1. IT is apparent to all (who are not naturally stupid, or wilfully blinde) that of late there is risen up (in arms) a combination of boysterous and vio­lent men, who (uniting themselves under the specious pretence of loyalty, and service to the King) indeavour to make the breach betwixt His Majestie and the high Court of Parliament, unreconciliable, and (with all the power they can raise in His Name) so to pull down all the Priviledges and Proprieties of this noble Nation, as to make it of a Kingdom of ingenuous and free-born Subjects, a Thraldom of meer servile and slavish Vassalls.

2. That these men (if we may call them men, who for a great part of them seem to have put off the appearance of huma­nity, by their barbarous manners) have most exercised their out­ragious wrongs upon those who have been most noted for Reli­gion, civility, and united fidelity to King and Kingdom.

3. That (howsoever they have had, and shewed their greatest spight at such) they have spoiled many others, who neither in profession nor in affection forted with them; [...] ̄ [...]x locio [...]e quo [...]ixitd [...]l­ [...]is edor [...]ucr [...]ex [...]equali­ [...]et. therein making no more differēce betwixt their goods, w ^ch they equally love (thogh their personall hate be excessively bent against the best in all states) then Vespian did betwixt the money he received from the Impost of Urine, & that which came in from the noblest tribute.

4. That being such, it is not like that (of themselves) they will set any reasonable bounds, to their own proceedings, nor will give over their violent invasion of the persons and estates of men and women, untill (by some adverse and prevailing power) they be stopped.

5. That though His Majesty (as became a good and just Prince) hath set out severe Proclamations against plundering of His peo­ple by the Souldiers of his own Army (and he meaneth not to give that liberty to any other, which he denieth to them) and have engaged his Royall word for the righting of them who suf­fer wrong by their hands; yet we see (by sad experience) that these prohibitions produce no further effect, then to cleare His Majesty from approbation of such notorious injustice (for they are not Daunted by a printed paper from their practise of pillage, since they impute His Majesties dislike of such doings, to his ignorance of the priviledge of their military profession, and the oppressed are discouraged from having recourse to him for remedy against them) for they may have just cause to fear, that they who claim a license (by the sword) to carve out of other mens estates what portiō they please, wil waylay the cōplainants, and find a way not only to frustrate their desires of relief, but to returne them with an increase and aggravation of their injuries.

6. That if this spirit of violence should march on (as hitherto it hath done) for want of seasonable and sufficient ressistance, it would prevaile to victory, and by a warlike conquest would sub­due both King and Kingdom. For although we think so well of His Majesty, and honour him so much, that we cannot find in our hearts to make any culpable comparison betwixt him and the Turke, we must needs think so ill of them, who have not only withdrawn him, and do yet with-hold him from his most wise and faithfull Councell (the High Court of Parliament) but abuse his power, to manage a most pernicious hostility against them, and (in them) against the whole state and people of Eng­land, that they would prove no better then the worst sort of Turkish Janizaries, (who have some times insolently Lorded it over their own Lords and masters, so as to make him but a Roy­all [Page]Slave, as well as exercised a tyrannicall Domination over his Subjects, though His Majesties name should still be used, and his authority strained up to uphold them, and bear them out in all their exorbitant and abominable excesses; And therefore though the King should prove more prudent and constant then Salomon in perseverance to defend the faith in the best and soun­dest sence of His Royall stile, and should shut his ears to the so­licitations of the Queen, while she opens hers to listen to the in­spirations of the Popish Faction, who have plyed her with per­swasions to double the spirit of her mother upon her, and to make her the midwife of that pernicious Plot, against the Protestants, which is so furiously driven on, for their utter destruction aswell in England as in Ireland, and will draw on the like danger upon Scotland and the Netherlands, if they make themselves but meer spectators of our manifold miseries; that we must expect no sinceri­ty or purity of the Protestant Religion to be established amongst us, but either the whole Masse of Popish Superstition and Idola­try, to be obtruded upon us, or some mungrell compound (like the Childish-Dialect, descended from the mixt marriage; of the woman of Ashdod with the men of Israel▪) made up of many ownces of Popery, Arminianisme, and carnall Liberty, tempe­red with a few Drams of Orthodox Doctrine, but without so much as one scruple of precise practise in the profession of piety.

No Peace without submitting our necks to an Iron yoake; No Parliament but such as would establish oppression and tyranny by Statute Law, and (besides other deposed pressures) would restore the Tyrannicall Prelacy, High-Commission, and Star-Chamber, which (in their returne) will bring (with them) the malignity of seven spirits, worse then the former, to make the persecution of all true and reall Christians (like Nebuchadnezzers fiery-furnace) seven times hotter then it was before.

No Justices of Peace but such as are professed friends to the Apo­staticall part of the Parliament, and fomenters of that burning fea­ver (now inflaming the bloud through all the veines of the bo­dy politick) or rather of that furious wild-fire [of the Commission of Array] which hath put the whole Kingdome into a terrible [Page]Combustion: and as professed enemies to the constant part of the Parliament, (the faithfull carefull couragious Patrons of our Religion, Lives, Liberties, and estates, who remaine as the sound, and solid wheate, when the hollow and empty chaffe is blowne away) and to those, who in conscience (out of true grounds of grace, and gratitude) accompt themselves bound (for the just and necessary security of what they desire to en­joy) to adhere unto them.

No Assizes without such a Sheriffe, Jurie and Judges, as would take away the lives and estates, of the worthiest persons, in a worse way, then by the sword of Warre: for so (if their cause be good) they might dye as Martyrs; but in such a forma­lity of justice, as they must come under, (if such as those get the upper, hand) they shall be first robbed of their innocency, and (that done) they must forfeit their lives, and all they have, (as convicted Malefactors) that was Nabothes case, under the ty­rannicall Raigne of Ahab and Jesabell.

8. That these professed enemies to all true Protestants in belief and life, have advanced so farre, in their way towards the ru­ine of the Kingdome;

Neither by the greatnesse of their number, (for in their mu­sters, they have many who hate their Conditions and carriage, in the present cause, and long to be delivered from the bondage, to which some relations of dependance have betrayed them.)

Nor by their power, for i [...] is very small in respect of that, which is ingaged to the safegard of the whole Kingdome, from their destructive designes.

Nor by their courage, though many of them may be the more forward to fight, because they have little to lose, having forfeited their lives and estates to publique justice, which they hope to escape, rather by boldnesse in Battaile (a boldnesse more desperate then valorous) then by yielding up themselves to the tryall of the Parl: [much lesse have they— any good successe; by the goodnesse of their Cause, which the more it is known, the more it is condemned by all truly wise and welminded men, and which at last must come to naught, (though for a time God may [Page]suffer them (as he did the wicked Amorites to make up the mea­sure of their iniquity) because it is a most impious and bloudy Combination against God and the godly.

[But by their subtilty, in guilding over their trecherous intenti­ons towards the state, with glorious pretences of dutifull vin­dication of Royall Majesty, from unsufferable affronts and wrongs, and in defaming the defence (by the Law of Nature and Nations allowed to oppressed people) with the odious imputa­tion of Rebellion and Treason; [By falsifying their words and oathes, when by others credulity they were admitted to a power to doe mischiefe; [By lying Relations to countenance their owne cause and party in Print, which are not Printed without their knowledge and against their wills, as those Pamplets are, which seem to be published in favour, but indeed both displease and dishonour the Parliament, and that so much, that it is pro­bable (at least of some of them) that they may be put out, by some Anti-parliamentary Polititians, to make the world believe that they make lyes their refuge, and so are no more to be be­lieved then themselves; [by confident outfacing of any truth that makes against them; [by hypocriticall protestations of in­tegrity towards preservation of the Protestant Religion, and the Realmes, and the presumptuous appeale, to the majesty of God, when they make them; [By witty and well-pend Decla­rations (wherein sound reason and true Logick is drowned in the overflowings of Rhetorick, as Bees are sometimes drowned in their owne Honey) giving as faire words as need to be spo­ken, to make the people content to put up as bad and injurious deeds, as ever were done in a Protestant Kingdome: by this means many are beguiled (if not rather bewitched) who are not of capacity to comprehend the whole state and condition of the present Warre on both sides, with the many causes whence it arose, the meanes by which it is promoted, and the ends wher­at they would have it arrive; [by terrible threats and outragious Acts (conjuring downe feeble spirits from their hearts to their heeles) [By intentive vigilancy for all advantages, and vigorous industry (Like his, who goeth about as a roaring Lyon, seeking whom [Page]he may devour) by Civill Warre to bring that desolation upon their Countrey, in a few Months, from which a whole age of peace cannot redeeme it; [But especially by the inconsideration, and remisnes of those, who (while they enjoyed their owne e­states free) were not apprehensive of the spoyling of others, nor considered how soone it might come to their turne, to be rifled and robbed in like manner.

9. That the Parliament (the representative body of the whole Kingdome, and the great Councell of the King) having upon such grounds as these, or some of them, concluded and resolved, that it is not only lawfull but needfull to withstand such dan­gerous and desperat invadors of our Protestant Religion, and our English Rights; we hold it our duties, to resolve and presently to put in practise, all just and warrantable wayes of Association and mutuall ayd, for the freedome of our selves, children, neigh­bours, and Countrey men from their lawlesse lusts, and intolle­rable tyranny, as from a confederacy of theeves, murderers and Anabaptists, not of Christian Anabaptists (who out of mistaken charity would have all things common among believers) but of such, as are Unchristian and Antichristian who would take a­way the bounds of mens proper interests, and being (in Condi­tion) like the wild Beast of the Forrest, would breake downe all partition walls, and pales of propriety, that they may make spoyle of our Houses, Gardens, Fields and pleasant Pastures, and finding the Land as a Garden of Eden before them, may leave it all behinde them as a desolate Wildernesse, from whom wee cannot hope to be delivered by the service of meere merce­nary sword men (who take up the practise of killing for a trade of life) but chiefly by our owne undertakings, and the blessing of God upon our indeavors, and adventures, directed to his glory and welfare of our Country.

10. That (not medling with any disputable points of questioned priviledges) we will ingage our selves (according to the duty we owe to christian piety and common humanity) to a just defence of our own and our fellow Sub­jects undoubted rights, especially in these particulars.

1. That the Ministers and people of England may sociably and safely meet for the celebration of Gods publique worship, and the salvation of their soules, without fear of violent attempts and assaults upon their bodies, w ^ch [Page]are most endangered on the dayes of their solemne assemblies, whereof the sons of Belial make an especiall choice for cruell encounters, having no re­spect at all to the Lords day, unlesse it be to make the Dominicall Letter a Symball of bloody slaughters of the Lords servants.

2. That every one may enjoy that particular portion of comfort in his wife, children, and estate which God hath given him.

3. That Tillage, without which, neither King nor people can be suppor­ted, may not be interrupted by giving the Husbandman cause to fear, that the pains and cost of seed time, shall not be recompenced by an harvest.

4. That the provision of corne, in Barnes and Garneries, may not injuri­ously be taken from the owners, nor wastfully bestowed upon beasts, where­by a famine may be like to be brought upon men.

5. That the high wayes may be safe for entercourse of posts, carriers, and other travellers, upon their just and lawfull occasions.

6. That markets and other meanes of common commerce for the generall benefit of the Kingdom may be continued, without force or fear of armed enemies of the Kingdom, in Cities and Towns of most trade and traffique.

7. That Justice may be done upon such, as make no scruple (but rather make it their delight and glory) to undoe the best affected and behaved people of the Land: and that while poor theeves for petty pilferies, (prick­ed on unto them happily by the sharp goade of necessity) are kept in raggs, fettors and dungeons, such great theeves and burgliers may not be suffered to ride in scarlet, and to range about and rob and spoile at their pleasures, as now they do, to the great scorn and contumelie, of the justice of the King and Parliament, and of all the judicatories of the Kingdom.

And while we take up arms to these ends, we hold our selves not more bound (with our hands) to resist the personall assaults of such pernicious enemies, then with our true manners to oppose theirs, their bold impieties with our lawfull fear of the Maiesty of God, their prophanesse with our ho­linesse of life, their desperate and God damne-me Oaths and execrations, with our making scruple conscience of an Oath; their unruly lusts, and cor­cupiscence with our regular continence, their drunkennesse with our se­brietie, their unreasonable rapine with our equitable iustice; their violence and boldnesse with as much moderation and mildnesse on our part, as the necessary defence of so good a cause, and so many good people will possibly permit. And in all this we shall endeavour faithfully to perform, the duty we owe to God, the King, Parliament and people of His Majesties Domi­nions, Deeply charged upon us, by our late solemne Protestation; and while we do this we will encourage our selves in the service by the words of holy Hezekiah (as pertinent to us in our present cause and condition) Be strong and couragious, be not afraid or dismayed at the number or power of your enemies, for there be more with us then with them, with them is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to helpe us, and to fight our Battells, and the peo­ple rested themselves upon these words. 2 Chr. 32.7, 8. And so will we do. Finis.