IT is not unknown to any that have not been wil­fully blind, wi [...]h what a high hand of Arbitrary Power the late Protector Oliver Cromwell swayed the Scepter of these three Nations for the space of five years, and laid the best foundations his short and troublesome Reign would give leave to have continued his posterity in the same unlimited domi­nion; declaring, when death summoned him to account (if we may credit the greatest of our present Rulers) h [...]s eldest Son Richard his Successor in his usurped dominion, and leaving his Son Henry Lord Lieutenant or Viceroy of Ireland, and his Daughter Fleetwood married to the Commander in chief under him of the Army, (which they had very far new modelled for their turn) and the most probable competitor for succession in the Protectorship. Now that subtle Lambert was upon discovery, his active undermining spirit re­moved from all places of trust and opportunities of doing mischief.

In this posture of affairs was England and the dominions thereof, when the Lyon was forced to quit his prey; of whom I will say no more, because he is gone to his own place, and where I can speak no good of the dead, I hold it almost a duty to say no evil.

The Protector being interred among the Kings and Queens at Westminster, (at a vaster charge than had been used upon like occasions in the richest times) death giving him that honour which he had aspired to, but durst not embrace in his life time, his Son Richard, an honest private Gentleman well beloved in Hampshire, the Country where he lived, ascended the throne by the invitation and incourage­ment of Fleetwood, D. shorough, Syd [...]nham, the two Jones's, Thurloe, and others the Relations and Confidents of his Father, and by the contrivance of the Court received congratulations (prepated at VVhite­ [...]all) from most of the Counties, Cities and chief Townes of England, and from the Armies of England, Scotland, and Ireland, with ingage­ments to live and die with him▪ Addresses from the Independent Churches [Page 4] by Doctor Goodwill and Nye their Metropolitans, and was indeed wor­shipped by many as the rising sun in our Horizon.

This introduction being made to the transferring the Government of these Nations from the Stewarts to the Cromwells, it was conceived by those who had proceeded thus far, that a General convention or [...] [...]isely chosen by influences from Court; would easily swallow what had been so well prepared to their hands. And accordingly it [...] by the Junio before mentioned, that a Par [...]ment should be called to meet the twenty seventh of January last, and (by pretence of resto [...]ing the people to their ancient way of Elections, but really) that the Court might command the more votes, the Burroughs had Writs also sent to them, and the Elections were all made in the antient way, only thirty members were called by W [...]i [...]s from Scotland, and as many from Ireland, according to the late combination of the three Na­tions into one Commonwealth.

This new kind of Parliament being met at the time and place ap­pointed, God had so well ordered the Elections, notwithstanding the practices of men, that their English Spirit quickly appeared both a­gainst Impositions from Court and Army. And though their Counsels were at first interrupted with an Act of Recognition of the Protector, pre­pared and brought in by the Court, which took up the first fortnight of their time upon the very point of Recognition, ye [...] they were at length extricated from that difficulty by the Expedient of an honest Gentleman, in passing these votes on Monday the fourteenth of Febru­ary 16 [...]8. without any division or negative.

Resolved,

That it be part of this Bill to Recognize and declare his Hignesse Richard Lord Protector and chief magistrate of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the dominions and territories thereunto belonging.

Resolved,

That before this Bill be committed, the House do declare such ad­ditional clauses to be part of this Bill, as may bound the power of the Chief Magistrate; and fully secure the rights and privileges of Par­liament, and the liberties and rights of the people: And that neither this, nor any other previous vote, that is, or shall be passed in order to this Bill, shall be of force or binding to the people, untill the whole Bill be passed.

Their next work was to appoint a Committee for Inspection into the Accounts and revenue of the Commonwealth, which had been la­mentably squandred and wasted ever since 1648, (when the major part of the Parliament, called in 17 Caroli, was forceably imprisoned and secluded by the Army and their follow-members) and twelve Members versed in matters of Account, whereof Mr. Scowen was in the Chair, [Page 5] were selected for this work, and fully impowered for the work they had in hand, in order to the retrenching and lessening the charge of the Common-wealth.

On Saturday the nineteenth of February they proceeded in the Act of Recognition, and resolved,

That it shall be part of this Bill to declare the Parliament to con­sist of Two Houses.

And had afterwards several dayes debate by order concerning the bounding of the Chief Magistrates Power, and the Bounds and Powers of another House in relation to the former votes, but could come to no resolution thereupon, the Court Party stickling hard for the Powers given them by the Petition and Advice, and the honest Patriots of the House (whose weighty reasons then convinced the Common-wealth party now ruling to go along with them) denying it to be a Law, being obtained by force and exclusion of above a hundred Members in the year 1656, by which force also the purse was taken from the Commons by setling a revenue of thirteen hundred thousand pounds a year in perpetuity of the Command of the single person, and the ruling Mem­bers of the Other House being most of them Officers of the Army and Courtiers; which being allowed for Law, the people would have been absolute slaves to their power, and purse, stollen from the Commons as aforesaid,

Whilest the temper of the House was thus tryed, and they appeared sufficiently to be English men, divers of the Members of Scotland and Ireland joyning with them in the same resolutions, by the joynt advice of the Court and Army party, the question of Transacting with the per­sons sitting in the Other House, as an House of Parliament, was set before them, upon pretended grounds of Law and Necessity, and by arguments of Force and Interposition from the Army, and of Impos­sibility to proceed in any thing without the said Other House. This Attempt was as stoutly opposed for fourteen dayes by the moderate ho­nest Patriots of the House as the former; the undoubted Right of the antient Peers asserted, and all the said grounds and arguments confu­ted, except that of Force, which was not to take place with any thing like a free Parliament of English men: But in the close of the fourteen dayes debate, wherein much of the honesty, ingenuity and courage of the English Nation did appear, (seeing all affairs at a stand till some­thing were resolved in this point) they came in a very fall House to this well qualified Resolution.

Resolved,

That this House will transact with the persons now sitting in the Other House, as an House of Parliament, during his present Parlia­ment: And that it is not hereby intended to exclude such Peers as have been faithful to the Parliament, from their privilege of being duely summoned to be Members of that House.

[Page 6] The House of Commons (between the Protector, the Other House, and the General Council of Of [...]icers now summoned to meet at Wailing­ford house) may well be conceived at this time to have had a Wolf by the ears, and (having shewed themselves English men and not Slaves) had reason to entertain wary counsels, having some of their own Members undermining them without dores; and foreseeing a Disolu­tion, though not knowing whether they should die a violent or natu­ral death, or have a mint kind of decease, as it fell out afterwards: And therefore they resolved not to own them in the Other House as Lords, but called them, The persons now sitting in the other House as a House of Parliament; Neither would they treat & confer with them, in the usual way as with the House of Peers, and therefore found out the new word of Transacting; and not intending to have to do with them, but for a tryal, they limited the time to be during this present Parliament, which they foresaw would not be long; and to muzzle the new inconsiderable Up­starts sufficiently (if they should take too much upon them) they as­serted the Privilege of the antient Peers as a good reserve, if the Parliament should by the Protector and Army be suffered upon se­cond thoughts to sit longer than was at first intended. And resolved also, That they would receive no Message from those persons sitting in the Other House, but by some of their own number.

The House of Commons by this time had also by a Saving in a Vote concerning the Fleet asserted their interest in the Mil [...]tia, and had un­der consideration an Act for taking away all Laws, Statutes and Ordi­nances concerning the Excise and New Impost, and concerning Cu­stomes, Tunnage and Poundage, after th [...]ee years. And had vindi­cated the Peoples Liberties, by setting Major General Overton and Mr. Portman, and divers others (illegally committed by the late Prote­ctor) at liberty without paying Fees, and declaring their imprison­ments and detention illegal and unjust; and had their new Lord Jailor [...]arkstead & others at their Bar under question for the same. And had al­so a high resentment of the illegal sending freeborn English men against their wills to the Barbadoes and other forein Plantations, & to the Isles of Guernsay and Jersey, out of the reach of the Writ of Habeas corpus, and had appointed a strict Bill to be prepared for remedy thereof. And had examined and discovered many other Grievances brought upon the People by the Officers and Farmers of Excise and others; And by Major Generals, amongst which Butler was for his insolent actings and high alfronts to the Law and Courts of Justice, put out of the Commission of the Peace, and a Committee appointed to draw up an Impeach­ment against him. The Committee also for Inspection, before mentio­ned, had brought in and reported to the House the state of the Accounts and Publick, and of the Martial and Civil Lists in the three Nations, by which it did appear, That the yearly incomes of England, Scotland and Ireland, came to Eighteen hundred sixty eight thousand seven hundred [Page 7] and seventeen pounds: And the yearly Issues to, Two millions two hun­dred and one thousand five hundred and forty pounds: So that Three hun­dred thirty two thousand eight hundred twenty three pounds of debt incur­red yearly by the ill management of double the Revenue that ever King of England enjoyed: And to maintain the unjust Conquest of Scotland, cost us yearly One hundred sixty three thousand six hundred and nineteen pounds more than the Revenue it yields.

Many other particulars were under their consideration, as to the Religion and Civil Rights of the People, too long now to be mention­ed: but in short, to give them their due, they did some good whilest they sate, both to the Publick and particulars, and intended much more, and did no hurt, gave no Offices nor Gratuities to themselves out of the Publick Treasure, nor granted any money from the People, which is more than can be said of any Parliament in our memory.

Proceeding thus successfully and hopefully to the general satisfaction of the People in the three Nations, who chose them; the Protector and chief Officers of the Army, who were jealous of one another before, and Competitors for Government, grew now jealous of the House of Com­mons also, who being the Representatives of the People, were become also their M [...]nions and Favourites. It was therefore now thought sea­sonable to contend among themselves for the Power, before the People should recover it from them both: In order to which, the General Council of Officers kept their constant Meetings at Wallingford-house, and the Protector with his party countermined them at Whitehall. The Result of the Officers assembling was a Representation to the Pr [...]ctor, which was published by the Officers own order, the seventh of April; and the day after a Copy thereof sent inclosed by the Protector in a Let­ter to the Speaker of the House.

This Representation was like Lightning before Thunder, both to the Protector and the House; for though it hath some seeming fair Profes­sions intermixed, it is written in such a canting aequivocating language, whereof the Sword was like to be Interpreter, that the sting was easily visible through the honey, and their former actions and suitable conti­nuing honesty better credited than their words.

Hereupon the Protector begins too late to think of securing himself from being surprized with their complements, and stands upon his guard. And the Commons house, as became Englishmen, wisely and couragiously resolved to let the Officers know that they took them still to be their Servants, though they had for too many years ill deserved their wages, rebelling and usurping the Government at their pleasure; and inten­ding to try what they meant by the Good Old Cause, which, as they seemed to represent it, smelt of Gunpowder and ball, and whether the repentance held forth in their said Representation were real or Military, passed these votes on Monday April the 18.

[Page 8] Resolved.

That during the sitting of the Parliament there shall be no General Council or Meeting of the Officers of the Army, without direction, leave, and Authority of his Hignesse the Lord Protector, and both Houses of Parliament.

Resolved,

That no person shall have or continue any Command or Trust in any of the Armies or Navies of England, Scotland, or Ireland, or any the dominions and territories thereto belonging, who shall refuse to sub­scribe, That he will not disturb or interrupt the free-meetings in Par­liament of any, the Members of either House of Parliament, or their Freedom in their debates and counsels.

And the same time to shew their care of the Army, and to prevent jealousies, they passed the following votes.

Resolved,

That the House do presently take into consideration the wayes and means for satisfaction of the Arrears of the Armies, and providing pre­sent pay for them.

Resolved,

That Serjeant Maynard the Attorney General, and Sollicitor Gene­ral, do forthwith prepare an Act of Indemprity for all such as have acted under the Parliament and Common-wealth.

Whilest the House spent the rest of their time in considering how to Provide money, without laying new burthens on the people, great con­tests grew between the Protector and the opposite Officers of the Army, both sides keeping guards night and day against one another, the Pro­tector having in pursuance of the votes of the house forbidden the meetings of the Officers.

In this divided posture, affairs continued till Friday the 22. of April, on which morning early, Fleetwood the Protectors Brother, Desborough his Uncle, and the rest of the mutinous Officers, carrying the greater part of the Army after them, and the Protectors party flinching, the Conquest was made without one drop of blood, (which was strange in so antient, hereditary, just, and undoubted a Title) and the Protector forced to con­sent to a Commission and Proclamation ready prepared, giving Desbo­rough and others power to disolve the Parliament, contrary to the best advice, and his own Interess and Promise. And accordingly the same day, The Black Rod was sent twice to the House of Commons (from Fi [...]nnes Speaker of the Other House) for them to come thither, but they admitted him not in, and much scorned the motion, having ever looked upon that Mushrum House as the Lower House and their own creature, the language being to send down to the Other House, when they sent the Declaration for a Fast, for a trial of transacting with them: And therefore understanding there were guards of Horse and Foot in the Pallaceyard, after some motions made by Mr. Knightly, Sir Arthur [Page 9] Haslerigge and others, wherein Sir Arthur exceeding, That the House should first declare it Treason for any persons whatsoever to put force upon any Members of the House; and next, that all Votes, Acts, and Resolutions, passed by any Members of Parliament, when the rest were detained from, or taken out of the House by force, should be null and void, and other motions becoming Englishmen to that end, judging themselves under a force; and finding they were very una­nimous, though near four hundred in the House, in the things propo­sed, they resolved no question, but adjourned till Monday morning the twenty fifth of April, and attended the Speaker in order through West­minster-Hall to his Coach in face of the Souldiery.

Now the Court (according to the guise of the world in like accidents) shrunk out of Whit [...]hall into Wallingford House: And Fleetwood, D sho­row, & the rest of the Officers, great and small, took the Government into their own hands, the House of Commons being shut up, and en­trance denied to the Members when they came on Monday (even to Sir Henry Vane and Sir Artbur Haslerig themselves) according to adjourn­ment, the Court of Requests and all avenues being full of Souldiers, who told the Members they must sit no more.

After the Officers had new model'd themselves, cashiering Whaley, Ingolsby, Goffe, and divers others of the Protectors party, and restoring Lambert, Haslerig, Okey, and others displaced by Protector Oliver, and played with the Government for a few dayes, & grew weary of it (the inferior officers and the Pamphlets (that now flew about daily without controul) carrying things beyond the intention of the Chief Officers, who would have left the Protector a Duke of Venice, for his Fathers sake who raised them, and their relation to him which they had for­gotten till now they sent to some of their old hackney drudges of the Long Parliament then in London, who they knew would do any thing so they might be suffered to sit, and on the fifth and sixth days of May had conference with them, the last of which was at their never failing Speaker, the Master of the Rolles House in Chancery-Lane, where both Officers, viz. Lambert, who had already gotten his old place, and others with him, and Members, viz. Sir Henry Vane, Sir Arthur Haslerigge, Ludlow, John Jones, Mr. Chaloner, Mr. Scot, and others, to the number of twenty, solicited William Lenthal Esquire to sit Speaker again, but be objected scruples in judgement and conscience, (which are not yet answered, nor never will:) nevertheless Fifteen Articles between the Officers and some of the Members (who it seems over-confidently undertook for the rest) being first agreed on at some of their meetings they resolved to meet in the House on Saturday the 7 of May; yet that they might do it by surprise, they gave out that they would not sit till Tuesday the tenth of May: But the itch of ambition and Lording it over the people, giving them no quiet, on Saturday the seventh of May early they met, in the Painted Chamber at Westminster, and to [Page 10] make up their number, sent for the two chast Cock-Sparrows, the Lord Manson, and Mr. Henry Martin out of Prison, where they were in Exe­cution for Debt, and honest Whitlock, and Lisle of the Chancery Bench, and with this addition being two and forty in number, the Chancery Mace for hast being carried before them.

• William L [...]nthall Esquire, their tender conscienced Speaker, toge­ther with the said Lord Munson.
• Henry Martin.
• Mr. Whitlock.
• Mr. Lisle.
• Temperate Mr. Chaloner.
• Wise Alderman Atkin.
• Rich Alderman Pennington.
• Pedantick Thomas Scot.
• Hastily rich Cornelius Holland.
• Single hearted, preaching Sir Henry Vane, now become old Sir Harry.
• Prideaux Attorney General to all Governments.
• Smiling Sir James Harrington.
• Levelling Ludlow.
• Pembrochian Oldsworth that made the Earl his Masters wise speeches
• Vain-glorious, hair-brained Haslerigge, with repentance like the Armies in his conscience, and the Bishoprick of Durham at his back.
• Sir Thomas Middletons man Jones.
• Doting Purefoy, without purity or faith.
• Coll. White the Lord Fairfax's Secretary got before his Master.
• Relig [...]ous Harry Nevil.
• Mr. Say, the famous Lawyer.
• Mr. Blagrave, better known at Reading then here.
• Coll. Bennet, Sir. Henry Vane's little second at preaching.
• Mr. Brewster, a Cypher to make up the number.
• Serjeant Wilde, best known by the name of the Wilde Serjeant.
• John Goodwin, alias Herbe John.
• Mr. Lechmore, the Attorney Generals second at all Governments.
• Augustin Skinner, a Kentish Christian.
• Mr. Downes another cypher.
• Mr. Dove, a Brewer of Salisbury, come to help in this new Brewing.
• Mr. John Lenthal, William Lenthal's own Son.
• Saloway, a smart prating Apprentice newly set up for himself.
• M. John Corbet, such another Lawyer as Miles, and of his own colour
• M. Valton, that will never forget his Son furnished Blacks for the Protectors Funeral.
• Gilbert Millington, the Church snuffers, who desires no better trade then Scandalous Ministers.
• Mr. Gold newly married to get more, the Common-wealth being poor.
• [Page 11] Coll. Sydenham
  • a Dorset shire couple in at all Governments, who rather talk then fight, & yet will venture to doc any thing, being backt with an Army, against the naked people.
• Coll. Ayre, whose name fills his head.
• Mr, Smith a Six Clerk, that wishes he could write and read.
• Coll. Ing [...]lshy; that fought so well lately for the Protector against Fleetwood: And,
• Fleetwood, that holy man, who so smoothly supplanted the Protector, that he perswaded him three Crowns were not worthy a drawn sword.
• Stole on the sudden into the House, the Invitation of the Army for the sitting of the Long Parliament (as they call it) being first publi­shed in VVestm. Hall.

Upon notice of their sitting, there being double their number Mem­bers of the same Parliament in Town, and many of them in the Hall, to prevent the mischiefs of a sureptitious packt Parliament, they a­greed among themselves in the Hall (though they were doubtful that Parliament was disloved) that about a dozen or fourteen of them should immediately goe to the House: And the persons that did so were these, viz.

• Mr. Ansley
• Sir George Booth
• Mr. Iames Harbert
• Mr. Prynne
• Mr. Geo. Monntague
• Sir Iohn Eveling
• Mr. Iohn Harbert
• Mr. Gewen
• Mr. Eveling
• Mr. Knightley
• Mr. Clive
• Mr. Hungerford
• Mr. Harley
• Mr. Peck

VVho though with much ado, they got into the Lobby, they were not suffered by the Officers of the Army to go into the House, though they disputed their priviledge of sitting (if the Parliament were yet in being;) but Reason, as well as the Laws, must be silent amongst men of VVar; and therefore after they had fairly made their Claim, and found the House under force, they retired, and resolved by Letter to ac­quaint the Speaker, and those Gentlemen assembled with him, what usage they had received.

And according'y on Monday the 9. of May, they went to Westminst. where understanding that there were no Guards upon the House, Mr. Ansley, Mr. Prynne and Mr. Hungerford went up to the House, and had free admittance, receiving the Declaration of the 7. of May at the door, which were published this day; but M. Ansley walking after­wards into the Hall (the House not being ready to sit) to let the Mem­bers know, that though they were repulsed by force on Saturday, the House was open for honest men this day; at his return, Capt. Lewson of [Page 12] Goffe's Regiment (as he confessed himself) and other Officers denied him entrance; he asking them whether they were a Committee to judge of Members without doors: they said no; but they were com­manded by their superiour officers to let none in, that had not sate till Apr. 1653. After some reasoning the case with them, the Capt. told Mr. Ansley, that if he would give his Paroll to return without sitting, he might go in and speak with whom he pleased; so upon his paroll passed to the Captain, he was permitted to go in the second time, and soon after returned, telling the Captain as he came out, that he had kept his Paroll, and wished he and his souldiers would do the like. Mr. Prynne continued still there, and resolved so to do, since he saw there was force again upon the House. The discourse Mr. Prynne had with­in dores, and how he made them lose that morning, and adjourn by reason of his presence without the Speakers taking the chair, you may expect from another pen. And how he attempted to sit again in the afternoon, but found there a troop of horse, and two companies of red coats, Keepers of the liberties of England, and so bid them farre­wel; immediately after which, to prevent further inturruption in their works of darkness from honest men, they barred the door against three parts of four of the Members of the House by the following Votes.

Ordered,

That such persons heretofore members of this Parliament, as have not sate in this Parliament since the year 1648. and have not sub­scribed the Engagement in the Roll of engagement of this House, shall not sit in this House till further order of the Parliament.

Whereupon, Sir George Booth, Mr. Ansley, Mr. Knightly, Mr. Prynne, and the rest, who had agreed on a Letter to be sent to them, finding them in their old temper of trampling the priviledges of Parliament under foot, and Judging without Hearing, resolved to make no appli­cation to them.

But a coppy of a Letter coming to my hands, I judge it so worthy of the persons that subscribed it, and of the publick view, that I have here inserted it.

It was directed

Thus you see (to the grief of all that fear God) the same preten­ded Parliament was sitting in 1653. (till [...]he Protector Oliver, by the be [...] act of his life; pull'd them out of the House) sitting again upon a Declaration of the Army (whose Slaves they are) to doe what they please, as time will discover: And that you may see they can trust few but themselves, and are not changed (for all their feigned repentance) they are already return'd into the Good old Cause of preferring one ano­ther, and their Friends to good Offices and Commands, and Counsel­lors [Page 16] places, as appears by their Vote of the 9. of May, viz.

The Parliament doth declare, That all such as shall be imployed in any place of Trust or power in the Common wealth, be able for the discharge of such trust, and that they be persons fearing God and that have given testimony to all the people of God, of their faithfulness to this Common-wealth, according to the Declaration of Parliament of the 7. of May 1659.

And their proceedings thereupon, whereby they have chosen of their own members for a Councel of State, 21. viz.

• Sir Arthur Haselrig
• Sir Henry Vane
• Ludlow
• Jo. Jones
• Sydenham
• Scot
• Saloway
• Fleetwood
• Sir James Harrington
• Coll. Wal [...]on
• Nevil
• Chaloner
• Downes
• Whitlock.

Whose several Characters you have before.

• Hab. Morley Squib-maker of the County of Sussex.
• Sidney who hath nothing of Sir Phillip but the name.
• Coll. Thompson as wood a head as leg.
• Coll. Dixwel better know in Kent then trusted.
• Mr. Reynolds half Bishop of Winchester, and whole solicitor to the Infant Common-wealth.
• Oliver St. Johns, late Sollicitor to the King, now Sollicitor to the Common-wealth, to be chief Justice again; but they hold him to be sanctus nomine non re, and too great a Patron of the Law.
• Haselrig remembers his and Collingwoods Case.
• Mr. Wallop a silent Hampshire Gentleman, much in debt, fit indeed to be Councellor, if he could advise the Common-wealth how to get out of debt.

• Bradshaw, President at the formal murder of the King.
• Lambert a York-shire Gentleman, not born to Wimbleton house, but too crafty for them all, now old Oliver is gone.
• D [...]sborough, a country Clown, without fear or wit.
• Lord Fairfax, an allay for Lamberts brittle mettle.
• Berry the worst of the Major Generals, except Butler.
• Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, a Gentleman too wise and honest to sit in such company.
• Sir Horatio Townsend, a Gentleman of too good an estate to be haz­zarded with such a crew.
• Sir Robert Honnywood, Sir Henry Vane's brother in law.
• Sir Archibald Johnson, never advanced before the Marquess of Ar­gile till he came for England.
• Josiah Barners fool of the play.

[Page 17] Their next work must be to vote money answerable to the dignities bewowed on themselves; they discontinued the Term (to the great damage and discontent of the people) because many Suits were depen­ding against Vane and Hazilrig; and if they rule on as well as they did when Oliver turned them out of doors with the braod of Knaves, Whoremasters and Drunkards, to the general rejoycing of the people, no doubt we shall be a happy Nation; And what esteem the people had of them appears by the elections to the last Parliament, wherein though none but persons well affected to Parliaments had Votes, and the persons now sitting laboured hard to be chosen, very few of them were elected, the people generally looking upon them as apo­stares from the Good Old Cause; and therefore no wonder they would have that Parliament to which only they were chosen never dis­solved. I have now little more to do at present (honest and learned Mr. Pryane having saved much of my labour) but to let the world see how they go about by the example of the Army, whose Apes they are, to cozen the people of their Religion, Laws, Liberties, Parliaments and Money, with a Ra [...]le, called the Good old Cause, which is a very cheat as you may see by the ensuing penitential Letter of one better skilled in their Cheats than I am.

[Page 19] But for a further discovery of the Cheat ob [...]uled upon the people by putting of the Good old Cause, I shall to avoid large recicals of Re­monstrances, Votes and Declarations of Parliament, state the true Good old Cause in the House of Commons own words briefly out of their De­claration of the 17th. of April 1646. At the end of the War when they were full and free which they caused to be affixed in all the Churches of England, to call God and Man to witnesse their sincerity therein. And because the title of it is very significant and comprehensive take that at large. viz.

The Preamble recites how their good intentions had been misrepre­sented by divers Declarations and Suggestions of the King, and there­by and by other practices the minds of many possessed with a belief that there was no just Cause of the War, And that now they had suc­ceeded in the War they desired to exceed or swarve from their first Aims and Principles in the undertaking the War, and to recede from the so­lemn League and Covenant and treaties between the two Kingdoms, and that they would prolong these uncomfortable troubles and bleed­ing distractions in order to alter the fundamental constitution and frame of this Kingdom, To leave all Government in the Church loose and unsetled, and themselves to exercise the same arbitrary power over the persons and estates of the subjects which that Parliament had thought fit to abolish by taking away The Star Chamber, High Commission, and other arbitrary Courts, and the exorbitant power of the Councel Table.

Then they declare in General that they will settle Religion in pu­rity, according to the Covenant maintain the antient and fundamental Government of this Kingdom, preserve the rights and liberties of the subject, lay hold on the first opportunity of procuring a safe and well grounded peace in the three Kingdomes, and to keep a good under­standing between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland accord­ing to the Covenant and Treaties.

Then to give fuller satisfaction they declare particularly concerning Church Government, that they are for the Presbiterial Government with a due regard that tender consciences which differ not in any fun­damentals of Religion may be so provided for, as may stand with the word of God and the peace of the Kingdom.

Then they declare, that there was nothing they had more earnestly desired, nor more constantly laboured after, than a safe and good peace (with the King) which is the just end of a just War, and [...]here they [Page 20] assert the fundamental constitution and Government of this Kingdome to be by King, Lords and Commons, which they will not alter.

Then they conclude that the first and chiefest grounds of the Parlia­ments taking up Armes in this cause was to suppress attempts of intro­ducing an arbitrary Government over this Nation, and Protecting De­linquents, enemies of our Religion and liberties, by force from the Ju­stice of Parliament, and declare that they will not interrupt the ordi­nary course of Justice in the several Courts and Judicatories of this Kingdome.

This is the good old Cause the Parliament owned.

And therefore let all that fear God in the three Nations consider whence they are fallen, even from the Good old Cause held forth in the Votes▪ Remonstrances▪ Declarations, Protestations, Vows and oaths of the Parliament published in maintenance of our Ancient and well tempered setled Government by King, Lords and Commons, to a sneaking Oligarchical Tyranny under the bare name of The Good Old Cause, which is as change­able as the addle heads that contrive it, as oppressive as the corrupt w [...]ls of licentious men can make it, must be as arbitrary as the Army will have it, and shall be more fully deciphered if they persist in it, which they never dare do, if the people who yet seem to be in a Le­thargy remember their first works, and be as resolute to assert their Religion, Lawes and Liberties, as these despera [...]e men of lost fortunes and reputations are bold to trample them under foot, and make this great people (once famous is through the world for valour, wisdom and Religi­on) a scorn and derision to all that are round about us, and themselves Monsters of men by their A [...]heism, Apostacy and Inconstancy.

I shall conclude with some advice (now it's seasonable) To the Ar­my, To the people of all sorts and degrees, and to the members sitting at Westminster.

1. Faithful aduice to the Army.

First, remember the ends for which you were raised, for defence of king, Parliament, Religion and Liberties, that you were servants to them and received their wages, and were [...] by oathes to them.

2. Remember how in 1647 you were fi [...]st by some of your ambitious Officers, most whereof are since dead, seduced to Rebel against and betray your masters (whom you accused falsely) and to refuse to disband when the War was ended, whereby you are become Oppressers and Robbers ever since, And meer [...].

3. Remember how in December 1648. you rebelled the second time against your masters, and forceably and trait [...]rously as well as perjuri­ously b [...]oak the Parliament, imprisoning and driving away most of the faithful members, keeping only a few that prostituted themselves and the rights and liberties of the Kingdome with the lives of the King, No­bles and Commons to their own ambition, and to your lusts and wills, as your pentioners in the house till April 1643. when you rebelled a­gainst [Page 21] them and for their self seeking and notorious crimes and mis­carriages (printed then at large in your Declaration) you absolutely dis­solved them to the general satisfaction of the people.

4. Remember how giddily and impiously your ambitious wicked Officers have lead you through horrid Murders, Treasons, and breach of Oathes from a happy settled Government under a King and Parlia­ment. First to a Ridiculous Commonwealth, thence to a new kind of Protector, thence To Prayse God Bare-bones little Parliament, thence to a Protector with an instrument of Lamberts making, but never in tune, thence to Tyrannical Major Generals, thence to a new Crochet called The Petition and Advice, thence to a New Protector and two Houses of Parliament, whereof one was still-born, thence To build up the things which you destroyed, whereby you have made your selves transgressors. Gal. 2. 18.

Thus have you marched so fast from one Government to another' that the poor people wearied out, are sain to return home and sit still in a maze, abhorring your unstable ungodly ways, and crying to God in secret that he will at length restore unto England Our Kings and Nobles as at the first, and our Judges as at the beginning, making it a quiet habi­tation, which by your ungodly courses hath been so long a howling wildernesse full of birds of prey and beasts that do devoure.

I have no mo [...]e to say to you, but that if your mist [...]ading Officers can reconcile your actings since 1646, to the Scripture rule, which you find Luke 3. 14. By which all Christian souldiers much more then Heathen are to walk, viz. Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsly and be content with your wages; then le [...] them go for honest men and count me mistaken. But if this discourse of mine by God's blessing be­comes instrumental for the awakening your Drowzie consciences to see your Long course of Sins and Provocations, and to repent, Then let me tell you your Work is short to make your Selves and the Kingdome happy; for as you have lately gone Six yeares backward at one Step, viz. from this time to April 1653. So if your Officers and You will but make one Step more, viz. from April 1653, to December 1648, to our Ancient Long-experienced and fundamental Constitution of Government by KING, LORDS and COMMONS, you will justifie your Re­pentance to be sincere, and render it famous to all the World, and de­serve and have Rewards from your Countrey instead of Indempnity which you now beg from every Power that Sits.

2. Advise to the People of all sorts and degrees.

Delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi, your rulers do [...]e and go astray but you suffer by it as well as they. Therefore strive to set them right; & though they forget their Oaths and Promises, do you remember yours: Have you ever seen quiet or settlement since the King was inhumanely murd [...]ed this own Gate, and our ancient Government by King, Lords and Commons [Page 22] changed? since our Covenant was counted an Almenack out of date? this was one in 1648. shall I perswade you to return whence you are fallen? I need not, I know you are ready for it, and watch your opportu­nity.

Let me only tell you the time is now come; for having tryed all o­ther ways, insomuch that we are going round again where we first turned aside; you see no Foundation to build upon but our Ancient one, strive therefore for the restoring of King, Lords and Commons, that you may enjoy them and be happy: Remember how the Ministers and others of London, Essex, Suffolk, Northamptonshire, Lancashire, and other Counties gave their Testimony against the King's death in 1648: and repent for that Bloud with which the land is defiled: Let those who so boldly in their late mutinous Representation to the Protector moved for a Justification of the Kings death and all acts done in pursuance thereof know, that they may as soon pull the Stars out of God's right hand, as make those that fear his name in England justifie such a horrid impiety for which God hath made us an unsetled people ever since, and hath given them and the Kingdome no rest ever since; nor will till they re­pent and do their first works, and call all the Members of the Long-Par­liament together to sit free, that they or a new Parliament called by their advice may upon the secure Terms offered at the isle of wight by the KING, and such further reasonable Additions as the Times may require, restore us to our Antient Government, and put an End to our Giddinesse and Confusion, which destroys Trade, encreaseth Poor, and threatens ruine to our Religion and Laws.

And let none be any longer deluded with the Bastard Good Old Cause now cryed up by some, which is but the setting a self-seeking Generation of Unstable Bloody men in supreme Authority; who as zealous as some of them seemed lately in the new dissolved Parlia­ment for the Liberties of the People, think, now that by their Hypocri­sie and Falshood as well as Force they have advanced themselves upon the Ruine of their Countrey, that the work is done: And though they have cryed down a single Person, and another House, think you such Fools or Slaves that you will not take Notice that an armed Ge­neral is a worse single Person, and such a Coordinate Senate as they in­tend by the Proposals of the Army (which now are come to the House by way of Petition as if they had not been agreed on before) a worse o­ther House than the last, which was the worst that England ever saw: And this Rump of a cashiered House of Commons, taken into service a­gain at Mercy, and new dressed by Sir Henry Vane (another single per­son amongst them) worse than the late House of Commons which was full and free; or than the Long Parliament restored to its Freedom, or than any other that may be chosen by the free Votes of your selves and Legally summoned to Sit and Decree our Settlement.

I shall say no more to you, but desire you to consider what I have [Page 23] said to the Army, with hearts ready to forgive them and pay them their Arrears with additional Rewards, if now at length they Repent and Restore our violated Government, and obediently submit to what They and the KING shall Ordain for the Settlement of these Distra­cted, and no otherways to be cured Nations: for we see by Experience than one FACTION devoures another, and will at length devoure the People and their Liberties in the ways of Sin and Guilt that we are in. Let all of you therefore insist on this, That the Members of the Long Parliament who have been unjustly imprisoned and secluded, may be Restored to Discharge the Trust you have put in them, and then we may hope for Settlement, which we have tryed almost Eleven yeares that we cannot have without them. And if the Army shall again inter­pose and interrupt you in your Sober and honest Endeavours for Set­tlement, Let them find by your vigorous Appearing against them, that you know them to be the Meanest of the People; and so Few in Number that they are not One in every Parish in England, and many single Parishes have Ten times their Number of PEOPLE.

3. Advice to the Members sitting at westminster.

First remember the volumes of Remonstrances, Declarations, Votes, Or­dinances, Protestations, Oa hs and Covenants wherein you as members of that house with others, have held forth to God and the world The good old Cause you ingaged in to be for the defence of the King, Parliament, Pro­testant Religion, priviledges and liberties of the people, and that you re­nounced all other Causes wherewith you were aspersed and never owned any other till that in March 1649. after you had injuriously joyned with the Army in forcing away the majority of the House of Commons and the whole house of Lords, you perjuriously apostatized from the Good old Cause and set up another of A Common wealth or free State opposite to it, and which you had ever formerly disowned as a scandal cast on you when you were charged but with an intention that way.

2. Remember and be ashamed that you have stuck at no oaths but have taken the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, The Protestation, The vow and Covenant, The solemn league and Covenant, The engagement, The Recognition of Protector Oliver, The oath to be true and faithful to Protector Richard, and have kept these contrary oaths and engage­ments all alike, and now do set men of the same stamp in offices and places of trust instead of men of courage fearing God and hating cove­tousnesse. But do not think all is well when you have advanced your selves and friends, rather believe that though returning to what you have so often sworn to maintain, you cannot so many of you be Councel­lers of state Iudges and Officers military or civil, yet you may become honest men and Christians which will better become you, and bring you more comfort and peace at the last.

3. Remember that though by lyes & subterfuges men may be deceived and abused for a while, God is not mocked, Gal. 6, 7. but will though [Page 24] he bear long, at length wound the hairy scalp of such as go on still in their wickednesse, Psal. 28. 21. and pierce you thorow with many for­rows.

4. Consider how God hath emptied us from vessel to vessel and led us through a wildernesse of changes these eleven yeares of Apostacy, and gives no settlement, return therefore to December 1648. where you forsook settlement when it was offered by the King and accepted by the Parliament, and in doing your first works for King and Parliament in a full and free house, God will blesse you and this Kingdome as at the first, and the present Protector cannot but rejoyce also to part with his power upon those termes which both he and his brother the Lord Lieu­tenant of Ireland must needs grudge to have wrested from him by you and his treacherous relations.

I intended a word also of justification of Mr. Prynne, but that his Learned and seasonable writings praise him in the gates, and carry such evidence of undeniable truth with them, and so clear a testimony (from A Martyr for the People) against the abominable iniquity and horrid impieties of this iron Age, that the Railing Rabsh kahs of the time in what they belch out against him do but as dogs that bark against the Moon, and therefore I shall leave him to the cure prescribed by God himself for such tongues in the 120 Psal. v. 3. 4. What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee thou false tongue? sharp arrowes of the mighty with coals of Juniper. And do depend as I believe Mr. Prynne do [...]h also upon that Scripture word, that in due time the mouth of al [...] i­niquity shall be stopt.