in a great measure changed, another spirit appearing in them, than before, insomuch that many made question of the things that were formerly done; some speaking at a high rate in behalf of the rights of the English free people, and against the wrongs and injuries that had been done unto them. This being done day by day, and the house not agreeing what to call that other house, which was as it were a nameless infant, and fain would be named the House of Lords, was the greatest part of their work, save that, now and then, some little matters came under debate, as the reviving and perfecting their committees, and reading some former bills. The Lord Craven's case also was taken in, and the council on both parts heard at the bar of the house, with some other little matters that passed; but the greatest part of the time that was spent in the house, whilst sitting, was in considering and debating what they should call the other house.

Towards the end of their sitting, there came another message from the other house, after the same manner as before, desiring their joining with them, in moving the protector to order, that the papists, and such as had been in arms under the late king, might be exiled the city, and put out of the lines of communication,' &c. This message being also designed as a shooing-horn, to draw on their owning of thein, received a like answer as did the former.

As for the other house, who called themselves the House of Lords, they spent their time in little matters, such as choosing of committees, and among other things, to consider of the privileges and jurisdiction of their house, good wise souls, before they knew what their house was, or should be called.

About which time also, a petition was preparing, by some faithful friends to the good old cause, in and about the city of London, which was afterwards printed, and signed with many thousand hands; which petition makes mention of the several particulars that were the grounds of contest between the late king, and parliament, and the good people of the nation. And prayeth, the settling those good things sought for, as the reward and fruit of the blood and treasure so greatly expended in the late wars,' &c. This petition was ready to be presented to the parliament, in a peaceable way, by the hands of about twenty in the name of the rest, desiring to submit the issue thereof to God, and the wisdom of that assembly. The court, hearing of it, were so affrighted, that they began to consider how they might quell, and put a stop to, that honest spirit, which so appeared against them; the Protector, in the mean while, calling them traitors, and seditious persons, &c. threatening to cut their sculls, and to tread them down as mire in the streets, &c. And, turned out * Major Packer, and most of the honestest officers of his regiment of horse, for refusing to serve his lust therein. And apprehending that nothing could do it, but a speedy dissolving the parliament, they put on resolutions accordingly, only waiting for a convenient opportunity. But, something happening that morning, that put

As Major Packer, Mr. Kiffin, and others, by endeavouring to promote the apostasy at its arst rise, have occasioned many baptised persons, and others, simply to wander after the beast. They, now seeing their error, ought they not to declare it to the people, as also to stir them up to keep close with more refinedness in their spirits to the good old cause, and to be for no ingle person whatsoever, till he comes, whose right it is, Ezek. xxi, 26.

the Protector into a rage and passion, near unto madness, as those at White-hall can witness, he gets into a coach, and to the other house he comes, and sends for his son Fleetwood, Mr. Nathaniel Fines, and some others, acquainting them what his purpose and resolution was, and what he came to do, who, as it is said, earnestly endeavoured to dissuade him from it; but he refused to hearken, and in great passion swore. By the living God he would dissolve them.' And so going into the house, and sending the black rod, with a message, to call the parliament to come unto him, he, with laying great blame upon them, and charging them with great crimes, and magnifying of himself, as his manner is, dissolved them. And this was the fourth parliament broken by him, in five years.

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Thus the two houses fell, and perished together; their father, their good father, knocking his children on the head, and killing of them, because they were not towardly, but did wrangle one with another; but what hath he gained thereby? Solomon the wise saith, Prov. xiv. 1. 'Every wise woman buildeth her house, but the foolish plucke thit down with her own hands.'

Upon the whole, it is humbly queried as follows, viz. First, whether there may not very plainly be read and perceived a hand of displeasure from the Almighty, blinding the eyes, and infatuating the understandings of those unworthy persons, who, Hiel like, would have built Jericho again, to wit, fallen monarchy in a single person, and a House of Lords, with their negative voices over the good people of these lands, so as to cause, or suffer them to do their work by halves; and to rise, and leave so lame, nameless, and insignificant, their new model of the humble petition and advice, aliàs, instrument of bondage to the English nation. Let the curse of confusion, that attended the builders of † Babel, be considered of.

Secondly, whether those so very wise gentlemen, who saw it so necessary, and ventured so high, and took so much pains, to bring in again, and a-new restore fallen monarchy and kingship in these lands, could, according to the rules of common reason and understanding of men, imagine' and conclude, that the gentlemen, who had formerly been so wronged, abused, and exasperated by them, in being kept out of the house, would be so easy and tame, as presently, without any more ado, address themselves to lick their new golden calf, and nurse up that Babylonish, antichristian brat, they had no hand in, but were against the begetting of? And whether it doth not speak out a very great weakness in their counsels, and a marvellous shallowness in the Protector, his council, and whole number concerned in that design, in making no better provision beforehand, and seeing no further into the ensuing danger, so likely to attend their whole device, and the nameless infant of the other house, which they would have to be christened, and called by the name of Lords?

Thirdly, whether the good people of this nation have not cause for ever, as to abhor the memory of the fore-mentioned backsliding persons, so that parliament (so called) in thefirst session of it, before their

* 1 Kings xvi. 34.

+ Gen. xi. 7, 9.

adjourning, that, of their own heads, and contrary to their engagement to the instrument of government, by virtue whereof they sat at first, and without consulting the respective counties for whom they served, or so much as one petition delivered to them for that purpose, changed the government, and made one worse, harder, and more grievous to be borne, than that they put away; so fastening their new iron yoke upon the necks of the good people of this land, settling great taxes, with the customs and excise for ever, to keep this yoke upon them?

Fourthly, whether those gentlemen kept out in the first sitting, when those hard things were transacted, and afterwards coming in, and being present in the second meeting, notwithstanding the so great reproach and dirt cast on them by the court, are not highly to be honoured and esteemed, for appearing and standing, so far as they did, for right and freedom, against the bondages, which, contrary to engagements, covenants, and promises, were put upon the good people of this land? As well as to be blamed, not only for not declaring at their first seclusion, to inform the people of the wrong and injury done unto them, but also, when afterwards they were so arbitrarily and tyrannically dissolved, with the rest of their unworthy brethren, they took it so patiently, and went so tamely home, and did not, in the very time of the action, protest and declare against the tyrant, and then retire into their places, (from whence they ought not to have stirred at first) and call him to the bar, or otherwise proceed against him for so doing? Had it not been suitable to, and well becoming that noble commonwealth spirit (so much pretended to) thus to have assayed, though they had fallen in it? And whether the army in honesty, conscience, and duty, their former declarations and engagements considered, ought not to have assisted them therein, as well as they did the long parliament against the king and his courtiers, upon the like account? Do not the like cries of the souls of the saints under the altar, slain for the testimony which they held in their day, as also the blood of the saints, and others, slain in the late wars, and the sufferings of our dear brethren in prisons and banishment, call for this their testimony also? If so: Ought not this honest word of reproof for what is past, and of excitation for the future, to take place?

Fifthly, but since things were as they were, and, as it seems, could be no better, whether all good people, in these nations, have not great cause exceedingly to bless and praise the Lord? (Though they owe little to the instrument, who, Ashur-like, had other ends) that the late parliament (so called) was dissolved; who were, many of them, such mercenary, salary, and self-interested men, as, in all probability, had they continued much longer, would have over-voted the lovers of freedom, and so have perfected their instrument of bondage, and riveted it on the necks of the good people for ever by a law, and thereby made them vassals and slaves perpetually. But, hitherto, the Lord hath, in a great measure, frustrated their wicked designs, blessed be his holy

name.

The first instrument is not hereby owned, but abhorred as much as the latter, though I thas speak. Rer. vi. 9, 10.

Sixthly, Whether the protector, so called, be not a great destroyer of the rights and liberties of the English nation? For hath he not engrossed the whole power of the militia into his own hand? The right also of property? power of judging all matters of the highest and greatest concernment? And doth he not take on him to be sole judge of peace and war, of calling and dissolving parliaments? Raising money without consent in parliament? Imprisoning persons without due form of law, and keeping them in durance at pleasure; using the militia in his own hand against the good people, in these fore-named things, and against their representers in parliament.

Seventhly, Whether the protector, and the great men his confederates, be not rather to be termed fanatick, whimsical, and sickbrained, than those (who remaining firm to, and, being more refined in their former good, and honest principles, will upon no account be drawn to desert the good old cause) they account and call so? And whether this unsettledness in their government, and changing both it and their principles, in so short a time; and going so diametrically contrary to their former honest protestations, declarations, sermons, and actings, doth not in the view of all the world declare them to be so?

Eighthly, Whether the protector (so called) be not that himself, which he untruly charged upon the members turned out of the little parlia ment (so called) viz. destroyer of magistracy and ministry'? Of magistracy, in breaking four parliaments in five years; and pulling up by the roots, what in him lieth, the very basis and foundation of all just power, to wit, the interest of the good people of this commonwealth; making himself, and his own will and lust, the basis and foundation thereof? And doth he not at his pleasure suppress and destroy all military and civil power, and governors that submit not thereunto? Is he not likewise a great destroyer of ministry, in taking from them their religious, or divine capacities, putting them into that of lay or common? And accordingly, in a professed way, preferring them to places of advantage by the triers?

Ninthly, Whether the protector be so wise and understanding, so tender and careful of the common interest (as is pretended to) above all others whatsoever? Yea, above and beyond the four parliaments he hath dissolved? And may it not be enquired how he came to this great height of knowledge and absolute understanding, seeing there are very many worthy patriots, sometimes his equals, at least, of as high a descent, of as good breeding, of as great parts, of as fair an interest, as also as well versed in government as himself? Whether it may not be wondered at, that he should be so exceeding wise, and tender above all, even above parliaments themselves?

Tenthly, Whether Sir Henry Vane, Major-General Harrison, the late president Bradshaw, Sir Arthur Haslerigg, Lieutenant-General Ludlow, with hundreds more of worthy patriots, that have ventured far in their country's cause, for justice and freedom, may not rationally be thought to be as careful and tender of the good of their country, as the protector?

Eleventhly, Whether it doth not rankly savour of high pride and arrogancy in the protector, so called, to set up his sense and judgment

as the standard for the whole nation, even parliaments themselves? And whether thus to do be not the sad fruit of enthusiasm, one of the great errors of this day and time?

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Twelfthly, Whether the protector, being so highly conceited of his own understanding, so changeable and uncertain in his principles and resolutions, so given up to his passion and anger, as against all advice and counsel, in a condition near unto madness, to swear By the Living God' he would dissolve the late parliament, and accordingly did so, though the doing of it tended to the hazard of the commonwealth. Whether he, according to reason, can be thought a person capable, and fit to rule and govern this great, so wise, and noble a people?

Thirteenthly, Whether, since the protector assumed the government, the state and condition of this nation be not very greatly impaired? Their land-forces wasted and consumed at Hispaniola, Jamaica, Mar dike, and elsewhere? Their shipping lessened and diminished; their stores and provisions for sea and land expended and consumed without profit; their magazines emptied; their treasures wasted; their trade in a great measure lost and decayed, and very great new debts contracted, little of old being satisfied? And whether all this be not the bitter fruit of apostasy and treachery, and setting up a single person, as chief magistrate, contrary to the engagements. And the casting away of that religious cause of freedom, justice, and righteousness, this land was so engaged in?

Lastly, Whether the protector, so called, will not, in all likelihood, dissolve the next parliament also, if they begin to question, and make debates of former transactions, and do not presently, without any disputing, proceed to perfect the new, model, of the Humble petition and advice'? What assurance shall be given to the countries and cities that shall chuse, or to the gentlemen chosen, that they shall not be served as those before were? And whether, if the honest citizens shall begin to make ready their former sober, and very worthy petition, or one of the like nature, it will not be looked at again, as a crime little less than treason at the court, and become a means of sudden dissolution to the next parliament also? Alas for poor England! What will become of thee in the end? How hast thou lost thyself, and thy good old cause ? And whither will these masters of bondage carry thee?

A List of their Names who were taken out of the house, and others, being forty-three in number, that sat in the other house, so greatly designed for a House of Lords; with a brief description of their merits and deserts. Whereby it may easily appear, how fit they are to be called, as they call themselves, Lords; as also being so very deserving, what pity it is they should not have a negative voice over the free people of this commonwealth.

1. RICHARD CROMWELL, eldest son of the protector (so called) a person of great worth and merit, and well skilled in hawking, hunting, horse-racing, with other sports and pastimes; one whose

All of them, but four, are salary men, sons, kinsmen, and otherwise engaged to the protec and allied to his confederates.