Against the Present Actings and Proceedings
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A91170.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A Declaration and Protestation of Will: Prynne and Cle: Walker, Esquires, Members of the House of Commons, against the present Actings and Proceedings of the General, and General Council of the Army, and their Faction now remaining and sitting in the said House.
WHereas long since, for ease of the People, both Houses in a full and free Parliament Voted the Disbanding of this Army: in opposition to which, some great Officers of the said Army, (to continue their rich Commands) with some Members of the House of Commons, (who daily enrich themselves by the troubles of the times) secretly mutinied the Army against the Parliament. And whereas, lately the far major part of the House of Commons, pitying the bleeding condition, and tears of the oppressed People, Voted, and entered into a Personal Treaty with the King: without which (by the Armies own confession in their Remonstrance at St. Albons, pag. 64.) there can be no Peace; which the Army interrupted by obtruding upon the Commons a Treasonable Remonstrance, 20 Novemb. 1648. tending to destroy the King, and His Posterity, and wholly to subvert all Parliaments, Religion, Laws, and Liberties forever; whereby the Commons in Parliament found it absolutely necessary to prevent such pernicious innovations, by concluding a safe Peace with His Majesty; whereupon (after mature debate) the House of Commons the 5 Decemb. 1648. Voted, That the Kings Answer to the Propositions of both Houses upon the Treaty, were a ground for the Houses to proceed to the settlement of a safe and well-grounded Peace: Upon which, the General, and Council of War, Wednesday morning 6 December 1648. Seized and Imprisoned 41 of the Members going to the House of Commons to do their Duty, secluded above 160 other Members, besides 40 or 50 Members who voluntarily withdrew themselves to avoid their violence; leaving only their own engaged party of 40 or 50 Members sitting, who now pass Acts of Parliament, of the House of Commons (as they call them) without the Lord's; and comply with the said Council of War, to carry on their said Remonstrance: To which purpose this present remnant of the Commons have un-voted in a thin House, under the force of the Army, what was deliberately Voted in a full and free House; whereas by their own Ordinance passed upon the Tumult of Apprentises, 20 August 1647. to null, and make void ab initio, all Acts, Orders, Votes, &c. passed under the said force; This remaining Party ought not to sit, act, nor take upon them the style of a House, under so visible, actual, and horrid a Force.
The premisses considered, We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, Members of the House of Commons, do Declare and Protest, That the said General, Commissioned Officers, and Genenerall Council of the Army, by the said Act of violence, upon the major part of the House, which legally, and virtually is the whole House, have waged War, and Rebelled against the Parliament, their Masters, who raised them to defend the Privileges of Parliament, and the Kings Person and Authority, in defense of Religion, Laws, and Liberties, and have thereby forfeited their Commissions, and have broken and dis-continued this Parliament; so that, until this force be removed, punished, the Honor of the Parl. and their wronged Members vindicated, and all the Members resummoned, all the Votes, Orders, and Actings, Passed, and to be Passed by this nominal House of Commons, are, and will be void, ab initio, and all such as do, or shall obey them, are and will be punishable, both by the Armies own Judgment in their Remonstrance, August 18. and by the Houses Declaration, and the said Ordinnnce, 20 August 1647. We do farther Declare, and protest against this present House of Commons illegal Acts, Order, or Ordinance, for erecting a High Court of Justice, and usurping a Power, without any Law or president, to Try, Depose, and bring to capital punishment the King, and to dis-inherit His Posterity, or any of them, and against the said General Council of Officers, aiding & abetting them therein, as highly impious against the Law of God, Nations, & the Protestant Profession, Traitors against the Stat. of Treasons, 25 Ed. 3. and against all Laws & our Statutes, Perjurious and perfidious, against the Oaths of Allegeance, Supremacy, National Covenant, and Protestation; all the Parliaments Declarations and Remonstrances held forth to the world; their treaties and promises made to the Scots, when they delivered the Kings person into our hands; against our promises made to the Hollanders, and other Nations, and against all the Professions, Declarations, Remonstrances, and Proposalls made by this Army, when they made their Addresses to the King at New-market, Hampton Court, and other places.
19 Janu. 1648.
Will: Prynne, Cle: Walker.