Twelve queries OF public Concernment Humbly submitted to the serious consideration of the Great council of the kingdom.  By a cordial wellwisher to its Proceedings. 
1. WHether it be not a Work of extraordinary Necessity and Benefit to the whole Kingdom, to abolish and reform all unnecessary delays by Protections, essoins, frivolous Pleas, Demurrers, general Writs of Error, Motions in arrest of judgement after Verdicts upon full Evidence, Injunctions in Chancery, and the like, in suits and proceedings at the Common Law; and to take away all arrests and reversals of judgements after verdict for any defect of form, or mere misprisions or neglects of Clerks, Attorneys, council, and the like, which the Client could not prevent? Whether it be not requisite to take away the allowance of Clergy in all cases of Felony, since Bishops are abolished? it being a mere relic of Popery, allowed only to Men, not Women, though guilty of the same offence; and a badge of great injustice, to condemn and execute one Felon, only because he cannot read, and save another guilty of the same offence at the selfsame time, only because he can read his Neck-verse, or the Ordinary (against truth and conscience) affirm to the Judge, Legit vt Clericus: whereas in reason, he that can read, deserves rather of the two to die, because he is more learned, and so more capable of instruction, than he that cannot read at all. And whether it be not just, equitable, and beneficial to the republic to make entailed Lands liable to just Debts, Statutes, and judgements, as well as Fee-simple or chattel Leases? And to bring Gentlemen and others that are no Merchants or Tradesmen, who lie in prison or obscure themselves refusing to pay or compound their just debts, within all the Statutes of Bankrupts, as well as those who live by buying and selling?  
2. Whether the speedy regulation and settlement of the jurisdiction of all Courts of Justice civil and ecclesiastical, and of the exorbitant Fees of all Clerks and Officers in them, and in both houses and all Committees of Parliament; and the Rectifying of all Extortions and Abuses in Common goals and Prisons, much complained of, be not a thing of such present public Necessity and Utility, as admits no longer delay, and deserves the Parliaments speedy consideration? And whether it will not be an excellent ready means to reform abuses of Common Goals and Prisons, to make them all Houses of Correction and Common-Work-Houses, where all Felons and criminal persons of ordinary quality shall be enforced to work for their living during their imprisonment, and receive due correction in case of refusal, to keep them from idleness and other Vices; and to provide Preachers to instruct them there?  
3. Whether a new Coronation Oath, with some effectual clauses to secure the subjects Liberties against the Invasions of pretended royal Prerogatives, be not simply necessary for our future security; the old Oath having been altered in some material things? And whether an Oath enjoined by the Houses to all their members, in all public and private causes that come before them in the House or at Committees, to proceed and Vote according to the merits and justice of the cause, and the best advantage of the Commonwealth, to the best of their skill and judgement, without any fear, favour, hatred, affection or partiality; would not give much satisfaction to the people, and prevent all scandals and jealousies of partiality and affection under which some Members and Committees may else sometimes chance to suffer?  
4. Whether it would not be an Act of noble Justice and Equity, for the Parliament to take some speedy course to satisfy the just Debts of such well-affected Persons, (who are now fallen into great necessity, and ready to perish for want) freely lent long since upon the public faith, before they satisfy arrears or pay Debts to any Members or Officers, who are in no such present Necessity, and have gained much by the Wars; since many of the richer sort are to be satisfied their public faith, out of the Excise and sale of Bishops Lands?  
5. Whether the speedy suppression of all standing Country Committees & their Troops (against whom there are many grievous complaints) erected only in case of necessity, be not absolutely needful, both for the people's ease and contentment, the expediting of the Accounts of the kingdom, the reducing all things to the Ancient course of Justice, the preservation of the remaining Breeds of Cattle, sheep, horses, and Stocks of the kingdom, almost destroyed by them and their Agents, the true cause of their present dearth? And whether it be not worth the inquiry, who and what are the real causes they are still supported, continued, after so many complaints, motions, Votes, and Ordinances drawn in both Houses to abolish them?  
6. Whether it be not worthy the Parliaments present Examination, how many Companies of Horse & Foot designed for Ireland, have for many months taken free Quarter on the Country, contrary to Ordinances, without any Order as yet for their transportation; and who have been the causes of this great abuse, that they may be exemplarily punished? Whether many Irish Rebels and cavaliers under a pretext of going for Ireland, have not listed and kept themselves in Companies, taken free Quarter, levied Taxes, and committed many unsufferable Robberies, outrages in divers Counties, to the great scandal of the Parliament, the intolerable oppression and discontenting of the people, without any Orders but their own? And whether such (if not speedily disbanded and exemplarily censured) may not raise up new commotions in the kingdom, by joining with the Malignant party, and other disbanded malcontents; or else mutiny the people against the Parliament by their Exorbitances?  
7. Whether it be good husbandry or policy to employ such Commissaries or Agents in the affairs of Ireland now, who have defrauded the Parliament in that employment heretofore? Or to send provisions into Ireland from London, Norfolk, Suffolk, Sussex, the East & Southern parts, through the narrow Seas▪ (where pirates oft times meet with them) at three times the charge of freight, ten times the hazard, loss, length of time and inconvenience (such provisions being for the most part spoiled, or much impaired with long lying at Sea, and seldom arriving in due season) as they might be transported from the Western Ports; and in the mean time to eat out and waste all the Provisions of the Western Counties nearest to Ireland with free quarter of Horse and Foot, pretended for Ireland, but yet not shipped thither in eight or nine months' space; from whence Ireland and the forces there should and might receive seasonable supplies with far more speed, safety, convenience, and at much easier rates than now they do? And whether it be not worth the Inquiry, what is the true cause of such miscarriages?  
8. Whether it be not of absolute necessity both for the Parliaments, kingdoms, country's safety, to put the Orthodox conformable wellaffected party in each County (as the Militia of it) into aspeedy posture of Defence, under faithful Commanders of their own choosing, first approved by the Houses; both to suppress the present and future insolences, mutinies of such disorderly soldiers & Cavaliers, who straggle up and down refusing to disband, the overawing of the Malignant party, and all seditious Sectaries and others, who alelse may soon embroil us in new Wars? And whether the settling of such a Militia will not be a better security, and less charge to the kingdom than an Army, or capitulating mercenary soldiers?  
9 Whether the deduction of Free quarter and undue Taxes levied on the Country by soldiers out of their pay, will not satisfy most of their pretended Arrears, if duly examined? And since sew or no soldiers are so just or conscionable as to pay their quarters duly, when they have once their moneys in their purses; Whether it be not necessary to deduct all soldier's quarters for the future out of their pay at every muster, to satisfy the Counties where they billet; and to allow them to take free quarter (who else will take it without allowance or payment for it) and to disband or punish such upon complaint, who will not be contented with such ordinary quarters as the Country (in this time of dearth) may reasonably afford them, at the rates deducted for it out of their pay? Without which course and due payment of quarters by the Treasureis, out of their pay, or each Counties Contributions to ward the Army, upon tickets, or proof of the Free quarter taken upon Oath before the Committees of Accounts in each County, the Country will be totally ruined, and at last enforced (as many fear) to rise up in mutinies, both against the soldiers and Parliament too, as unable to bear the intolerable burden of free quanter, and pay Excise and Taxes too, even for that the soldiers eat and drink at free cost, as they now do in many places?  
9 Whether a speedy examination and exemplary punishment of all undue practices in Elections already made: and an Ordinance to this effect; That all the Electors of Knights or Burgesses for the Parliament, shall immediately before their Elections take an Oath, without either fear, favour, or affection, to elect such persons to serve in Parliament, as in their judgements & consciences are most sufficient, able and discreet to discharge that trust for the common good; and that such who either directly or indirectly canvas or make open or private suit for any such place, shall be absolutely disabled to sit in Parliament, though returned; would not be a ready means to prevent all future complaints of undue Elections, and ease the House of very much trouble and the people of long attendance and much expense, now spent about Elections; and so necessary to be Ordained?  
10. Whether it be not necessary or expedient to redeem all Impropriations in the possession of colleges, Hospitals, and Free-Schools, by settling demesn Lands of Deans and Chapters of equal value on them by way of exchange? And whether the speeding of the Ordinance for surveying and returning the true yearly value of all Church livings, Impropriations, Deans and Chapters Lands in every County, and for the uniting and dividing of Parishes and augmenting the means of such as are incompetent upon the return thereof, will not be an effectual means for the settlement of our Church; and the only methodical way to make all livings competent?  
11. Whether the speedy settling of the great Seal of England in able and trusty hands, the confining the Chancery to its due bounds, the reducing of penal Bonds to a less forfeiture (as 120. l. for not payment of 100 l. at the day to prevent suits in Chancery) and filling the Courts up with able Judges, will not prove a great advancement of Justice and benefit to the Subject?  
12. Whether the delays and difference about the Ordinance for Oxford will not prove mischievous to the University, the whole Church and kingdom, if long continued? And whether all private differences, ends, interests, formalities, should not always give way to public Accommodations and Advantages, especially in Parliaments?  
FINIS.   

LONDON, Printed by I. M. for M. Spark, at the Bible in Green 〈◊〉 MDCXLVII.