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Gopy of a manufcript paper, written, it is probable, about the end of the year 1647, now, with many other original and valuable papers relating to the civil-wars, in the poffeffim of Hans Wintrop. Mortimer, Efq; of Lincoln's-Inn; avubich papers belonged formerly to col. Saunders of Derby fhire, colonel of a regiment of herfe, &c.

HE freedome wee were borne to is fo juftly due to

THE every Englishman, that whoever fhall remember the

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vehemency wherewith the people did thirst after a parliament before they had this; the zeale wherewith they contributed to the late warre for defence of this freedome and the fuccefs wherewith it hath pleafed God to bleffe thofe endeavours; will foone be fatisfied, that there is no better cause in the world to engage upon: and therefore, the cause wee undertake at present, for which weè carry our lives in our hands, beinge the very fame, will certaynly need no apology for itself, the only thinge that may fee ne ftrange in thefe our actings, being the irregular manner of profecuting our undoubted rights."

: Herein wee defire it may be confidered, That all ordinary means, and fome: extraordinary, have beene already attempted, and, after much patience, proved altogether fruitless:

-That the parlament hath made noe other ufe of the many fignal opportunities put into their hands, than to continue their fitting at Westminster, and dividing the public treasure amongst themselves:

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That

That the chiefe officers of the army, (though pretending to keepe up the forces under them for the people's good, and to fee the fame accomplished in a fhort time) have yet made noe other use of their power, than to continue and enlarge their own commands:

That befides our being diffapointed of the fruit fo long expected, and being made more flaves every day than other to committees, and fundry other arbitrary courfes; even in the most legal proceedings wee find foe much corruption, tedioufneffe, chargableneffe, and obfcurity practised and abetted by officers of all forts, that the law itself is become noe protection to us in our properties or liberties: - Wee find that barbarous courfe ftill maintained of inprifoning men for debt, thereby hindering them from the ufe of their lawful callings; though they have nothinge elfe wherewith to fatisfy their creditors, or to preferve themselves, and their families from ftarvinge:

Wee find that the reftraininge men's perfons att pleasure, without caufe rendered, and during pleasure, was never more frequent :

Wee find that tythes, whofe beginninge was fuperftitious, and is found by experience to opprefs the poor hu bandman, and to be vexatious to all manner of people, and prejudicial to the commonwealth; were never foe ri-gorously and cruelly exacted as at préfent:

Wee find taxes to be multiplied without number, or hopes of end, and excife foe cruelly exacted, that noe man knows what is, or what fhall be his owne; and although many millions of moneys hath been levied and payed, both voluntarily and by compulfion, yet noe accompt is given how they have beene expended; but the public debts are dayly encreafed inftead of beinge fatisfied, and fuch vaft fums of money payed dayly out of the public treasurie for intereft unto fome with uferers, as is almoft incredible :

Wee find the trade of the nation (which the parlament promifcd at the first to advance) to be generally decayed, that without speedy remedy the nation cannot long fubfift:

Wee find the poore to be wholly difreguarded and oppreffed, and thoufands of families fuffered to beg their bread, and many to perish with hunger:

But herein our condition hath beene rendered most defperate, that wee have not beene fuffered to represent our

miferies to the parlament, and petition for redrefs; but perfons have beene imprisoned for petitioning, and orders iffued out from parlament to fupprefs petitions: Confidering therefore this deplorable eftate of the commonwealth, and the apparent danger of being imbroyled a gaine each in others blood, unlefs a speedy fettlement prevent it; and confidering not only, that wee have attempted all regular wayes to procure reliefe for our longe oppreffed country, but also that wee cannot with fafety any longer offer our grievances and defires to parlament in pe titions; and likewife confideringe that our flavery under arbitrary power is occafioned by the want of a fettlement of a juft and equal government, which if it were eftablifhed would fpeedily eafe us of all our common burthens; wee cannot bethinke ourselves of a more probable remedy, than to put ourfelves, and invite our countrymen to joine with us, in a posture of defence, whereby wee may be fecure from danger, and from being prevented of our good intentions by the oppofition of fuch as have defigned our flavery, while wee propound to all our dear countrymen (who are fure to bee concerned in fufferinge as much as if they were in office) fome certaine grounds of common right and freedoine, wherein they and wee might fee reafon to agree amongst ourselves, and thereupon to eftablish a firme and prefent peace.

The particulars wee offer are as followeth.

1. That a period of time be fet, wherein this present parlament fhall certainly end.

2. That the people be equally proportioned for the choice of the deputies in all future parlaments; and that they doe of courfe meete upon a certaine day (once at leaft in two years) for that end.

3. That a contract be drawne and fealed betweene the people and their feveral deputies refpectively, upon the day of the elections, wherein the bounds, limits, and extent of their truft fhall be clearly expreffed. As that they bee impowered with fufficient authoritie for executinge, alteringe and repealinge of lawes; for erectinge and abolishinge, judicatories; for appointinge, removing and callinge to account magiftrates, and officers of all degrees; for makeinge warre and peace, and treating with fovereigne states. And that their power do not extend to the bindinge of any Kk 4

man

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man in matters of religion, or in the way of God's worfhip; nor to compell the person of any innocent man to ferve against his will either by fea or land; nor to the makinge of any law, that fhall be either evidently pernicious to the people, or not equally obligatory unto all perfons without exception.

4. That for the fecurity of all parties, who have acted on any fide in the late public differences fince the year 1640, and for preventinge all contentions amongst them; the people may agree amongst themselves, that no future parlaments fhall queftion or moleft any person for any thinge fayed or done in reference to thefe public diffe

rences.

5. That the great officers of the nation, as well civil as military, be often removed, and others put into their room, either every yeare, or every second yeare at fartheft; to the end the perfons employed may discharge themfelves with greater care, when they know themfelves lyable to a speedy account, and that other men may be encouraged to deserve preferment when they fee the prefent incumbents not affixed to their offices as to freeholds...

6. That all determinating committees (except fuch as are neceffary to be kept up for the managing of forces by fea and land) the chancery, and all other arbitrary courts, be forthwith diffolved; or at least all power taken from them, which they have hitherto exercifed over men's perfons or eftates: and henceforward, as well ordinances as acts of parlament be executed in the antient way of tryals by juries.

7. That the huge volumes of ftatute laws and ordinances, with the penalties therein impofed, as well corporal as pecuniary, be well revifed; and fuch only left in force, as fhall be found fit for the commonwealth; especially that men's lives be more precious than formerly, and that leffer punishment than death, and more useful to the public, be found out for fmaller offences: that all lawes, writs, commiffions, pleadinges and records be in the English tongue; and that proceedinges be reduced to a more certaine charge, and a more expeditious way than formerly: That no fees at all be exacted of the people in courts of justice; but that the public minifters of state be wholly maintained out of the public treasury.

8. That

8. That eftates of all kinds, real and personal, be made Iyable to debts; but noe imprisonment at all by way of punishment, nor in order to makinge fatisfaction, which poffibly can never be made, but only by way of fecurity in order to a tryal for fome criminal fact, to be determined within fome fhort and certaine fpace of time; and that this power of restraininge mens perfons be very cautiously allowed, to which end the benefit of Habeas Corpus to be in noe cafe denied by those whom it concerns to grant them.

9. That tythes be wholly taken away, the parifhoners from whom they are due paying in lieu thereof to the ftate where they are not appropriate, and to the owners where they are, moderate and certaine rent-charge out of their lands: the minifters to be maintained, either by the voluntary contribution of fuch as defire to hear them, or elfe by fome fettled penfions out of the public treasury.

10. That as fpeedy and as perfect an account as may be, be given and published for the fatisfaction of the people how thofe vaft fums of money have been difpofed of, that have been disburfed, voluntarily and otherwife, fince the beginning of these troubles.

II. That foe foone as public occafions will poffibly permit, the impofition of excife, and all other taxes upon the people be wholly taken away, and that in the mean time all care and diligence be ufed in taking away thofe occafions, and in the hufbandly managing of the public revenues; and to that end that a ballance be made and de clared of all public revenues and expences, and that a courfe be taken for paying all public debts and damages, fo far as may be, and that the debts upon interest be dif charged by fale of fuch lands and goods as are eyther properly belonginge or any wayes accrued to the ftate, and that they be fold to the beft advantage.

12. That there be no lefs care taken for the growing wealth of the nation, confiftinge originally in trade, which being our ftrength and glory, ought by mitigating the cuftoms, and by all other good meanes, to be cherished & promoted.

13. That (though reftoring peace and commerce be the furelt way of providinge for the poor) yet fome more ef fectual courfe may be found out than hitherto hath beene

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