THAT it's the Priviledg of Free-born English Men to Chuse their Representatives to sit in Parliament; and their Representatives Duty to act for them; and the Peo­ples Right to have free access unto them, to make their Grievances Known (as was worthily observed by Sir Bar. Showers, in his Speech to the People when he was cho­ [...] at Exon): But considering the Great Concerns that lye upon them in Parliament-time, [...]d how unfit it is then to trouble them, it's therefore absolutely necessary for them to [...]ert the Peoples Right (that, as in Ancient Times, so now they may have a Committee [...]ting in time of Parliament, to hear the Peoples Grievances, and, if sit, to report [...]em to the House. And that they should be chosen out of such Members as have not Pla­ [...] in Publick Offices; for it's not to be expected that the Peoples Complaints should be [...]ard and redrest by such as are complain'd against, or by those as may be Guilty of the same [...]imes in other Offices; it having been of late seen, that the Complainants have been by [...]se Witnesses, for promises of Reward, confronted, and thereby rejected. and some of [...]em starved, or ruined, and in danger of being murthered; and the Offenders thereby couraged.

And to consider the great Distress the People of England many Years past, and still do [...]our under, by not having such a Committee, to whom the People may without charge [...]ply themselves: and that for want thereof many Abuses in the Government have not [...]en inspected, and the Offenders detected; and which would not only do the People Justice [...]giving them their Right herein, but it would also be a great Ease to the House of Com­mons, in the preventing of many frivilous Petitions, which the whole House is now so often [...]oubled with, which causes so many Committees on purpose to hear particular Grievances, [...]se the Subject of the charge of getting Committees together, and of Clerks Fees, which oftentimes too heavy for their Pockets, and infallibly prevent the mutinous appearing of many persons at the Parliament Door, which looks more like a Mob than petitioning. And considering how earnest and willing Gentlemen are to take the great trouble and care [...]on them to be the Peoples Representatives, and what Promises they make when they are [...]osen, and how the Eyes of the Nation is so much fixed on the ensuing Parliament at this [...]ncture of time, in which the People's good is so much depending, surely it can no ways be [...]oubted, but their Representatives will answer their Expectations herein, and with all Can­on hear their Grievances, and promote such Bills as make for the Peoples good.

Humbly putting you in mind of two Bills (which to the Everlasting Praise of the most Honourable House of Peers) was sent down by them to the House of Commons the last Sessi­ [...]n, and to the great grief of many good men, by them rejected.

The one was for shortning Suits in Law and Equity, the length of [...] such a bur­ [...]en to the people, that they cannot long endure.

The other was intituled Solvent and Insolvent, by which the Solvent wh [...] lye in Prison, and [...]re able to pay their Debts, or by their Estates able to make satisfaction to their Creditors, [...]ould be compelled thereunto, and the Insolvent, who are not able to pay their Debts, or [...]y their Estates could not make satisfaction to their Creditors, should not lye in Prison and [...]erish, with such Cautions and Restrictions in the said Bill expressed, that the Creditor could [...]ot be injured thereby.

The Jews had Years of Jubilee, other Nations places of Relief; the English Nation hath neither.

Doing Justice, hearing the Peoples Grievances, and Redressing them, punishing the Of­fendors, and Encouraging well-doing. In Divine Writ, and in all Ages hath been account­ed the best Government, and the happiest People that do enjoy it; and such Governments as do deny it to the People, deemed to the greatest Judgments the Scripture any where do pronounce.

Trajan, A Heathen Emperor, when he was dying, called his Subjects to witness for him, that his Ear was always open to hear the Complaints of his Subjects, his heart ready to redress their Grievances, and his hands open to punish Offenders.

Twas by the fair pretence of doing Justice, and hearing the Peoples Grievances that Ab­s [...]lom raised a Rebellion, and endeavour'd to dethrone his Father, and the best of Kings.

Twas under pretence of King Charles's denying the People their Rights of Parliament, and not hearing the Peoples Complaints, and redressing Grievances, that Arms was [...] up a­gainst him, and caused some of his Subjects to consent to his Murther, by which King Charles the Second was so long kept out of the Throne.

Twas by Invading the Peoples Right, and not doing them Justice, King James the Se­cond was Abdicated.

Twas by Oliver Cromwells pretending to hear the Peoples Grievances, and [...] Ju­stice to be Administred to all Men, he Usurped the Power of a Protector.

Twas by his hearing the meanest Man's Complaint, tho against the chiefest Ministers of State, and keeping them from imbezling the Nations Treasure; and when he [...] out any for Evil Practises, he never suffered them to go unpublished, or took [...] their places, by which he wanted not Mony to carry on his Design, which caused [...] Power to last to his Lives end.

Twas by his preferring Men for their Merits, and not for Favour, Affection, or Mo­ney, that made his Officers true to him.

Twas by hearing the Complaints of the meanest Soldier and Seamen against their Supe­riour Officers (if Just) and paying them well, that made his Souldiers, and Seamen stand by him, that with a handful of Men he made the World dread him.

Twas his not heaping up the Nations Treasure, to exalt his own Family, that caused so many of the Nation to love and stand by him, and that which makes his Government so much talked of, now we are under the best of Kings, is occasioned by not punishing Offend­ers, who waste the Nations Substance, and defraud the King.

Twas his subduing the Corruption of the Lawyers, and causing the Poor Mans Cause to be heard, as well as the Rich, and bringing our Laws as well as our Religion into our own Mother Tongue, by which the People could not be ruined by whole sale, that caused the meanest sort to love him.

Twas Admiral Blakes doing Justice to the Seamen, and loving them, and not studying his own interest, that to England's Glory, with a small Fleet he Commanded the Seas, and to his praise be it spoken, when he died (though a Frugal Man) he left his Executor but 1300 l. besides his Paternal Estate.

Twas by the Lord Chancellor Jeffreys shortning Causes in Law and Equity, and by Cor­recting the Evil Practices of Attorneys, Sollicitors, and Bayliffs, that he has wiped off the stain of his Failings, for which the Mobb was like to Murther him, and is now so much applauded for what he did when he was Chancellor.

So that some who were good Men, and acted good things for the Government, under a bad Government, and thereby esteemed for their good Actions, some of them, and some of their Children, since we have been under a good Government and the best of Kings, by acting bad things, have made themselves of no esteem.

The mentioning of all which, is not to vindicate any Usurping Power but to excite such as are under a Lawful Government, and the best of Princes, in good Actions, and making good Laws, to out-doe them that acted under an Usurping Power.

To Conclude, By doing Justice to all Men, hearing the Complaints of the Oppressed, and redressing their Grievances, punishing Offenders, making Law-Suits short and easie, where­by the Poor may have Right done them as well as the Rich, is that which alone can make the Government lasting, and the People happy; and will certainly bring God's Blessing upon our Representatives, and People whom they do present; and make our Children's Children praise God that such a Parliament ever did Sit.