Mola asinaria: or, The unreasonable and insupportable burthen now press'd upon the shoulders of this groaning nation: by the headless head, and unruly rulers, that usurp upon the liberties and priviledges of the oppressed people. Held forth in a remonstrance to all those that have yet sound and impartial ears to hear, and duly weighed in the scales of equity and justice ... Wherein is demonstrated, what slavery the nation must subject it self to, by allowing the lawfulness and usurped authority of the pretended Long Parliament now unlawfully and violently held at Westminster. By William Prynne, bencher of Lincolns-Inne. Butler, Samuel, 1612-1680. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A78069 of text R203354 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E985_4). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 11 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A78069 Wing B6325A Thomason E985_4 ESTC R203354 99863328 99863328 168597 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A78069) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 168597) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 146:E985[4]) Mola asinaria: or, The unreasonable and insupportable burthen now press'd upon the shoulders of this groaning nation: by the headless head, and unruly rulers, that usurp upon the liberties and priviledges of the oppressed people. Held forth in a remonstrance to all those that have yet sound and impartial ears to hear, and duly weighed in the scales of equity and justice ... Wherein is demonstrated, what slavery the nation must subject it self to, by allowing the lawfulness and usurped authority of the pretended Long Parliament now unlawfully and violently held at Westminster. By William Prynne, bencher of Lincolns-Inne. Butler, Samuel, 1612-1680. Prynne, William, 1600-1669, attributed name. [2], 6 p. [s.n.], Printed at London : in the year MDCLVIX. [i.e. 1659] A satire on Prynne, attributed to Samuel Butler. Annotation on Thomason copy: "May. 31". Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Prynne, William, 1600-1669 -- Early works to 1800. Political satire, English -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1649-1660 -- Early works to 1800. A78069 R203354 (Thomason E985_4). civilwar no Mola asinaria: or, The unreasonable and insupportable burthen now press'd upon the shoulders of this groaning nation:: by the headless head Butler, Samuel 1659 1938 1 5 0 0 0 0 31 C The rate of 31 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-06 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-10 Elspeth Healey Sampled and proofread 2007-10 Elspeth Healey Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion MOLA ASINARIA : OR , The Unreasonable and Insupportable BURTHEN Now press'd upon The Shoulders of this groaning NATION : BY The headless Head , and unruly Rulers , that usurp upon the Liberties and Priviledges of the oppressed People . Held forth in a REMONSTRANCE To all those that have yet sound and impartial Ears to hear , and duly weighed in the Scales of Equity and Justice . By William Prynne , Bencher of Lincolns-Inne . Wherein is demonstrated , What Slavery the Nation must subject it self to , by allowing the lawfulness and usurped Authority of the pretended LONG PARLIAMENT Now unlawfully and violently held at WESTMINSTER . Jusque datum Sceleri . Printed at London , in the Year MDCLVIX . Mola Asinaria , &c. Countrymen : THere is not any thing in the Universe deserves less to be a Member of it , then a self-seeking Man , who unconcern'd in the publick Good , regards onely his private Interest . The World unwillingly contributes to his maintenance ; and Nature less abhors a Vacuum , then that any place should be filled by a Subject so empty of desert . He is a savage Creature in the midst of civil People , not deserving to be born of others , as not caring to live , but for himself . Nay , it is worthily reputed a kind of civil death , to do nothing else but live : for as long as we have a Country to abide in , we have a duty to tender it . All we have , we have from it ; and by consequence owe it all we have . Our Lives and Fortunes are safest , when ventured for the publick Interest ; and he is the truest Lover of Law and Liberty , that affects rather to be ruled , then to rule ; he the freest Subject , that creates himself a voluntary Slave to his Countries service . Take from the world this inviolable Law , ( that is not writ in brass , but deeply imprinted in loyal hearts ) and it shall again turn savage and barbarous . This is a truth so manifest , and not to be dissembled , that never yet was there a Tyrant , but pretended to be a Saviour of the people . Liberty , Conscience , a glorious Nation , The Good Old Cause , and such specious Names are made use of : Nec quisquam alienum servitium & dominationem concupivit , ut non eadem ista vocabula usurparit . These Machiavilian Tricks , and political Cheats so often put upon the people of our Nation , me thinks should have by this time undeceived us with a sad experience of the miseries we have subjected our selves to , by a perpetual itch of reforming , annulling , creating Laws , and framing new Governments to the model of every Grandees ambition ; and yet we are againe ready to thrust our Necks into a new yoak of Slavery , rather then any man will engage his private Fortunes , and venture to redeem his Country from Bondage . It is laid to the charge of English-men by Forraigners , that we are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} , and above all Nations under Heaven pretending to civility , the greatest self-seekers ; as regarding much more our own particular , then the general concerns . I must needs say , other Nations would have canonized for Martyrs , and erected Statues after their death to the memory of some of our Compatriots , whom ye have barbarously defaced and mangled yet alive , for no other motive , but their undaunted Zeal . It has been ( I know not whether I should say ) your misfortune , or my glory , to become a Sufferer for a Legal Vindication of the Liberties of our Kingdom ; but yet I never knew what it was to fear , when I perceived my self engaged in so good a cause ; not envy nor snarling Pamphlets shall stop the course of my Pen freely running into my Countries defence , which my Profession and Age forbid me to vindicate by the Sword . Let young Men serve it with their strength and arms , let old Men secure it by their heads and counsel : for my part , I desire to live no longer then I can in some sort contribute to so glorious a work . I have of late been snarled at for it by certain licentious Scriblers , that durst not own their names for fear of discovering their Asses ears : however , they are pleased to twitch at the honourable remnant of mine . They thought to have stopt my mouth by their brauling and braying ; but I dare yet speak louder ; and I hope I shall be heard by all such as have yet sound and impartial ears : but if my cry will not reach you , I fear ( dear Country-men ) the voyce of blood will speedily interrupt your slumbring security . Those that will be Lawless , finde fault with my Writings , because I vindicate the anciently established Laws of England ; and tax me of desperate Non-sense , because I will not allow them an unlimited , unlegal Legislative Power to repeal , annul , alter , and enact what Laws soever they deem best to serve their own turns . They deceitfully cry out , Salus populi suprema lex esto ! an Axiome that I no ways deny to be true ; but I would desire to be instructed who are to be Judges , of what is expedient for the good of the people ? The Author of the forecited Maxime says , Leges Magistratibus praesunt , ut Magistratus praesunt populo : And the great Doctor St. Austin not doubted to affirm , that those societies where Law and Justice is not , are not Common-wealths or Kingdoms , but Magna latrocinia , great thefts and trapanning cheats . As for the power of altering Laws , or bringing in new ones , and setting up new Governments , it is allowed by wise men , that all power lawfully exercised upon a Commonwealth , must necessarily be derived either from the appointment of God , who is supreme Lord of all ; or from the consent of the Society it self , that hath the next power to his , of disposing of their own Liberty , as they shall think fit for their good , whose benefit is the end of all Government . Therefore whoever arrogates such power to himself , that cannot produce one of these two Titles , is not a Ruler , but an Invader , or a Tyrant . Now how this pretended Long Parliament , restored by the force of Souldiers , by whose force it had first been dissolved , and was before annulled by the death or murther of King Charles the first , that summoned it , he being Principium , causa , & finis Parliamenti ; after his murther , the house of Lords and Monarchy being abolished , and so many of the ancient Members thrown out , new ones unduly elected , and such horrid thefts , rapes , &c. committed by them upon the people , can lawfully be said the Peoples Representatives , and authorized by them , is the greatest Riddle that ever was propounded to a puzzled State . It was in the year 1649 , that I published a Legal Vindication of the Liberties of England ; in which I demonstrated the nullity of the then-pretended Long Parliament ; and lately I set forth a lively pattern of the spurious Old Cause pretended to be revived and vindicated by the fine Pageant or now-sitting Ghost of the long-since departed Long Parliament ; neither need I reason farther with reasonable Persons about it : Yet since this Phantastical Hob-gobbling appears still to fright the quiet people , and tempts them ( like an evil Spirit ) to give themselves to such an unruly Devil ; I will here onely hold forth to the view of all good Englishmen , what slavery they must needs subject themselves unto , if they resolve to cast off forever their lawful Master and Soveraign , and take for new Masters these upstart domineering Tyrants . Let then every honest freeborn Subject of England , lay his hand upon his breast , and ask of his own Conscience , whether notwithstanding all former Oaths of Allegiance , Supremacy , Protestation , solemn Leagues and Covenants , &c. he can voluntarily submit to , and thereby freely acknowledge , contrary to his former knowledge and the said Oath , &c. 1. That there may be , and now is a lawfully-assembled Parliament of England actually in being , legally continuing after the late Kings death , or lawfully re-assembled without King , Lords , or most of their fellow-Members , consisting onely of a few late Members of the Commons House . 2. That this Parliament re-established by a Military force ▪ and packed together by Power of an Army combining with them , hath just and lawful Authority , and had it before ; 1. To arraign , condemn and execute their lawful King himself , with the Peers and Commons of this Realm . 2. To dis-inherit the Kings Posterity of the Crown . 3. To extirpate Monarchy , and the whole house of Peers . 4. To violate the Priviledges , Rights , Freedoms , Customs , and alter the Constitution of Parliaments themselves ; to change and subvert the ancient Government , Seals , Laws , Writs , Courts and Coyn of the Kingdom . 5. To sell and dispose of all the Lands , Revenues , Jewels , Goods of the Crown , with the Lands of Deans and Chapters , for their own advantages , not for the easing of the people from taxes . 6. To dispose of the Forts , Ships , Forces , Offices of Honour , Power , Trust or Profit , to whom they please . 7. To raise and keep up what Forces by Land or Sea they please , and impose Taxes , &c. to make what new Acts , Laws , and reverse what old ones they think meet . 8. To absolve themselves ( by more then a Papal Power ) and all the subjects of this Land , from all the aforesaid Oaths , Engagements , Protestations , &c. 9. To permit , settle , or invent what Sect , Heresie , or Religion they please , provided they be not Papacy or Prelacy , and that they allow not blasphemy against the Trinity . 10. I ask now if every freeborn Subject that hath not raised himself an Interest by villany , or an Estate by robbery , or incurred a guilt to the Gallows for having his hand in blood , had not better venture Life and Fortunes to reduce the true and lawful Heir into a peaceful Possession of his right , then to authorize by his consent a new-fangled Government compacted of Treason , Usurpation , Tyranny , Theft and Murder ? FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A78069e-140 Tacit. Cicero . De civit . Dei .