A REMONSTRANCE IN DEFENCE OF THE LORDS and COMMONS in Parliament, in justification of their Defensive war, confirmed by four reasons, as being undertaken for Religion, The King, The Parliament, The country. And aiming at no other end but the honour of the KING, the good of the Common-wealth, and the peace and prosperity of the kingdom. But most especially undertaken for the preservation of the Protestant RELIGION. LONDON, Printed for joseph Thomas, 1642. A REMONSTRANCE Of the Lords and Commons in Parliament, in justification of their Defensive war. SINce many Declarations and Remonstrances sent between the King and Parliament, have not produced that reconcilement which was hearty desired by the Commons of England; the Parliament is now fully resolved to take up Defensive wars upon these four motives, For Religion, The King, The Parliament, And the country. It being a cause so inseparable, that none can think that war to be lawfully undertaken by any divine warrant, which doth not aim only at the preservation of the Kings honour and Person, and again were merely grounded on the Kings Prerogative, thereby to destroy the liberty of the Subject, and bring this Monarchy into a tyrannical government, is an intention that makes such wars unjust, as having private ambition, not the glory of God, for the aim and end thereof: neither is the love of our country, and the particular estates which men enjoy therein, a sufficient reason to engage a country in a civill war; for so it would be a Rebellion, rather then a defensive war. These four therefore aforesaid, being the common intentions of all designs, and we must all meet and concur, neither fighting for the one, nor the other, but for all; otherwise the Argument, Ground, and Reason of such a war, will prove erâ—Źoneous and fallacious, and being a good war when the causes are united; this is when the war is undertaken for Gods glory, the Kings Honour, the Parliament and the Countreys preservation. It will be an unjust and unlawful war, when for the pleasing of the King, and satisfying his demands, some of the subjects combine against the rest, to exalt his desires, having neither love, equity, nor Religion on their sides to assure their consciences that they fight the Lords Battels as well as the Kings. And moreover, if the country should resist the true and lawful commands of their sovereign, and desire rather to eglarge their own liberty against Law, rather then to preserve them by Law, or any way to despise and contemn the power of their aunointed King and sovereign; such a War ensuing from the unbounded and unlimited humour of the Commons, is by the Law of God, and the Law of the Land to be accounted no better then those Rebelious which were in the former reigns of several Kings of England. But the Parliament have first endeavoured in all dutiful and loyal manner to apply themselves unto his majesty, and laboured by humble prayers, and clear and convincing reasons and arguments in several Petitions to satisfy Him in their just intentions and proceedings, for the safety of his royal Person, and the peace of the kingdom. And finding that all their endeavours and labours were frustrated and made vain by his Majesties evil counsellors, who have not only withdrawn his much desired presence from them, but also so wrought upon him by their pernicious advice and counsel, so that they have made him raise sums in the North, under pretence of a defensive Guard, thereby to exercise hostility on his loving Subjects; to make sharp returns and bitter expressions against the Parliaments. Petitions to manifest an intention of desiring the possession of Hull, the command of the Fleet, and the Magazine, which being committed into the hands of Papists, the Parliament should be exposed to the mercy of the enemies, who would convert such forces and such places entrusted to them unto the ruin of the Parliament, the destruction of the kingdom, and the laws and liberties of the Subject, to endure Papistry, change the form of Government of this kingdom, and make it subject to the Arbitrary power of the King, that so a few evil counsellors having special influence on his affections, might under his power and Prerogative squeeze the subjects purses, and be all Viceroys under the Kings matters. Therefore being come to such an apparent point of danger, that the Parliament cannot conside in the Kings good intentions towards them, when he opposes them in all things, suffering also others with sharp invectives to scandalise their persons, while the malignant party striveth by all means to overthrow and dissolve this Parliament, and by cutting it up by the roots, to take away all other Parliaments, and consequently the liberty of the Subjects, thereby preserved and maintained. Upon these grounds and motives the whole body of the Commons, of what County or Shire soever, according to their protestations formerly taken, and many exhibited petitions unto the House of Parliament, ought in duty, and by the bond and obligation of their Religion, not to stand still and see the State distressed, the Parliament oppressed, and the King possessed by the evil counsels of the malignant party. But on the contrary to expeie their lives and fortunes for the defence and maintenance of the true Religion, the Kings Person, Honour, and Estate, the rights and liberties of the Parliament, and the Subject, and the defence of their country against all tyranny and arbitrary government. And that the Commons may the better understand the cause and quarrel which they undertake, and from thence have their courages quickened, and their mindes animated, when they understand what and how great the matters are which now lye at stake, and are to be won or lost by the sword, since such great controversies are not to be tried in any Court of Judicature: but when wrong and injustice and the alteration of Religion is imposed on this kingdom, all the Commons and Subjects, must every one with cheerful willingness, appear ready to spend their lives pro aris & focis, that is, for Religion, their King, the Parliament, and their country. And first for Religion. All true hearted Subjects ought to fight to maintain the purity and substance thereof, that it may not be changed into the ceremonious formality of Popery, in that their consciences may not be brought into the subjection of the Roman slavery. That the sun of the Gospel now shining clear in the Scriptures, which the common people are now permitted to red, may not be darkened by the dark mists of Popety, who desiring to keep the Laity in ignorance, deny them to peruse the holy Scriptures. That they may not be subject to the Popes tyranny, enforced to pay him tribute to maintain his fat kitchen, nor have loads imposed on them of Penance, Confession, and a rabble of human traditions. That they may not be lewdly lead by the ambitious Clergy, who for profit will led on the people till they both fall into hell, and will frame Religion to be conformable to their own lusts and desires, and profitable to themselves, though they starve the souls of the people. For these reasons therefore, the subject should defend the Protestant Religion, since being true and sincere, they are bound to maintain the true faith. The Subjects also are by the duty of allegiance bound to defend and maintain the Kings Person, Honour, and Estate. That his Person may not always be environed by those who carry him upon his own enemy, and the destruction of all his people. That those wicked counsellors which have thus far engaged the Kings Honour into the pitty of the Subjects, who grieve to see that his good and merciful temper should be so wrought on, that he should yield to appear as a defendet of Delinquents and false counsellors against his loving Subjects and loyal Parliament, in this case to set the King free and right in the opinion of his Subjects; the Subject ought, and is bound to maintain the Kings Honour. That the King may gain the love and respect of his Subjects, for He thereby evil counsel seeks to deprive him of that, doth as much as in him lieth divest him of his royal Authority, fince the love and affection of His true Subjects is a stronger defence unto the Kings Majesty, then all power and Prerogative which He hath over this Kingdom; and therefore all endeavours aiming to work a separation between His Majesty and His Subjects, in matter of love and mutual correspondence, do take away his power and glory, and so by consequent his Kingdom; for what is a King without power and glory, and estumation amongst his Subjects; and therefore such as labour and strive to effect this, and to lose him the hearts of his Subjects in his own kingdom, are to be accounted enemies to the peace of the kingdom; and therefore War is to be maintained against them as the Kings enemies. Thus War undertaken for Gods cause, for Religion, and the maintenance of the true Protestant faith, is the reason why we should fight for the King, who hath so often promised in his Declarations, to be the defender thereof; so that if Religion suffer as it is like to do, by instigation of the malignant party, drawing the King to communicate in their designs, and making him guilty as much as they can of their prenicious purposes; that so they may under his power and Autherity protect themselves from any condign punishment. In this case the Parliament who are the eyes, ears, and understanding of the Common wealth, are much wronged in the charge entrusted unto them by their Countreys; and therefore when this wise Senate and Parliament that doth thus oppose itself against the Kings affections, misled by evil counsellors, is drawn into danger, contempt, and dissolution; a defensive war, not to resist, but to withstand the exuberane of the Kings power may be tolerated and levied for these ends. That the Parliament may not by the malignant party be destroyed, nor they become masters of our Religion and liberties to make us slaves, That the government of this kingdom may not be reduced to the condition of some other Countries, which are not governed by Parliament, nor laws, but by the will of the Prince and his Favourites. That the malignant party may be prevented of their purposes, who seeking to ruin this Parliament here, thereby combined to cut up the freedom of Parliament by the roote, and take all Parliaments away; or which is worse matter then the instruments of slander; and so deprive the Subject of all freedom and liberty. Neither can the Parliament be any way distressed in their just proceedings; but the Country taking notice thereof, and of their apparent danger, preparations being made to ruin us all, and to compel the train Bands to come in and fight against their country: In this case the country is to be made anotive of war for our friends fathers, wives, children, and posterity are not to be neglected in whose defence we ought to fight for our country. First, that Gods true Religion may be maintained therein, and Papistry utterly expelled: And this Religion binds us to defend the Kings Person and Honour, abused by wicked counsellors, and all His friends and loving Subjects, and especially the Parliament, the Representative body of the Commons. And lastly, for the prosperity and peace of the country and whole kingdom; and upon these four reasons defensive arms may be taken up by the Subjects, and the Commons of England, to Gods glory, and the kingdoms Honour. Ordered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, that the Sheriffes of the county, of york and lincoln, and likewise the Lords pheasants of the said Counties, and in their absence, their Deputies allowed by Parliament, and the Iustices of Peace, and all others his majesties Officers shall suppress all forces that shall be raised, or gathered together in those Counties, either to force the town of Hull, to stop the passages, to, and from the same; or in any other way to disturb the peace of the kingdom. ORdered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, that this shall be printed and published forthwith. jo. brown clear. Parl. FJNJS.