An Outcry of the Youngmen and Apprentices of London: or, An Inquisition after the lost Fundamentall Lawes and Liberties of England

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Gentlemen,

We are all of one Nation, and People, it is the sword only that differeth; but how just a title that is over us, your owne private thoughts surely are our determiners, however your actions import: For, it is not imaginable, (except amongst Bears, Wolves, and Lions,) that brethren of one cause, one Nation, and family, can without remorse and secret check of conscience, impose such Iron yokes of cruelty and oppression upon their fellowes, as by the awe and force of your Sword rampant, is imposed upon the people of this Nation; you see it; we are at best but your hewers of wood, and drawers of water; our very persons, our lives and properties, are all over-awed to the supportation only of the raging lawlesse Sword, drench’t in the precious blood of the people, the ancient and famous Magistracy of this Nation, the Petition of Right, the great Charter of England, above thirty times confirmed in open and free Parliament, with all other the fundamentall laws, safeties, and [2] securities of the people, which our Ancestors at an extraordinary dear rate (as with abundance of their blood and treasure) purchased for the inheritance of us, and of the Generations after us, and for which you pretendedly took up arms against the late King and his party, are now all subverted, broken down and laid wast, the Military Power being thrust into the very office and seat of the Civil Authority, The king not onely most illegally put to death, by a strange, monstrous, illegall, arbitrary Court, such as England never knew; Monarchy extirpated (not rectified) without, and besides the consent of the people, (though the actors of that bloody scene have owned and declared them to be the original of all just humane Authority) but even our Parliaments (the very interest, marrow, and soule of all the native rights of the people) put downe, and the name and power thereof transmitted to a pick’d party of your forcible selecting, and such as your Officers (our Lords, and Rulers) have often and frequently stiled no better then a mock Parliament, a shadow of a Parliament, a seeming Authority, or the like, pretending the continuance thereof, but till a new and equall Representative, by a mutuall Agreement of the free People of England could be elected, although now for subserviency to their exaltation and Kingship, they prorogue, and perpetrate the same in the name, and under colour thereof, introducing a Privy Counsell, or as they call it, a Counsell of State, of superintendency, and suppression to all future successive Parliaments for ever, erecting a martiall Government (by blood and violence impulsed upon us) making souldiers to be executioners of Orders and VVartants, pretending to the Civill Authority, and in every particular (notwithstanding, all your famous and glorious Declarations of Freedom and Liberty) dealing with us, as an absolute, conquered and inslaved People The Law being nothing but a mock protection to our lives, liberties and properties; the Judges set apart, for the executors of it, a meer delusion, our Sheriffs, Mayors, Justices of Peace, Constables, &c. being laid by, or made no better then ciphers, (the choise of them, by will without right) appropriated to a few factious men, while the right owners (the people) are rob’d of their free and popular elections of them) as not daring to execute Justice upon the rudest or meanest souldier in England, although the Law sufficiently warrants them thereunto, but contrarywise, Commoners are forceably convened and tryed before a Councell of VVarr, and some sentenced even unto death, others by a private verball order made to run the gantlop, and whipt most barbarously, for refusing to take false and illegall oaths; and the blood of war (expresly against the Petition of right, and for which amongst other crimes, the Earle of Strafford lost his head as a Traytor, shed in times of Peace, as the blood of Mr. Richard Arnell upon the 15. November, 1647. near Ware, of Mr. Robert Lockier the 17. of April, 1649 (so much bewailed and lamented at London) of Col. Poyer, of Cornet Thompson, Mr. Perkins, and Mr. Church, upon the 16. of May 1649 at Burford, contrary to promises, and solemn ingagements at the taking of them, (as their friends lately defeated with them, in their vindication of the 20. of August, 1649 fully declare, pag. 6. 7.) and others yet fresh in our memory doth witnesse: parties of horse and foot, (contrary and in direct defiance, of the due course and process of Law) sent at unseasonable houres, to hale and pull people out of their beds and houses, from their wives and children, without so much as ever summoning of them, and without any crime or accusation showne, or accuser appearing, or the least pretence or shadow of Law produced, some sent into remote Garrisons, where they have been most barbarously used, and indeavoured to be starved, and took from Garrison to Garrison, others lock’d up close prisoners, with centinels night and day upon their doors, and all due tryalls and help at Law, stoop’d and denyed, and no remedy to be obtained, yet free men most barbarously put out of their legall possessions, by force of arms; without any manner of triall at Law, yea the Law damn’d, and stoopt up against them, for recovering of their legall rights and they threatned severely to be punished, if they desist not their suits at Law; yea, and free-mens states never pretended to be within the compasse of the Ordinances of sequestrations, seized on to [3] so great virtue (by some great mens wills, protected by their swords, to do even what they list, without controul) without any manner of tryall or conviction, or any shadow of legall presence, or ever so much as laying any pretended crime to the parties charge; all which are the very (if not higher) crimes, then the Earle of Strafford principally lost his head for, as a Traytor, as clearly appears by his Act of Attainder, and by his large printed additionall Impeachment, 1640. both in English and Irish cases, as clearly appears in the preamble thereof; and in Article 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. But that which is worst of all, the best and most faithfull maintainers of the English Freedomes, are most maligned, abused, and vilified, that it is now become a crime of the greatest perill and penalty, to be faithfull to the declared interest of Parliaments, or rights of the people therein; a thing so dreadfully complained of by the Parliament, in the beginning of their first Remonstrance of December 1641. New Acts of high Treason, to that end devised to ensnare and intrap the most conscientious, so that we cannot talk or discourse of our lost Freedomes, or open our mouths of our oppressions, but we are in as bad a condition, as our Fore-Fathers were, in the daies of VVilliam the Conqueror, (that thought any fact crime enough to intitle him to their estates,) if not worse by being Treason struck; and besides all this, multitudes of pick pocket, murdering taxes are heap’d, and continued upon the old, and in default of payment, souldiers are put upon straining, seizing and plundering of our Masters goods, and houses, for which violence and villany, they must be largely paid, or else they will plunder over again for that; yea and the late large Act about Excize, so transcendent and insnaring in its penalties, that no man well knows how to behave himself in his trading, for fear of being undone; yea, so numberlesse are our most insufferable cruelties, overspreading and wounding the whole Land and people, that our borders are even filled with the lamentations, mournings, tears, sighs and dolefull groans, of the oppressed and inslaved ruinated people. Trade decayed and fled, misery, poverty, calamity, confusion, yea and beggery grown so sore, and so extream upon the people, as the like never was, in England, under the most tyrannicall of all our Kings, that were before these in present power, since the daies of the Conqueror himself; no captivity, no bondage, no oppression like unto that, no sorrow or misery like unto ours, (of being inslaved, undone and destroyed by our large pretended friends, for whose preservation, we could have even pul’d out our very eyes) the people become desolate and forsaken, wandring, pining, and mourning (like those in Jeremies Lamentations, unto whose sorrows, they said, none was like), after their lost fundamentall Laws, their native, and just freedoms, and rights, and there is none to comfort, none to pitty, none to relieve, none to help or to save. Alas, alas for pitty, For,

Your hearts seem to us as obdurate as the flinty rock, as savage and inhumane, as if the flesh and blood, the bones and marrow of the people, were become your meat, as already it is in effect, and instead of incouragement and support to our true friends, and reall relievers (at least in faithfull desire and indeavour) as shall stand in the gap betwixt our destroyers and us, all waies and meanes are used to impoverish, destroy, and suppresse them, and in them to break and vassallage the spirits of all the English, which in all ages have had the preheminency of other Nations, that there may not be so much of gallantry or courage left amongst the people, that one amongst them shall dare to assert or maintaine their freedomes, (which Act is not a little aggravated by M. John Pym, in his remarkable Speech against the Earl of Strafford, as the highest of Treasons against any Nation in Common wealth,) for if any do but murmure and complain, or seek for remedy, though by way of Petition or Addresse to the House, presently their houses, as with Furies, are beset, with armed mercenary Janisaries, Guards, and Centinels, set upon their doores and passages, no consideration had of the terror or affrightment of our Masters, their wives, children, or servants, or of reason, or law, and their persons as Traytors therefore imprisoned, for weeks, and moneths; yea, and close imprisoned from the society of all their friends, without ever so much as ever seeing either informer, accuser, prosecutor, or witnesse, yea, or ever seeing Indictment, Impeachment, or Charge, yea, or [4] face to face, or in their Mittimus’s, or any other formall or legall way, ever so much as having any crime, or presence of a crime laid unto their charge, by those very men before whom they are brought, and who by the rules of their meer will commit them therefore, although the Parliament in severall Declarations have declared, That they have received Petitions for the removall of things established by Law, and we must say, and all that know what belongeth to the course or practise of Parliament will say, that we ought so to do, and that both our Predecessors, and His Majesties Ancestors have constantly done it, there being no other place, wherein Lawes that by experience may be found grievous and burthensome, can be altered or repealed, and there being no other due and legall way, wherein they which are agrieved by them, can seek redresse, and that it is in tumult to deliver Petitions by popular multitudes, a part book of Parliaments Declarations, pag. 123. 201. 202. 209. 533. 548. 691. 720.

Yea, and your very selves, and your jugling Officers quarrell’d with, and took up armes against the Parliament, your creators and originall Lords and Masters, for prohibiting you to petition, and make knowne your grievances to them, and sufficiently envy and exclaime against them for so doing, and impeach some of them as Traytors therefore, as clearly appears in your own book of Declar. p. 10. 11. 17. 23. 33. 35. 44. 60. 61. 62. 83. 85. 118.

And yet nothing but the boundlesse wills and humors of those fore-mentioned men of blood, inrageth and ruleth over us: and is this all the return and fruit, that people are to expect at your hand doth your solemn ingagement at New-market, and Triplo heath, with your Declaratious, Remonstrances, Vowes and Protestations unto us all, center in this bed-roll of cruelties? we pray you give us leave to make inquiry amongst you after those things, and give losers leave to complain. Remember you not with what cheerfullnesse and alacrity our fellow-Apprentices; the glory and flower of the youth of this Nation, and multitudes of our selves yet surviving, ran in to your assistance or of a conscientious intent, to uphold and maintain the fundamentall Constitution of this Common VVealth? viz. the interest and right of the people in their Parliaments, it being most rationall, and unquestionably just, that the people should not be bound but by their owne consent given to their Deputies in Parliament, which by the Laws and customes of England, ought [wholly new] to bee annuall), to deliver and clear the Land from its heavy pressures and bonds, not ingaging in the least, against the person of the king, as king, or with any thought or presence of destroying, but regulating kingship, but meerly for the removall of all those cruelties and oppressions, he had laid upon the people by his will, contrary to Law; this you know to bee true, your owne papers extant to the world are our record and witnesses, as might plentifully be recited, but they are known to all men, that know your affairs, you cannot deny it; but where is the fulfilment of all your glorious words, registered in your book of Declarations? in which pag. 14. you say, you shall through the grace of God, discharge your duties to the Parliament, &c. and also demonstrate, that the good and quiet of the Kingdome is much dearer to you, then any particular concerament of your own; and in pag. 23. the Generall to both Houses in his Letter of the 6. of June 1647. assures the Parliament, it is his study and care to avoid a new war, and (further thus saith) so I find it to be the unanimous desire, and study of the Army, that a firm peace in this Kingdome may be setled, and the liberties of the people cleared, and secured accordingly, to the many Declarations by which we were invited, and induced to ingage in the late warre, most seriously there promising them, they will not meddle to the advancement of any particular parts or interest whatsoever.

And in your solemn ingagement of the 5. June 1647. pag. 26. you promise and ingage to God, the Kingdome, and to each other, that you will not disband, divide, nor suffer your selves to be disbanded, nor divided (either for Ireland, or any other place else) untill we have first such satisfaction [as you say] to the Army, in relation to our grievances, and desires heretofore presented, & such security. [5] That we of our selves (when disbanded, and in the condition of private men) or other the free-born people of England (to whom the consequence of our case ( about petitioning ) doth equally extend) (had to remain subject to the like oppression, injury or abuse, as in the premises hath been attempted and put upon while an Army.

O that there had been an heart in you, to have made this good before your gross apostacy from all your engagements and promises, that hath already occasioned so much misery, warr and bloodshed. Or, oh that yet there were hearts within you vigorously and effectually to go about the accomplishment and fulfilment thereof (and thereby prevent all the miseries, blood-shed and desolations that for want thereof undoubtedly must and will ensue) which you are bound and tyed unto both before God and man, as is (in our judgments) unanswerably proved in the foresaid treacherously defeated Burford mens Vindication, pag. 8. 9. 10.

But to return, in your said engagement, in the fore-recited 26. page, you positively there disown and disclaim all purposes or designes in our late or present proceedings, to advance or insist upon a particular interest, to the overthrow of Magistracy, &c. neither (by you) would we (if we might or could) advance or set up any particular party or interest in the Kingdom [though imagined never so much our own] but shall much rather [as far as may be within our sphear or power] study to promote such an establishment of common equall right and freedom to the whole, as all might equally partake of.

And in that most choyce and best of Declarations made by the whole Army of Souldiers, as well as Officers June 14. 1647, tendered to the Parliament, concerning their just and fundamentall rights and liberties of themselves and the Kingdom, Book Decl pag. 36. 37. you say, That we may no longer be the dissatisfaction of our friends, the subject of our enemies malice [to work jealousies and misrepresentations upon] and the suspicion [if not astonishment] of many in the Kingdom, in our late or present transactions and conduct of business; we shall in all faithfulnesse and cleernesse profess and declare unto you, these things which have of late protracted and hindered our disbanding, the present grievances which possesse the Army, and are yet unremedied; with our desires, as to the compleat settlement of the Liberties and peace of the Kingdom, which is that blessing of God, then which (of all worldly blessing) nothing is more dear unto us, or more precious in our thoughts, we having hitherto thought all our present enjoyments [whether of life or livelihood, or neerest relations] twice but sufficient to the purchase of so rich a blessing, that we, and all the free-born people of this Nation may lie down in quiet under our vines, and under the pious administration of Justice and Righteousnesse, and in full possession of those fundamentall Rights and Liberties, without which we can have little hopes (as to humane condition) to enjoy either any comforts of life, or so much as life itself, but at the pleasure of some men, ruling meerly according to will and power.

And in the same Declaration pag. 38. 39. you further say thus; Nor will it now (we say) seem strange or unreasonable to rationall and honest men, who consider the consequence of our present case, to their own and the Kingdoms [as well as our] future concernment, in point of right, freedom, peace and safety (if from a deep sense of the high consequence of our present case, both to our selves [in future] and all other people) we shall, before disbanding, proceed in our own and the kingdoms behalf, to propound and further some provision for our and the kingdoms satisfaction and future security, in relation to those things especially, considering that we were not a meer mercenary Army, hired to serve any arbitrary power of a State, but called forth and conferred by the severall Declarations of Parliament, to the defence of our own and the peoples full Rights and Liberties: and so we took up arms in judgment and conscience to those ends, and have so continued them, and are resolved, according [6] to your first just desires in your Declarations, and such principles as we have received from your frequent informations, and our own common sense, concerning those our fundamentall Rights and Liberties, to assert and vindicate the just power and rights of this Kingdom in Parliament for those common ends promised against all arbitrary power, violence and oppression, and against all particular parties and interests, whatever. The said Declaration is still directing us to the equitable sense of all Laws and Constitutions (and, as dispensing with the very letter of the Law, and being fundamental, where the safety and perturbation of all is concerned: and assuring us that all authority lies fundamentally vested in the Office, but administerially in the Persons.

And on page 96, speaking in general of purging some evil members out of the Parliament, you declare, “your carriage towards them shall be such, as that the world shall see we aim at nothing of private revenge and animosities but that Justice may have a free course, and the Kingdom be eased and secured, by disenabling such men [at least] from place of Judicature, who desiring no advantage and set up themselves and their party in a generall confusion, have endeavoured to put the Kingdom into a new time of Warr, then which nothing is more abhorrent to us. And in the same Declaration, spending the 42 and 43 pages in most excellent expressions, of the excellency and benefit of frequent and successive Parliaments [totally new] and the mischief, bondage and vassallage of the long continuance of any Parliament, at pa.44 you say, And thus a firm foundation being laid in the authority and constitution of Parliaments, for the hopes at least of common and equitable Right and Freedom to our selves, and all the free born people of this Land; we shall for our parts freely and cheerfully commit our stock or share of interest in this Kingdom into this common bottom of Parliaments, and though it may [for our particulars] go ill with us in one voyage, yet we shall thus hope, [if right be with us] to fare better in another.

And in the last end of that transcendant Declaration, pag. 46. you conclude thus: “We have thus freely and clearly declared the depth and bottom of our hearts and desires in order to the Rights, Liberties and peace of the Kingdom; wherin we appeal to all men, whether we seek anything of advantage to our selves, or any particular party whatsoever, or to the prejudice of the whole; and whether the things we wish and seek for, do not equally concern and conduce to the good of others in common with our selves, according to the sincerity of our desires and intentions (wherein as we have already found the concurrent sense of the people in divers Countries, by their petitions to the General, expressing their deep resentment of these things, and pressing us to stand for the interest of the kingdom therein; so we shall wish and expect the unanimous concurrence of all others, who are equally concerned with us in these things, and wish well to the Publick.

And in p. 52. being writing to the Lord Mayor Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London in Common Councel assembled, it is thus said To conclude, we say from our hearts that our especiall ends are the glory of God, and the good of this whole Land, so my endeavour shall be to prosecute the same without prejudice to the being or well being of Parliaments in generall; the maintenance whereof we value above our own lives or (as we have formerly said) of this Parliament in particular, but together in order to the good and Peace of the Nation, and wish a most tender regard to your City.

And in page 57, 58. its said that, In our last Representation it may appear what desires are, as Members of the Common-wealth in behalf of our selves and all others the cleering, setling and securing of the rights, liberties and Peace of the Kingdom; for justnesse, reasonableness, necessity and common concernment whereof unto all, we dare appeal to the whole Kingdom, and to the world.

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And in page 76 to the Lord Mayor of London, &c. it is said, “ That it is a sudden and substantial settlement of the whole we desire in a generall, safe, and well grounded peace, and the establishment of such good Laws, as may only and readily render to every man their just rights liberties; and for the obtaining of these, not only our intentions had led us too, but we think that all the blood, treasure and labour spent in this War, was for the accomplishing those very things, which are of that concernment both to our selvs and propertie, that neither we nor they can live comfortably without them, and therefore their help is much pressed for to bring things to a happy conclusion, to the satisfaction of all honest mens expectation, and that in all our undertakings we shall be found men of truth, fully and singly answering the things we have held forth to the kingdom in our severall Declarations and Papers, without byas or base respects to any private end of interest whatsoever.

And in page 97. is recorded a notable Proposall to the Parliament from Redding, July 12. 1647. which doth sufficiently condem your late tyrannicall dealing with some of the very parties therein mentioned; The Proposall thus followeth; “Wee doe earnestly desire, That all persons imprisoned in England or Dominion of Wales, not for Delinquency in relation to the last Warre, but for other pretended misdemeanours,) and whose imprisonment is not by the regulated course of Law, but by Order from either Houses of Parliament, (or of Committees flowing from them) may be put into a speedy regular and equitable way of Triall, (or if the necessity of setling the generall affairs of the Kingdom admit not their present triall) then they may have present libertie (upon reasonable security) to their apppearance at a certain day, to answer what shall be charged against them in a Legall way, and that when they should be tryed, if they appear wrongfully or unduly imprisoned, they may have reparation according to their sufferings.

In particular we desire this may be done in behalfe of L. Colonel John Lilborn, Master John Musgrave, Master Overton and others (in their condition) imprisoned in and about London. Read also more fully to this purpose p. 101. 105. 110. 112. 118. 128. 132. 137. so also the large Remonstrance from Saint Albans of the 16. of November 1648. pag 6. 89 12. 14. 15. 22. 23. 29. 43. 45. 47. 48. 57. 62. but especially 65. 66. 67. 68. 69.

But after this large (but yet profitable and necessary) digression, let us seriously expostulate with you and put you in mind of your most wicked and grosse apostacy (such as the world never see or read of before, from men that professe God and godlinesse in a strict manner, and would be reputed the CHOICEST SAINTS in England) and cry out unto you with astonishment and admonition; and thus interrogate your very consciences (where God alone ought to sit King) Oh heare you not the blood of our dear fellow Apprentices, and of the rest of the good People of England spilt for the redemption of this inthraled Nation (especially since your first contest with the Parliament) cry aloud in your ears and hearts (where ever you goe) for vengeance upon you, the peoples perfidious abusers, betrayers and destroyers? Oh do not you hear them cry out unto your very conscences; O give our Fathers, or Mothers, our Brothers, our Sisters, and others of our neer and dear relations, the full and speedy accomplishment of all your forementioned inravishing promises and engagement, by vertue of the power and efficacy of which you stole away their heart, and spirits from all their relations, and made them with willingnesse and cheerfullnesse become sacrifices for your assistance; for that end principally (if not only) that they that survived might enjoy the full and ample fruition of all your glorious promises and engagements, for common freedom, distributive Justice and righteousnesse upon the earth; Oh do you not hear their blood cry unto you? O mock not (nor dally with) God any longer, but without delay, give our friends and country-men the promised price of all our blood, by the full and speedy paying of all your vows, and engagements made unto God [8] for that end, lest for all your perjury, apostacy, and perfidiousnesse he create a mighty and irresistible spirit of revenge amongst the people, and knit together (their otherwise divided hearts, in one, is one man to rise up in one day to destroy you, with a more fatall scouring destruction then you have already destroyed others (yea the highest in the Nation) pretendedly for oppressions, breach of Oaths, Faith and Covenants) yea to sweep you away from the land of the living; with an overflowing deluge of destruction, as the enslaved women about six or seven hundred years agoe, did the Danes in one night throughout England.

Oh do not your hearts at all relent? can you consider this your forecited unparalleled and horrible defection and apostacy, and not tremble and be amazed, and even confounded? Is there lesse remorse of conscience in you then was in Belshazzar, who at his seeing the hand writing upon the wall, hanged his countenance, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joynts of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another, (though otherwise in as great Jolity and prosperity as any of yourselves or Officers) or have you lesse apprehension of the Majesty of God then was in the heathen Roman Governour Felix, who when he heard Paul reason or Preach of rightousnesse, temperance and Judgement to come trembled and feared, and durst not proceed in fury against him, although much thereunto provoked by his adversaries, Act. 24. since all sense and compunction of conscience is not totally departed from you; hear us therefore in the yearning bowels of love and kindnes we intreat and beseech you with patience and do not abuse us for complaining and crying out, for the knife hath been very long at the very throats of our Liberties and Freedoms, and our burthens are too great and too many for us, we are not able to bear them and contain our selves, our oppressions are even ready to make us despair, (or forthwith to fly to the prime Lawes of nature, viz. the redolent remedy at hand, light it where it will, or upon whom it will) they are become as devouring set in our bones, ready to burn us up, rendring us desperate and carelesse of our lives, prising those that are already dead, above those that are yet living, who are rid of that paine and torment, that we do & must indure, by sensibly seeing and beholding not only the doing, but the daily burial of our native Liberties and Freedoms, that we care not what becomes of us, seeing that we are put into that originall state or chaos of confusion; wherein lust is become a law, envy and malice are become laws, and the strongest sword rules and governes all by will and pleasure; all our ancient boundaries and land-marks, and puld up by the roots, and all the tyes and bonds of humane society in our English horizon totally destroyed and exterpated. Alas for pity.

We had rather die then live this life of languishing death, in which our Masters possesse nothing (to buy themselves or us bread to keep us alive) that they can call their own; therefore it is no boot for us to serve out our times, and continue at our drudging and toyling trades while these oppressions, cruelties and inhumanities are upon us, and the rest of the people; exposing thereby the Nation not only to domestick broyles, wars and blood-sheds (wherein we insure our bodies must be the principall bars) but to forraign Invasions by France, Spaine, Denmark, Sweathland, &c. as was well observed by our endeared and faithfull friends of the forementioned late treacherously defeated party at Burford in their Book of the 20 of August, 1649. Intituled the Levellers vindicated, or the Case of their 12 Troops truly stated, pag. 11. which we cannot but seriously recommend (with them) to your serious perusall and judgement and desire to know of you (but especially the private souldiery of the Generals Regiment of horse, what we understand had a hand in seasing upon and plundering our true friends at Burford) whether you do own the abominable and palpable treacherous dealings of your Generall and Lieutenant Generall Cromwel and their perfidious Officers with them or no? (that so we may not condemn the innocent with the guilty, and may know our friends from our foes) as also to tell us, whether we do approve of the totall deflection of your Army under which it now lyeth, from their Faithful solemn engagement made at Newmarket-heath, June the 5 1647, not one of those righteous men in behalf of the Parliament and people, on which your vow was made, being yet fulfilled or [9] obtained; but on the contrary (as we have before rehearsed) a whole flood-gate of tyrannies are let in upon us, and even over-whelme us; and whether you justify all those actions done in the name of the Army upon your account, and under pretext of that Engagement since the Engagement it self was broken, and your Councill of Agitators dissolved? And whether you will hold up your Swords to maintaine the totall abolition of the peoples choicest interest or freedom, viz. frequent and successive Parliaments, by an Agreement of the People, or obstruct the annuall succession? Whether you doe allow of the late shedding of the blood of war in time of peace, to the subversion of all our Laws and Liberties? And whether you do countenance the usurpation of the fundamental Freedoms of this Commonwealth? as their revocation or nullity of the Great Charter of England, The Petition of Right, &c And whether you do assent to the erection of Arbitrary prerogative Courts that have or shall overrule, or make void, our ancient way of tryals in criminal Cases, by a Jury of 12 men of the neighbourhood? and whether you will assist or joyne in the forcible obtrusion of this Martial and Tyrannical Rule over us? Also whether you will fight against and destroy those of our friends that shall endeavour the composure of our differences, together with the procurement of our Freedoms and settlement of our peace (your plenty and prosperity) accordingly as it was offered by the 4 Gentlemen prisoners in the Tower of London, upon the first of May 1649 (as a peace-offering to this Nation) by the Agreement of the People?

Lastly, We earnestly beseech you to acquaint us, whether from your hands (to your power) we may expect any help or assistance in this our miserable distressed condition, to the removall of those iron bands and yolks of oppression, that have thus inforced us to complain, and addresse our selves thus to your serious consideration.

For we cannot chuse but acquaint you, that we are seriously resolved, through the strength and assistance of God, (with all the interest we have in the world) to adhere to the righteous things contained in our treacherously defeated freinds forementioned late vindication; very much approving of that unparalel’d expedient (of an agreement of the free people,) they propose in the latter end thereof, for the firm setling of the peace, Liberties and Freedoms of this distracted nation, which hath so much justice, righteousnesse and safety in it, that we hope it will in a very short time levell all self interests before it & make it clearly appear to him that claims the greatest personall share in the government of this Nation, that there is no way to obtain the true love of the understanding English people (without which he will never obtain his desired Crown) but by a cheerefull, hearty and reall promotion of such principles therein contained as doe sufficiently tye his hands from cutting the peoples throats, at his will and pleasure, the endeavouring of which, exposed his father to that fatall end that befell him; which may be a seasonable caveat to all Princes &c, to take heed of that desperate rock, viz. the attempting to govern the people by will, and not by Law; by force, and not by love; the onely and alone durable and permanent tie or bond amongst the sons of men; We say that expedient of an Agreement of the free people appears to us to have so much equity righteousnesse and common safety in it, that we are resolved to bury all by-past DISTASTS at the greatest of Englishmen that shall heartily and cordially, signe and put forth their power and interest, to promote the establishment of the principalls therein contained; and in the ADHERING TO, AND STANDING BY, all such as shall be in any danger for walking in such paths, we shall through the strength of the Lord God Omnipotent (to the uttermost of our power and abilities) resolvedly hazard our our lives and all that is dear to us.

For the effectuall promotion of which said Agreement we are necessitously compeld, to resolve in close union to joyn our selves, or our Commissioners (chosen for that end) the Counsel with our foresaid Burford friends, or their Commissioners, and to resolve to run all hazards, [10] to methodize all our honest fellow Prentices, in all the Wards of London, and the out-Parishes, to chuse out their Agents to joyn with us or ours: to write Exhortative Epistles, to all the honest hearted freemen of England, in all the particular Countries thereof, to erect severall Councels amongst themselves, out of which we shall desire (and exhort them) to chuse Agents or Commissioners (impowered and intrusted by them) speedily to meet us and the Agents of all our, (and the Agreement of the People) adherents at London, resolvedly to consider of a speedy and effectuall method, and way how to promote the Election of a new and equall Representative or Parliament, by the Agreement of the free People, seeing those men that now sit at Westminster, and pretendedly stile themselves the Parliament of England, and who are (as they say (although most falsly) in the Declaration for a Free State, dated March 17. 1643, p.17. intrusted, aund authorized by the consent of all the People of England whose Representatives they are) make it their chiefest and principallest work, continually to part and share amongst themselves, all the great, rich, and profitablest places of the Nation, as also the Nations publike treasure and Lands, and wil not ease our intolerable oppressions, no nor so much as of late receive our Particular Petitions having upon Thursday last, August 23 1649. rejected that most excellent of Petitions ready at their door to be presented to them by divers honest men (our true hearted neighbours of Surrey) the true Copie of which for the worth of it although it be at large already printed in Friday Occurences and the Tuesday Moderate,) we desire here to insert.

To the supreme Authority of this Nation, the Commons of England assembled in Parliament:

The humble Petition of the oppressed of the County of Surrey, which have cast in their Mite into the Treasury of this Common-wealth.

SHEWETH,

THat as the Oppressions of this Nation in time foregoing this Parliament were so numerous and burdensome, as will never be forgotten; so were the hopes of our deliverance by this Parliament exceeding great, and full of confidence, which as they were strengthened by many Acts of yours in the beginning, especially towards conscientious people, without respect unto their judgments or opinions; did the gratitude of the wel-minded people, exceed all presidents or example sparing neither estate, limb, liberty, or life, to make good the authority of this honorable house, as the foundation and root of all just Freedom, although we many times observed (to our grief) some proceedings holding resemblance rather with our former bondage: yet did we impute the fame to the troublesomness of the times of War, persistently and silently passing them over, as undoubtedly hoping a perfect remedy, so soon as the Warres were ended: But perceiving our expectations in some particulars frustrated: and considering some late dealings with some of our friends, &c. the consideration of which lies so heavy on our spirit that for prevention thereof, we conceive our selves bound in conscience and duty to God, to set before you once more, the generall grievances of the Commonwealth, and the earnest desires of the ingenious and well-minded people.

First, That the Petition of the Eleventh of September last, and the Agreement of the People may be reassumed, and the particulars therof speedily established.

Secondly, we most earnestly beg, with many other of your faithfull friends in all the Counties of England that that most irksome and intolerable oppression of Tythes, which is retained in no reformed Church, neverthelesse more firmly established then ever by your Ordinance for treble dammages, made in the Parliaments corruption, and yet no Act against it, which causes our hearts to be discouraged, and brought into much fear and doubt of the removall of these and other bondages by this Representative: Wherefore we cannot passe it by, but again intreat, that the Ordinance for Tythes may be speedily revoked, and that a more equall way of maintenance be provided by the publique Ministery.

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Thirdly, That all proceedings in law may be in English, that a short time may be inserted for the tryall of all causes, and that by Twelve men of the Neighborhood, and that none may be debarred of Freedom to plead his own or his Neighbours Cause, [ as by Law any man may and ought to doe, as clearly appears by the Statute of 28 Edw 1 ch.11. ] before any court of Justice, although no Lawyer. And that no member of your House be suffered to plead as a Lawyer, whilst a member thereof.

Fourthly, That some course may be taken for the future, to pay the Army; not laying such intolerable Burthen and taxes on its people which we are not able to bear, And so we shall for ever stand by you an all Representatives for the freedom of the Nation, as formerly. Desiring that we may obtain speedily a new and equal Representative.

We say, considering what is before premised, we are necessitated and compeld to doe the utmost we can for our owne preservations; and for the preservation of the Land of our Nativity; and never (by popular petitions) addresse our selves to the men sitting at Westminster any more, or to take any notice of them, then as of so many Tyrants and Usurpers, and for time to come to hinder (as much and as farr as our poor despised interest will extend to) all others whatsoever from subscribing or presenting any more popular petitions to them: And only now as our last Paper-refuge, mightily cry out to each other, of our intolerable oppressions in Letters and Remonstrances, signed in the behalf, and by the appointment of all the rest by some of the stoutest and stiffest amongst us that we hope will never apostasize, but be able through the strength of God, to lay down their very lives for the maintaining of that which they set their hands to.

You our fellow-Countrymen (the private Souldiers of the Army) alone, being the instrumentall authors of your own slavery and ours; therefore as there is any bowels of men in you, any love to your Native Country, Kindred, friends or relations, any sparks of conscience in you, any hopes of glory or immortality in you, or any pity, mercy, or compassion, to an inslaved, undone, perishing, dying people, Oh help, help! save and redeem us from totall vassalage and slavery, and be no more like brute beasts, to fight against us or our friends, your loving and dear brethren after the flesh: to your own vassalage as well as ours.

And as an assured pledg of your future cordialnesse to us (and the true and reall liberties of the Land of your Nativitie) we beseech and beg of you, (but especially those amongst you that subscribed the solemn engagement at Newmarket heath and the of June 1649) speedily to chuse out from amongst your selves, Two of the ablest and constantest faithfull men amongst you in each Troop and Company, now at last, (by corresponding each with other, and with your honest friends in the Nation) to consider of some effectuall course (beyond all pretences and cheat) to accomplish the real end of all your engagements and fightings, viz. the settling of the Liberties and Freedoms of the people, which can never permanently be done, but upon the sure foundation of a POPULAR AGREEMENT: who (viz. the people) in Justice, gratitude, and common equity, cannot choose but voluntarily and largely make better provision for your future subsistance (by the payment of your ARREARS) then ever your Officer, or this pretended Parliament intends, or you can rationally expect from them; witnesse, their cutting off three parts of your Arreares in four for Free-quarter and then necessitating abundance of your fellow-Souldiers (now cashiered, &c.) to sell their Debenters at two shillings six pence, three shillings and at most four shillings per l. by meanes of which you that keep your Debenters being necessitated to vie with the greatest bidder, in the purchase of the late Kings Lands, they are able to give above 30 years purchase, for that you cannot give a years purchase for; and if you will not give with the most you must have no Land, so that the most of your Debenters are likely to prove waste papers, and those that purchase will have but a slippery security of their possessions, by reason of generall discontents amongst all sorts of people, and particularly by so extraordinarily disengaging and cheating so many Souldiers as they have done, of their just expected recompence of reward.

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And also, as a further demonstration of the cordialnesse of your hearts to us, OUR BURFORD FRIENDS, and our own and our Liberties; we desire you to take some speedy course for the faithfull restoring to the right Owners, all such Horses, Money, Clothes, &c. as you, any of you, plundered or stole from our true friends, (cheated and defeated) at Burford, publish some kinde of Demonstration of your or any of your remorse of Conscience for your being instrumentall in destroying of them there, that stood for your good, freedomes and ARREARS, as much, (and as well) as their own, especially considering they have in their foresaid Vindication made it evident and apparent (and we understand they are at face to face to prove) That both our Generall, and Lieutenant Generall Cromwell broke their faith with them, and treacherously surprised them; and so dealt worse and more vilely with them, then ever they did with the worst of Cavaliers, with whom in that kinde they never broke faith with, in their lives; but more especially we desire the last fore-mentioned thing in your hands; because upon that Trayterous and wicked defeat of those our true Friends, (and wilfully murthering of three of them) that really stood for the Nations interest, Liberties, and Freedoms your Generall and Cromwell, with the rest of their faction made a most transcendent Feast, to insult over the Liberties and freedoms of the servants of the most high God as though by that most vile act, they had subdued and buryed all the Liberties of the Nation in eternall oblivion, and FOYL’D the Lord of life and glory himself, from distilling any more Spirit of Courage and Resolution into any to stand for them; and in that wickedest of Feasts, not onely a great measure imitated Belshazzar, Dan. 5. That made a great Feast to a thousand of his Lords, and fetched out the vessels, that by the spolie of the people of God, his father Nebuchadnezzar had gone to the Temple of the Lord, and drank wine in them, and praised the gods of gold and of silver, of brasse, of iron, of wood, and of stone, but also imitated the greatest of the enemies of Christ, who at the slaying of the two witnesses, Rev. 11. rejoiced over them and made merry and sent gifts one to another (as in Gold and Silver plate, &c. was most largely done to your General Fairfax and Lieutenant-General Cromwell) the reason of which is there rendred, which is, because the two Prophets (of Truth and Justice) tormented them that dwelt on the earth; but with comfort and joy we cannot but serve the next words to them, which is, That within a little season after, the Spirit of life from God entred into them, (as we hope and doubt not, but it will abundantly now doe upon the true defenders for justice and righteousnesse amongst men) and they stood upon their feet, and great feare fell upon them that saw them, and great Earthquakes followed, in the nick of which is proclamation that the Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever; unto which we heartily say, Amen, Amen. So with our hearty true love remembred to you all, expecting your, or some of your speedy answer, we commit you to God, and rest

London this 29. August, 1649.

Your faithful, though abused Countrymen.

Signed in the behalf of our selves, and the unanimous consent of the Agents of the Youngmen and Apprentices of the City of London, that love and approve of the Agreement of the People, dated May 1. 1649. the Vindication of the late defeated men at Burford entituled, The Leveller, vindicated.

Charles Collins	Anthony Bristlebolt
William Trabret	Steven Smith
Ed. Waldegrove	Thomas Frisby
Ed. Stanley	William White
Nicholas Blowd	John Floyd.

FINIS