Proposals by Way of Interrogation

Nine Proposals by way of Interrogations to the General, Officers, and Soldiers in the Army, concerning the justness of their late proceedings in Law or Conscience against, and contrary to the Parliament; tending to reduce them to their former loyalty and obedience, &c.

1 WHether that New Light who should have Prophecied half a year since, that Sir Thomas Fairfax, Lievetenant General Cromwell; and the other godly Officers, Soldiers, and Saints of this Army; should seize upon the Kings own person &c. contrary to the Votes of the Parliaments of both Kingdoms; march up against the Parliament towards, and near London, contrary to the Houses commands, the Cities desires, and their own engagements to them; refuse to disband now the wars are ended, or to relieve Ireland, enjoin and enforce the Houses to recall and annul their own Votes, against their Judgments, consciences, honor and Common justice; impeach their Members by a general and illegal charge which they are unable to make good, and demand them to be forthwith suspended, and sequestered from the House, before any particulars produced or proofs made, contrary to the privilege of Parliament and Law of the Land: require both City and Parliament not to list men, or take up arms so much as to stand only upon their own gaurd to prevent all surprises, violence, plunder, and a new war, when they are marching up armed against them to their very walls: obstruct the relief of Ireland, by diverting or recalling the forces designed thither, when themselves refuse to engage for its defense; and require many unreasonable, unjust and impossible things at the Parliaments hands, specified in their late Remonstrances and Letters; especially that of June. 23. 1647. Would not in their own consciences▪ judgments, and all others, have been reputed, a most malicious, false Prophet yea monstrous slanderer, worthy the severest censure; and these actions deemed most prodigious, horrid, treacherous, Rebellious, and have been so adjudged and censured both by their own Consciences, and all honest men's suffrages? And yet now (alas for grief) we see all these things not only really acted, but justified by themselves and others even in print, to their eternal dishonor (if persisted in) to teach them, and all their friends this humbling lesson; that their New Lights overmuch crying of them up, for most precious Saints, the godly party; God's peculiar Portion; the Saviors of the Parliament, Laws, Kingdom; and extolling them far above all other Christians, who are not of their way, hath caused God in his just judgment (to abate their Spiritual pride, and overweening conceit of their transcendent piety, and fidelity) to permit them thus to fall into those most foul and scandalous actions of disobedience and disloyalty to the Parliament, which have blasted all their former glory with a perpetual blot of infamy; And if they speedily repent not and crave pardon of God and the Parliament for it with relenting humbled Spirits; into what other more desperate, unjust, bloody and treasonable acts, they may precipitate themselves, to the ruin of Parliament, Kingdom, City, Country, Religion, their own souls, bodies, estates, families; and to what shameful ends they may bring themselves and their adherents at last, (all which God of his infinite mercy give them grace truly to consider of and prevent) no mortal is able to divine; since the very stars of heaven may fall unto the earth and be darkened; Rev. 6. 13. & 8. 12. and the purest Saints have sometimes fallen into the foulest and most scandalous sins (as David both into adultery, murder, treachery) to humble and abate their pride, and convict them of their own human frailty, and parity with other meaner Saints in their repute.

2. Whether the House of Commons clearing of their XI. accused Members by a Unanimous Vote upon long debate, on friday last, from anything said or done by them in the House, touching any matters contained in the Charge or paper sent from the Army: And resolution, that by the Laws of the Land, no Judgment can be given to suspend these Members, or any of them from sitting in the House, upon the Papers presented from the Army: should not engage the Army in part of honor and justice, to give the House and those injured Members an Honorable Reparation, and deliver up the accusers of them (for the things pretended to be said or done by them within the House, of which they are thus absolutely and legally acquitted) to public Justice, as false Accusers, who have maliciously framed these falls suggestions against them, only to mutiny, & incense the Army without any just grounds against the House, to wrack their private malice upon these worthy gallant men, and carry on their own private interests and treacherous designs, against the public peace and weal, by suspending them the House?

3. Whether the Armies Declarations, Papers and Charge against the House and Members, and the unjust, unreasonable demands therein contained; especially these. That the Declaration inviting men to desert the Army (in obedience to the Parliament) and promising their Arreares in case they do so; be recalled. That the Army (now in rebellion) may be presently paid up equally to those that have deserted it, in obedience to the Parliaments just demands; (as if disobedience to the Parliament, were more meritorious then obedience) That the Members Charged may be forthwith suspended the House, (before any legal accuser, Charge or proof:) That those who have deserted the Army (in obedience to the Parliament and the Law of God, Rom. 13. 1.) may be instantly discharged and dispersed, (but not continued in service for their faithfulness) and receive no more of their Arrears till the Army (in Rebellion, yea the Malignants and Sectaries wherewith it is newly recruited to affront the Parliament and are professed enemies to it) be FIRST satisfied; who yet pretend, they are not mercenary, & still continued in the States pay, &c. against whom they mutiny; That the Parliament and City may be speedily and effectually freed from those multitudes of Reformadoes (had they said Malignants, the motion had been just, but they must not be so hardly dealt with) and Soldiers that flock together in or about London (where many of them inhabit; others attend for their pay and to have their Accounts stated, others upon their other Law-business and affairs) by a speedy dispatch and discharging them from the City: which is in truth to banish them from the place of their habitations, deny them liberty of suing for their Arrears, auditing their Accounts, or prosecuting their affairs, like free subjects, after they have adventured their lives for the Parliament, and to deny them the liberty which all Members in the Army and well-affected Subjects challenge; and is not in the Parliaments or Cities power to grant without raising tumults in the City, and justly exasperating all the Reformadoes and Soldiers against them: That all listings and raisings of new Forces or drawing together of any (for Ireland's, the Parliaments or Cities just defense) and all preparations towards a new war may be effectually declared against and suppressed) whiles they in the mean time entertain and receive into the Army all kind of discontented Sectaries, if not Malignants, and Soldiers in Arms against the Parliament; raise, list new forces, and make all preparations for a new war, against the Parliaments Votes; to omit their demand concerning the Kings not coming nearer London; which are all so dishonorable, unjust, unreasonable, that no conscientious reasonable man (but he that seeks a quarrel) can demand, nor the Parliament in Honor, Justice, Prudence or Conscience grant; may not more truly be denominated, proved the Declarations, papers and Charge, of a dangerous mutinous Faction, and seditious party in the Army (resolved to receive no satisfaction at all from the Houses, and to keep the Army still on foot out of sinister and private ends, though with the Kingdoms loss and Ireland's ruin) rather then of the body of the Army itself (never acquainted with these unreasonable demands) whom they abuse with false reports and mis-representations of the Parliaments proceedings, and intentions? And whether the House, Army, all true Commonwealths men ought not with more reason and justice to impeach this mutinous factious party for Mutineers and Jncendiaries; and desire them to be forthwith suspended, removed out of the Army and Council of war til their public trials, (especially if Members of the Commons House, or no proper Members of the Army) then they demand the present suspenfion of the Accused members from the House? And whether this piece of public Justice in the Army (who so much pretend unto it) would not quiet all distempers therein, and reduce it to its former dutifulness, obedience, and fidelity to the Houses?

4. Whether divers hundreds of English and Irish Soldiers, who during all the wars bore arms and waged war against the Parliament, under the command of the Lord Goring and others, have not since the surrender of Oxford, (by the practice of a factious Malignant party in the Army) been entertained and listed in the Army, to promote the Kings and Malignants designs; who now declare themselves privately for the King against the Parliament, and extremely oppress the Country by receiving large Contributions from the people under color of free-quarter (which yet they take without payment) about Hatfield and other places; and are as duly paid as any others in the Army? Whether the Parliament ought not to complain against, and impeach some Officers of the Army for this gross treachery and abuse; and the Counsel of War in the Army be better employed in examining and giving an account to the House of this abuse, and how many such Cavaliers have been entertained, what pay they have received, what contributions and free-quarter they have unduly taken from the Country; and awarding them to make restitution of their pay and quarters, and then disarm and cashier all such, to give the Parliament, City and Kingdom satisfaction; then to draw up new Charges or Remonstrances? Which if they refuse to do, the world will soon discern whose designs they promote, and report they are as much the Kings and Malignants Army now, as the Parliaments heretofore, and may prove more pernicious to the Kingdom and Parliament then ever any Army of Cavaliers that the King could raise.

5. Whether many Anabaptists, and dis-contented Sectaries, have not repaired from London and others parts to, and been listed in the Army, since the beginning of their late distempers, and the Houses Votes for their disbanding? who can intend no other but some Anarchical destructive design agreeable to their principles, to ruin Parliaments, Monarchy, and all kind of Government? Whether it be just or reasonable that the Parliament should allow these pay, or the Country free quarter, being Forces listed against them, without their privity and Commission? Whether many thousands (if not half near the present Army) have not secretly (without the Houses knowledge or special Order) been listed in the Army since the Warrs ended, to oppress the Subject, and increase the Kingdoms unsupportable charge? Whether the pay that these new recruits, (who never were in actual service) have received since the Wars, only for lying still and mutining against the Parliament, if examined (as in justice it deserves) would not have fully satisfied all the Arrears due to those old Forces in the Army who were in actual service during the Wars? And if so, whether the Houses and old Soldiers in the Army, have not been both abused (by their own Officers) in these new recruits, who have anticipated those monies which should have satisfied their Arrears? And whether all these recruits ought not presently to be disbanded without further pay and to restore the money they have actually received, that those who have adventured their lives in service may be the better paid their just Arrears, the Parliament being unable to satisfy both?

6. Whether that Army, who in its Printed Declaration (of June 14.) professeth itself; not to be merely mercenary, ought so much to insist upon the full payment of their Arrears ere they disband? or to demand pay (when they have taken free quarter) since they have been out of action and Voted to disband? Whether the Generals and all other Officers Commissions being conditional: To obey and observe the direction of both Houses of Parliament, &c. be not absolutely forfeited and made void in Law by their late disobedience to, and attempts against the Houses Privileges? and so their present continuing together in Arms, and new recruits, a mere tumultuous assembly of Riotors or Armed Mutineers against the Parliament, whom all men by Law and Justice are bound to resist and suppress; and their taking Free quarter, &c. no other then direct plundering and trespass, if not worse, by the strict Law of God and Man, of which they cannot in conscience or justice now crave an Act of Oblivion from the Parliament whose Authority they resist, whose Privileges they violate, whose Members they wrongfully impeach, and desire causelessly to suspend contrary to the freedom of Parliaments, to the insufferable injury of those Countries and Burroughs who have elected and entrusted them to serve for them and the Kingdom in the House; and contrary to your own pretended desires of free Parliaments and Elections, which your present Actions diametrally contradict. Whether the Parliaments and Cities standing on their guard, or raising Forces to defend the Line, and secure themselves and the Parliament from Plunder, and the violence of Soldiers in the Army, which the Officers themselves cannot prevent, and suppressing tumults in the City, can any ways be interpreted, a raising of a new War, by the Army, (who have presumptuously sent out their warrants for provision even to hundreds within the Lines of Communication) or any other rational man, more then the Parliaments guard at Westminster ever since the Wars, or the guarding of the Line heretofore when no Enemy was near, and the Earl of Essex Forces lay about, or in the City, and Suburbs? Especially since the Army have broke their promises both to the Parliament and City in marching up so near the Line, and many of the Soldiers are so violent, insolent without, and by their disorders have encouraged others to insolencies within the line, and offer affronts unto the Mēbers? Whether their pretences of Emissaries sent by the accused members into divers Countries to raise new Forces, or introduce foreign Forces, be not a malicious false slander, which may be truly retorted upon a factious party in the Army, who have sent such Emissaries to raise the Sectaries in all Counties? And whether the obstructing and recalling of the Forces for Ireland, if examined, be not a mere treacherous plot of some of their own Independent party (whose Commissions are now expired) who have spent more moneys the last year, and put the Kingdom to more expenses in raising forces for Ireland (and then billiting them on the Country without transporting them to do service, to oppress and discontent the people) then would have actually reduced Ireland; for which the Parliament in justice ought to call them to a strict account, and inflict upon them condign punishment?

8. What assurance can the General or Officers in the Army give the Houses; that the Army (at least the Major part and unruely turbulent spirits in it) will absolutely obey their commands or acquiesce with their resolves now, when they pretended they could not rule them in their march towards London and other ditempers heretofore? Or that they will not march nearer London without giving the Parliament and City timely notice, and the reasons of their march (of which themselves will be the only Judges, though the notice in itself be neither timely, nor the reasons just)? And whether in duty and conscience they ought not (if they can command the Army) rather absolutely to command them to retreat and disband (at lest all such as are recruted since the votes for disbanding) and give them clear satisfaction herein; then thus to double (if not trifle) with the Parliament and City, who have dealt so really and condiscendingly (even below themselves) with them, to allay their unjust distempers? Whether a Council of War (consisting of the General, some four Members of the House of Commons, and eight or nine Gentlemen and Tradesmen, newly raised to places of Command by the Wars) can in conscience or justice take upon them in the name of the Parliaments own Army, to prescribe the Parliament by way of menace in an imperious manner, to suspend their own members, recall their Votes, banish, Reformadoes, &c. and do what ever they please, or else threaten them with a new War and effusion of blood (as they do in their Letters and Remonstrances) which is more then the mock-Parliament at Oxford consisting of sundry Lord's and Commons durst attempt? And whether this Council of war, would not have adjudged the XI. accused Members to be Traitors, and demanded them to be not only suspended the House, but even corporally suspended or beheaded, had they carried themselves so to the Houses, & done in their Councils of war and Armies, (reputed disorderly and profane,) what they have lately Voted and acted in their Council and Army of Saints? who will never prove, an Army of Martyrs, but rather of Mutineers, or worse; if they persist and lose their lives in, or for their present cause & demands, notwithstanding all their varnished pretences, sufficiently discovered by their contradictory actions to be but pious frauds, to delude the Vulgar.

9. Whether all Acts, Ordinances, Votes and Proceedings in Parliament, obtained by violence, force, Insurrections and Tumults without the Houses full and free consents, be not invalid, repealable, and ought to be utterly nulled and repealed both in point of justice and equity; and so clearly resolved to be by the Statutes of 11. & 21. R. 2. c. 12. 31. H. 6. c. 1. 39. H. 6. c. 1. 17. E. 4. c. 7? If then the Army desire to have the Parliament pass any Votes, Ordinances or Acts for their own Indemnity, or for anything else they pretend for the public good, which may be valid or effectual in law, they must of necessity retreat, disband, and retract all their former Remonstrances, Menaces, Impeachments and Proceedings savouring of Menace or force; and leave the Houses and Members to their full freedom; that so their Acts and Ordinances may be valid and irrevocable, being passed in a free and fair Parliamentary Course; otherwise if they continue mutinous and rebellious; what ever Votes, Acts or Ordinances they shall wrest from them by Duress, Menaces, Force, Tumults, suspending of Members before any just or legal impeachment demeriting it; (the highest infringement of the freedom of Parliaments, and a ready way to subvert and pervert them, and to make a private faction, backed by an Army a Parliament, todo what they list, and over-awe the greater number against their judgments and Consciences) or marching up to over-awe them, will be no security for the present, and a mere snare and nullity for the future, most certain to be revoked and adnulled when the force and fear is over. Which consideration, besides those mentioned in other late Impressions; and in the Examination of the lawfulness of the Passages of the Armies Declaration and grounds of justification, June 14.) should now induce all really conscientious or judicious Officers and Soldiers in the Army (especially such who are Members of the House) to disband, and give over all forcible tumultuous courses and addresses to the Houses; that so a sweet unity and correspondency may be settled; a new War prevented, the Parliament, City, Kingdom preserved from imminent ruin, Ireland relieved; and the hopes and designs of all Malignants disappointed: which the Lord in his infinite mercy and wisdom effectually accomplish, to the infallible joy of all God's Churches and people: Amen.