-born People of England; that it is against the Laws of the Land, that there be any Martiall Law in time of Peace, though an Army under pay insinuating, as if we were all in Peace, which we are not likely to be, while such coals of contention are kindled by them; that the design of the House at Westminster, and council of State, is, to keep down the People under tyranny and slavery, by an Army( as if it were possible, as the case stands, to settle the Commonwealth without an Army)  
As for the interest of England, and just Authority of Parliament, there is no men in England have, or do stand for it more then Mr Lilburn, Mr Walwyn, Mr Overton, and myself, as our actions can plentifully testify, both before the late Wars, in all the time of War, and since; and if we had not stood for the interest of England, we had not now been in prison, but might have been preferred to great Offices; provided, we would have been silent, and not regarded the true interest of England.  
It is well known how I have assisted for the preservation of the just interest of Parliaments, both in person and purse, and did engage all the friends that ever I could in their behalf; for when as Committees of Parliament sent unto me at such a time when the Parliament and the affairs of the Nation were in a low condition, and did acquaint me with the urgent necessity; and desired me as I tendered the good of the Nation, to furnish them with the quantity of Cheese and butter according to their Order, and I should be paid at a certain day( within few moneths after:) according to their desire, I did then forthwith deliver unto them to the value of above a thousand pound; which although I delivered it almost seven years ago, and was promised by the Committee, who did contract with me, that I should be paid part thereof within three moneths, and the remainder within few moneths after; yet to this day the money is un-paid unto me; the want whereof hath been exceeding prejudicial unto me; I am sure it hath been many hundred, pounds, if not thousand of pounds damage unto me, I dare appeal to the conscience of any rational trades-man of London, who hath no way of living to maintain himself, his wife, children and family, and to pay all taxes, but his trade; and let him judge what it is for a trades-man to be without all, or most of his estate six or seven years.  
Likewise I hearing of the great distress of our brethren of the City of Gloucester, I used my utmost abilities in their behalf, I engaged one of the first Companies of the Train-bands in London for their relief, which engagement was agreed unto, provided I would go, which I did, and one of my servants; and at the fight by Newbury( coming from the relief of the City of gloucester) I was much wounded, and was above two years in the chirurgeons hands, who did take out of my wounds thirty six pieces of bones( many more are broken) and am very often pained therewith exceedingly: my conscience doth witness unto me● and my actions will testify, how faithfully I have assisted to my very utmost ability, from the beginning of the wars to this day, for the real preservation of the interest of England, and for the just authority of Parliaments; and am persuaded, if I had served any other Authority in the world with that faithfulness I have the Parliament, I should not have been dealt withall as they have done; I am certain, that I never wronged nor abused the just authority; as for those at Westminster, the great Officers of the Army, in whose judgements you acquiesce, they called them a mock Parliament, a mock-power; but when I did so, or called the Men at Westminster— that's yet to prove.  
The People are so ignorant, they cannot tell, whether they are over awed by the Sword or not, and whether their freedoms are taken away or no; you only know all things, the people are so simplo headed, as I, it may be, and cannot tell when they are whipped and pinched; you pinch and cry out who pinches you; I am sure I know who imprisoned me contrary to Law; and who keeps my estate from me: As for Marshall-Law, it is not what Mr. Lilburne and I say, but what the Petition of Right and other good Laws saith, there is is to be found, That Marshall Law is not to be exercised when the Courts are open, no not against enemies although taken in arms; it being very just it should be so; for the trial by twelve men of the Neighbourhood ought not to be denied to any: Marshall Law ought to be exercised only in times of necessity upon( or close to) an engagement with an enemy, and in cases that will admit of no delay; or, when the Courts are not open: If Marshall Law should continue while an Army is in pay, the soldier who pretends, and is called forth, to fight for the Freedom of the Nation, is in all that time of service, in a worse condition of bondage a hundred fold, then he was before he was a soldier; so that while he fights for the liberties of the Nation, he himself is in bondage, being denied the benefit of those Laws he fights to preserve.  
Before he was a soldier, if he had been accused for breach of the Laws, he had liberty to be tried by his neighbours where the fact was committed; to except against 36 Jury-men, his Jury to be sworn to do justly, it did behove them so to do; for the man that the Jury sits upon one day, may be of the Jury to judge some of them the next day: It is not so in Marshall Law, they are not chosen by the Country: Nor hath the soldier liberty of exception, or ever to attain to judge any of the Officers; besides, the cruelty of the Articles of War being worse then any Law in the Land, and the Officers are generally both parties and Judges: So that still I say, God bless Englishmen, and Souldiers too, from such trials, whatever you say.  
Marshall Law is somewhat like to the Laws of the Scribes and Pharisees, and to the Laws of the Turks and other Tyrants, who lay heavy burdens upon others backs, but not touch them with their own finger: Is this according to that golden Standard? Do as ye would be done unto; none but Hypocrites will say it is.  
Usually, you know, the Asperser is guilty of what he asperseth others withall, You say, Mr Lilburn and I are the hinderers of Peace, when you and your Faction are the great and only hinderers.  
The last War had been prevented, and the Nation settled in Peace long ago, if our advice had been taken; but you and your Faction countenanced the breach of engagement with all sorts of people; abusing honest men, as now ye do; courting the KING above measure, one fit; 
* Kiffin, Price, &c. petitioned for a personal Treaty.  and said, That the KING was as Consecrated Corn, and ought not to be cut down by any but by God only: Mr Kiffin kissed the KING'S Hand; and after that, he used his endeavour in persuading people for a personal Treaty; and to that purpose was Mr Kiffin, Mr Patience, Mr Price, and others of that Faction with a Petition at the Parliament door; in the next, No more Addresses, endeavouring to close with corrupt interest; by which fraudulent dealing, and extremes, a new War came to pass: But when the chief of your Faction, seeing to what detriment they had brought themselves, by their abusing us, and other good People: how did they weep, and lament, and call upon God! And, O the promises they then made! they would never abuse honest men more! And if God would be but pleased to bless our joint endeavours really, what good men would they be; when as no sooner the storm begins to blow over, but honest men were destroyed and abused; which all that have any conscience, cannot deny.  
The council of Spain, and their Confederates, cried out, that the Prince of Orange, and those that assisted him, were the cause of the troubles in the Netherlands, when as they that did so asperse him were the only cause: It is apparently known to be a truth, that you, and your Faction, are the cause of the troubles of the Nation; you hinder all good Petitions, Agreements, or any thing that tendeth to the settling of the Nation in Peace; whereby the oppression of the Nation, with all the supporters of tyranny, might be taken away, and provision for a Representative for the Nation, to be freely and annually chosen; with bounds to them, that they, nor any, shall ever be able to enslave the People any more. These things you are against; neither do you offer any thing that hath any freedom in it; but you are, and have been a long time, willing to join with any corrupt interest; as by your crying up the KING and Lords, when you were in hopes they would have joined with your Faction; Mr Kiffin, and others of you, kissed the KING'S Hand, and were for a personal Treaty; and the Lords by you cried up in your Petitions, to be the High Court of Parliament, and that you would stand by them: Every one that hath but half an eye, may see thereby, how you are to be trusted; Hosanna, to day; and crucify them, to morrow.  
You follow the steps of your Fore-Fathers, who made, as you do, great shows of Religion; the former Factions in our daies did the same; so it was in the daies of Christ and his Apostles, and from age to age, men that would neither do good, nor suffer others; we find it true by you: you will neither suffer us, and other good people, so much as to propose any thing to settle the Nation in Peace, nor do it yourselves, but cry out against us with reproaches, as other Factions have done against faithful men in all times.  
As for settling the Nation by an Army, I conceive that it ought to be settled upon Foundations of equity, all the Peoples oppressions and tyranny removed, only just and necessary things laid upon them, the supporters taken away, provision for a constant annual Parliament freely chosen: this being done, and the Parliament and all Authority so bounded, that they shall never be able to enslave the People more, we should then need but a little Army under pay; yet the Nation be put into a stronger and more united Posture of defence then now it is.  
You likewise say, That we have acknowledged, in our several Papers, that they are the supreme Authority of the Nation, and yet would tie them to govern by the known Laws; not to alter the Government, viz: to establish a council of State; yet have power to take away the Life of the King, and abolish the House of Lords.  
It is true, we have acknowledged the Commons of England the Supreme Authority; and that little number of men at Westminster 
* Lese by the sword of Pride, and his Associates.  we have made our addresses unto; judging of two evils the least, to choose rather to own a few men, until a Parliament called by the People( which was promised with all their might speedily to effect) then solely and only to be ruled by the wils of Sword-men: yet withall we  told them, that the supreme Authority must be used only to a supreme end, the safety of the People; they having no Authority to make us less free then they found us: It is well known, the Petition of Right, and many other good Laws, were made before the late troubles, and are still, or ought to be, of Force; the benefit thereof ought not to be denied to any: And if the King, or any man, do offend, it is for breach of a Law, which ought not only to be made just, but published and made known to the People; and by that known Law, both King, and all People, ought to have been tried, and by no other; Parliaments have no Authority from the People, nor by the Law, to be Judges of mens lives; and a Law cannot be said to be broken, until it be known: You do not sure imagine the Parliament by its supremacy may take away from the People the Petition of Right; or continue Taxes worse then all the patents, as the Excise; or such things, as caused the War against the KING: if you do, I am sure I do not; and pray God to bless England from such a supreme Authority in a Parliament.  
The Parliament have authority to take away unjust Courts, and to make the People more free then they found us, but not less; the high Commission, Star-Chamber, and council-table were all put down, as being palpably unjust, in that they did examine men upon Interrogatories, imprison men at pleasure; and it was enacted and expected, that the like should never be practifed or erected under any other name in England: Yet it is well known, and we do find it, that men are set up called by a new name, which doth act the same things, and worse then ever they did; and, yet you would have us not complain, but abuse us if we do. Or, was it unlawful for the high Commission, Star-Chamber, or council-table, to examine men upon Interrogatories? to set Spies over men, and to imprison People at pleasure? The same being now done by you, is termed lawful: The Riddle, I see, lies here; it was unlawful for the Bishops Faction to abuse the People, because some of you, and many of your Friends, were abused: but your Faction being got into their seat, and using the very same practices, and worse; yet this is lawful, as you account it. Indeed, as simplo as you account me, I am not of your mind: neither is any People of that opinion, but those that are for tyranny and oppression.  
In your Epistle, you likewise say, That the sending of Forces to Ireland is for nothing else but to make way, by the blood of the Army, to enlarge their territories of Power and tyranny; That it is unlawful War, a cruel bloody work, to go to destroy the Irish for their consciences( though they had killed many thousands for their consciences) and to drive them from their proper, natural and native Rights; though they have done the like for others, &c. These are your own words, and pray keep them yourselves for me; for where have I expressed so much?  
But, as for Ireland, upon a true account it would appear, that I have done more for the relief and good of it, then all or most of you; I am sure, I am some hundreds of pounds the worse for what I have done. As for those murders and cruelties done by any of the Irish, I am against them as much as you, or any men in England can be; yet it's conceived, there is some of the Irish had no hand in the murders, no more then London, and other Counties of England, have had in the shedding of the late innocent blood: Shall London, and all places, suffer for the innocent blood  shed in England? No, God forbid! the most of them were against it.  
If England were settled, as afore mentioned, the goodness of the Government would invite the Irish, with a desire unto it; there would then be some hopes( sending over faithful men, those who would make conscience of their ways, such as would keep their engagements) that the Irish would soon be reduced; as being willing to change their condition of bondage for freedom, and willingly render the chief Authors and agents in that inhuman butchery up to justice, whereby much innocent blood might be saved.  
Also care ought to be taken, that if when the Irish are overcome, that none of those employed, do turn the gaining thereof to their own domination; a taste whereof, you know, is exercised in England: for what are we better for all the victories gained this 8 years? Are not the People more burdened then ever? Wise and honest men will aclowledge it.  
Julius caesar had Commission from the Roman people, and the Army under his Command, raised and paid by them, the said caesar was chief general 7 or 8 years; in which time, he obtained against the Peoples enemies, as many, and far greater victories, then have been obtained in all these Wars; and after that, he broken the Authority that gave him Commission, in pieces, set up himself, and turned all the Victories into bondage: Was not he a godly precious man? Did not God own and appear for him? These are your words of some men of our daies; which whether they do not the same things he did, I leave it to wise men to judge.  
You say, That I endeavour to divide the Army, and break it in pieces by jealousies and discontents; and so( in conclusion) to give advantage to the Rebels to invert and overthrow this Land.  
You are mistaken in what you charge me: I have assisted the Army to the utmost of my abilities all along, even to the hazard of my life and estate; and I never did any thing that tendeth to make division, but desired they would remember their Engagements to the People, and that the People did not pay them for nothing, nor that they should help any to Lord it over the People; but that they should discharge a good Conscience, and make good their engagements; which is that the people do expect, and which in conscience they are bound to perform without delay: he is the Troubler, that doth not keep his engagements: that which you unjustly accuse me of, you and your Faction are guilty of.  
And for keeping out of Rebels, I am not only against any that shall invade the Land from abroad; but I am against all that any ways invade our liberties within the Nation: I am of the same judgement as I  told Mr Bradshaw I formerly was, I hate injustice, wheresoever I find it; and in a Parliament I esteem it more hateful, then in the King or Bishops; itis a true mark of a Faction in all ages; they disturb the world to remove one oppressor, that they may get his place, enrich themselves, and over-rule all themselves; and this is so apparently true to be now exercised by you, and your Faction, that few, if any, are ignorant of it; If all authorities whatsoever would bring their actions to the Rule( do as ye would be done unto) as they ought, this Nation had been settled long ago, and the people eased of the two millions of money which now at least yearly they pay; if this rule had been observed, I had not been( nor my fellow sufferers) in prison. Would Members of Parliament, or any man in Command, be content that others should imprison them, or put them to Death contrary to Law? certainly they would count it hard measure to be so dealt withall.  
I am confident no Member of any authority or command, that hath a good conscience, dare do that to any, which he would not have others in the like case to do unto him; it is only Scribes, Pharisees, Hypocrites, that doth or would do otherwise; the woes of Heaven, and the cries of the oppressed, good people( which God doth hear) are against them; and doubt not, without their speedy amendment of their ways, they will suddenly fall, and be seen no more, but receive their portion with tyrants, truce-breakers, hypocrites, and robbers of the people.  
Pag. 4, You use these words, we have of late observed several expresses from three of the manifestators so qualified, as if writ by the chief secretary of the prince of slanders: and in the said page., you aclowledge Mr Lilburne and myself, to be two of the manifestators; that which I writ before the manifestation was made, was onely a narrative of the apprehending of me, at or about four a clock, 28 March last in the morning, with a guard of 200 or thereabouts, Horse and Foot; the unjust questions put to me by Mr Bradshaw, and their dealing with me contrary to Law, or Equity, with my answer; it is in Print, and I do avouch it to be true, and I shall leave it to any rational man to judge, whether I that writ the Narrative, or you that writ these untruths against me, are chief secretaries to the prince of slanders.  
You say, Through whose lines, as through a Prison-gate, such a distempered furious railing and raging spirit, doth stare and gaze their sober and judicious Readers in the face, spitting such venom, rancour, and malice, against the most pious, and deserving men of this Nation, that they cannot do such, homage to Beelzebub, the prince of such spirits, as to hear the sound of his revengeful and erroneous language, and to waste their time in reading such slanderous Declarations from his infernal court; these are your words.  
Who would take it for a high offence if one should say, you are not Saints, as you would fain be esteemed, Godly precious men; to call a Knave a Knave, if done by me, or my friends, is an un-Christian-like speech, as you call it: but you have a Religion, that suffers your conscience to say any thing, yea, to rail religiously: O be a shamed to mention Religion any more, or leave your bitterness and hypocrisy; framing of lies is nothing with you: the words I then spoken, when I was before the men you call Godly, which since ( as I said before) I have writ and published, with all the passages about my Imprisonment, is no scandal but truth; and written by him who owns no such Master, as the prince of slanders, nor his Court wheresoever it is; and that I did not abuse any Pious and deserving men in this Nation,( I wish all such had their deserts) but I was abused by Hypocrites, Dissemblers, and Apostates, such as yourselves, who suggested false things against me.  
The word, Court, is much in your mouths, it seems you are all turned Courtiers, Noblemen of the stamp, Knights of the new order of the cloven foot: Mr Price I hear is one of the conclave that fits there, and gives oaths of secrecy to Spies, and Intelligencers, as Mr blank is ready to testify; and which is another riddle, they proved not his back friend, though he refused the office.  
Pag. 6. You say, That the manifestation which we put forth, April 14. 1649. is not the licentious provoking, daringnesse of Lieut. Col. Lilburn's Pen, nor yet the notorious profaneness of Mr Richard Overton's Pen; as for Mr Prince, he is a younger brother( lately drawn in) and no farther accomplished in his brethrens art, then in the lesson of conformity unto their proceedings, and conscription unto their oppressors.  
You are exceedingly mistaken in these your suggestions, and slanders; I am not a younger brother as you suppose, being ancienter then two of my fellow sufferers; and if your meaning be, that I am weak in judgement, and am lead by them, or any others, you are mistaken; for although my fellow sufferers, Lieut. Col. John Lilburne, Mr William Walwyn, and Mr Richard Overton, are men that have stood this many years as much as ever men in England ever did, in opposition to tyranny wheresoever they have found it; and have endeavoured, to their utmost abilities, even to the hazard of their lives; that the Nation might be settled in peace and safety; that all oppression from the people might be removed; that there may be no complaining in the Land, and this I know, is their desire, and what their conscience binds them unto; to use their abilities for the obtaining thereof: and although they are men that have much wisdom and knowledge, men that truly act thidgs according to a good conscience.  
Yet notwithstanding I cannot, nor ever did I see with their eyes, but in every Petition, or any other thing that I joined with these, or any others, I was first of all convinced, and satisfied in my own understanding in the justness of it, before ever I did assist therein; and this resolution, I shall God willing, follow both with them and all others.  
And therefore you are exceedingly mistaken in your snares and suggestions; and where you further said, That Mr Lilburne, Mr Overton and myself, had no hand in the framing of the manifestation which we put forth April 14. 1649. but that it was only Mr Walwyn's pen, and not ours; this is another of your mistakes, or rather of your snares to divide us; for Lieut Col. John Lilburn, Mr Richard Overton, and myself, had each of us our parts also in the framing thereof: I shall not prove so simplo headed, as to be caught with such chase; a weak fly would easily break such silly snares and cobwebs: true Spiders work, and too much of the Serpent.  
Pag. 26. You say, As for Mr Prince, I have no acquaintance at all, but have heard a good report of him: by this your juggling it doth appear you have a conscience to say any thing; first you say, I am chief Secretary to the prince of slanders; and after that you confess, and say, I know not Mr Prince, but hears good report of him: when the devil spoken in the Scribes and Pharisees, then he said, we say Christ deals with Beelzebub the prince of Devils( they asperse Christ who was Innocent, with that they were guilty of) but notwithstanding, when the devil came to speak alone, then he said, know it is Christ( or I have heard a good report of him) when you come with your We; then you term me to be chief secretary to the prince of Devils; when with your I, then, as the Devil did, you can speak the truth;( And although in your paper it is said, I have no acquaintance at al of Mr Prince) yet I know you Mr Kiffin, and have this nine years, and four more of you; and I know your dissimulation, and the snares you lay, to catch and abuse the people, and whose agents you are; and I know and see through your vanity and forms, and your superstition, which you call Religion, your feastings, and rejoicing after you have done evil: I am not so simplo to be caught, or taken by these snares, and cobwebs of yours, or of any faction whatsoever, nor all your allurements, enticements, or threats, imprisonment, or any thing in this world shall ever persuade me to the contrary.  
To me your snare, and the snare of your Faction is broken; my conscience is fully convinced of the abomination of your ways, and if there were no more men in England, or in the world to protest against your ways and wil●ss; which I may truly say are the worst that ever was in this Nation; yet I have, and will do it while breath is in me.  
All that have good consciences will fall from you, when once they understand what you intend; I am sure God is against all such hypocrites; and when the eyes of the people are a little more open, they will no longer endure such deceivers as you are, but forsaking your flattering fraudulent council, will give ear to honest things; and use their utmost abilities( being bound in conscience thereunto) for the removing of all oppression from the people, and for a just settlement of the Nation; wherein all authority may be so bounded, that they shall never be able to enslave us any more, however, this God willing shall be endeavoured by me, so long as God shall give me life and health; as not knowing which way to manifest any thankfulness, more to his praise and glory.  
From my close Imprisonment in the Tower of London, this 20th. June, 1649. Thomas Prince.  
FINIS.