VVHereas it hath beene customarily used at all Nationall Assemblies, Parliaments, & Coun­cells, that at our first comming together, to take a solemne Oath before God and Man; Protesting not to determine or execute any thing contrary to the word of God, or prejudiciall to the honour of His Majesty, only that all their studies, indevours, councells and determi­nations, should be imployed to the increase of Gods glory, the advancement of his Majesties honour, and the peace, quiet, freedome, and blessed prosperity, of Kirke and Common­wealth, which Oath and Protestation, is as well for the in­ducement of others, (to wit all his Majesties loyall Subjects) as themselves, since it is not in their power to performe what they protest, without the assistance of such his Majesties sub­jects, as shal be commanded by them, to the fulfilling of whose commands, such an Oath and Protestation binds.

And to the end that none may bee ignorant or plead ex­cuse, after themselves have taken the said Oath and Protestati­on, They caused to be published in Print, that every man may know what they have promised, and what they are to com­mand, and likewise what every ones duty is, and must be if he desire to have any share or portion in their Religious protecti­ons.

Thus considering how wee stand ingaged as well by this Oath as our late Solemne Nationall League and Covenant, to maintaine his Majesties Royall Person, Honour and Estate, and [Page 5]finding his Majesty to be in apparent danger, and invironed with Sectaries, whose pernicious and destructive principles are well knowne unto us, to be directly against Monarchy, as may appeare by their late desperate speeches concerning his Majesty (as by one Lilburne and many others) as that the House of Commons should thinke of that The just mans just­ification. pag. 1. great murtherer of En­gland meaning the King, for by the impartiall Law of God, there is no exemptions of Kings, Princes, Dukes, Earles, more then Coblers, Tinkers, or Chimney-sweepers, &c.

And in another place where they speake more plainely The Re­monstr [...]nce of many thousands. page 6. we expect according to reason that yee should in the first place declare and set forth King Charles his wickednesse openly before the world, and withall to shew the intollerable inconveniences of having a Kingly Government from the constant evill practises of those of this Nati­on, and so to declare King Charles an enemy, and to publish your re­solutions never to have any more.

By these and the like speeches, all reasonable men may un­derstand, what such Sectaries (whatsoever they pretend,) intend for his Majesties safety and honour, especially since wee are bound by Oath to deliver his Majestie out of the hands of such Miscreans.

• 1. We vow and Covenant to the utmost of our Lives and E­states to effect the same.
• 2. Consider the great designe they drive at, which is to new mold the House of Commons, better to effect which, they first suspend Eleven Members, and so more and more suddenly, introducing many of their owne Independent Members in their roomes, that so (if possible,) they might, promote their wicked designes in a Parliamentary way.
• 3. Consider that they intend the ruine and destruction of the House of Lords as may appeare by many of the Secta­ries printed Pamphlets and Petitions, as when the
  Lambes Congre­gati.
  Petition to the House of Commons, where they say, That the Lords of this Realme ought not to sit in Parliament, unlesse they do come in by election, as Members of the House of Commons doe: And in a Pamphlet against the House of Lords, they say thus,
  Just man in bonds. pag. 1.
  That the Lords are but painted Puppits, and Dagons, [Page 6]that our superstition and ignorance their owne and craft and impu­dence, have erected no naturall issue of Lawes, but the Mush­romes of Prerogatives, The weens of just Government, put in the body of the people to paine, as well as occasioning deformity, sonnes of conquest they are and usurpation, not of choise and election, in­truded upon us by power, not constituted by consent, not made by the people, whom all power, place, and office that is just, in this Kingdome ought onely to rise. And in another place thus,
  Pearle in a dunghil. pag 3.
  Why presume yee thus, O yee Lords, set forth your merits before the people, remember your selves, or shall wee remember yee? which of you before this Parliament minded any thing so much as your pleasure, Playes, Masques, Feastings, huntings, Gamings, Dan­cings, &c. For what other have you been, but a meere clog to the House of Commons in all their proceedings, how many necessary things have you obstructed, how many evill things have you pro­moted? And againe,
  A Remō [...]trance of [...]any thousands p [...]g 7.
  That the Lords must stand to be chosen as Knights and Burgesses by the people, as other the Freemen and Gentry of this Nation are: By all this is apparent that they in­tend the destroying of the House of Lords.

• 4 They drive on for a Tolleration for all sorts of Heresies, and hereticall opinions, which they tearme Liberty of Con­science; for they boldly assert, W [...]lli [...]ms bloody [...] ­ [...]en [...], pre­f [...]ce pa. 2. That it is the will and command of God, that since the comming of his Son the Lord Jesus Christ, a permission of the most Paganish, Jewish, Turkish or Anti-christi­an c [...]nsciences and worships being granted to all men, in all Na­tions and Countreys.

  And againe, C [...]m [...]os. Sam [...]a­ [...]. p [...] 5. That Liberty of Conscience is to be allowed by every man, to worship God in that way or manner as shall appeare to them m [...]st agreeable to Gods word: By the length of this foote we may guesse at the whole body, and what Babylo­nish confusion this will be, let all true Christians judge.

• 5. That they intend (past intention, for they have done it already) to pull downe Orthodox and godly Ministers, pla­ced in their Livings by Ordinance of Parliament, and to take upon th [...]s [...]lves (though the very scumme of the people) the Pasto [...]s office, abu [...]e godly Minister [...], saying, Their Mi­nisteriall calling is Antichristian, their maintenance Jewish, [Page 7]their preaching illegall, and their persons contemptible, pre­ferring before them Gromes of Stables, Botchers, Coblers, and all Mechanicks how ignorant soever.

• 6. That having a power (the sword in their owne hands, as they have often bragged off) doe protect their owne In­dependent Members (who are guilty of Capitall Crimes) from a due and Legall tryall, they draine the City of London which now lyes at their mercy, of vast summes of moneyes, burden their Subburbs by free Quartering; and the like; re­tard the reliefe of Ireland, elect Members of their owne facti­ons, sleight and set at naught the House of Lords, keepe the King still at a distance from the Parliament, list Souldiers continually, and yet would make us beleeve they intend Having bottomed their pro­posals, they pro­mised to aquiesce. peace; demand unreasonable things of the Parliament, and more then they can honourably grant, seaz upon all the strong holds and forts in the Kingdome, and must not be denyed any thing they aske.

  They accuse Members of known integrity and faithfulnes to the Parliament and Kingdome, upon meere surmises, and la­mentable lame informations of some of their phantasticke bre­thren, they resist the solemne league and covenant, for uniting the two Kingdomes of Scotland and England, they dissolve the Parliament, & seek to new cast it in an Independent mold. They countenance desperate Malignants, who vindicate them in their proceedings, and suffer them to be about the person of the King.

These things having taken all into our serious considerati­ons, truly weighing them in an equall ballance, and laying them to heart, we cannot but apprehend what miseries will be intayled upon us and our posterities, if wee shall not stand as one man, in the name of all that have taken the Covenant with u [...], Humbly to petition the Parliament, for the speedy disban­ding of the Army, so soone as their Arceers can be payd, De­clarations against them revoakt, and the act of Indempnity in­larged, That those Counties that were petitioners to Sir Tho­mas Fairfax, should represent how surreptitiously the petiti­ons were gotten, by whom fomented, contrived, and su [...]scri­bed, [Page 8]that they may come to condigne punishment, for so high an affront against the Parliament: that the eleven Members may be againe taken into the House, or others legally and fair­ly chosen, to attend the service of the House, till the charge can be proved against the accused. That none may be admit­ted Members of Parliament, or have any place of trust in the Kingdome, that refuse to take the solemne League and Cove­nant: that some persons of trust and valour (as Field Marshall Skippon, or Major Generall Massie) may be put into supreame command for the affaires of Ireland: that his Majesty may bee speedily brought with honour and safety to the Parliament: that such wholsome Lawes may be enacted that may procure a firme and lasting peace.

Else wee shall be enforced speedily according to our Cove­nant to make such provisions of Armes, and other Millitary forces, as may secure our Religion, our King, Kingdome, and Parliament: And make no doubt of the blessing of God to­gether with cheerefull concurrence of all good people and well affected of both Kingdomes that desire freedome from Sects, Schismes, and Hereticks, with inflamed vigor and ala­crity to oppose their enterprises, and maintaine the honour, & Religion of both Kingdoms against all Tyrants whatsoever to the comfort of Gods people to the rescuing and vindica­ting our wronged Brethren, delivering them out of the jawes of destruction, and the establishing of truth and peace in these three Kingdomes.

From Edenborough, August, the 13. 1647.