A copy of a letter from an officer of the Army in Ireland, to his Highness the Lord Protector, concerning his changing of the government. Goodgroom, Richard. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A85914 of text R202908 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E881_3). 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. 54 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 12 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A85914 Wing G53A Thomason E881_3 ESTC R202908 99863039 99863039 168388 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. A85914) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 168388) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 133:E881[3]) A copy of a letter from an officer of the Army in Ireland, to his Highness the Lord Protector, concerning his changing of the government. Goodgroom, Richard. 23, [1] p. s.n., [London : 1656] Signed on C3r: R.G., i.e. Richard Goodgroom. Caption title. Imprint from Wing. Annotation on Thomason copy: "June 1656"; on C3r by date 24 Iune 1654 "A feigned date.". Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Republics -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1649-1660 -- Early works to 1800. A85914 R202908 (Thomason E881_3). civilwar no A copy of a letter from an officer of the Army in Ireland, to his Highness the Lord Protector, concerning his changing of the government.: Goodgroom, Richard. 1656 9888 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 B The rate of 8 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-09 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-09 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-11 Elspeth Healey Sampled and proofread 2007-11 Elspeth Healey Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A Copy of a Letter from an Officer of the Army in Jreland , to his Highness the Lord Protector , concerning his changing of the Government . My Lord , I Do not at all doubt but that your Highness will wonder to receive a letter , and of this length , from so mean a person ; but when you shall be pleased to weigh that , no man who is not too mean to be calumniated , can be too inconsiderable to defend himself ; I make no question but you will think this boldness a necessitie , and so pardon it : It is now neer five years since I left England in your Companie , and under your Command , ever since which time I have constantlie resided with my charge here , one bare moneth excepted , for which space I had leave to dispatch some affairs in England . Now for that my Superiours here do refuse at present to give me permission to wait upon your Highness in person , as also that I have small hopes otherwise , that your many weightie imployments can ever admit me to be heard by you at large , I have presumed to write these few lines , beseeching you to beleeve the contents of them , as proceeding from an unfaigned heart , and to take a measure of me and my principles from hence , and not from such Clandestine reports as may possibly be Justill'd into your Eares , by those that are my Enemies , and will be yours , when they shall have prevailed with you , to disgrace those that have bin oldservants to the cause of libertie , and to your person , and to put your selfe wholly at their mercy and discretion , whose deep policy hath made them desert their country for this last five years , dureing which time they have been little lesse then Martyrs to Charles Steward , and his interest : My Lord , I cannot answer to these objections against me , for which I am traduced to your Highness , because I yet never heard them in particular , nor is there any charge against me that yet I can learn news of , only a rumor speaks me disaffected to your present power , and so not fit to be trusted any longer , to give answer to this , it would be necessary to understand the drift of this government we are now under which I protest I cannot , I mean , whether we are in the way to a glorious Commonwealth for which we have ingaged , & to which the great power which you are Possessed of , may make us much neerer , if you please , or upon a transition , thinking the case of our liberty desperate , from a free state , to a lasting setled Monarchy , when it shall appear to be the latter , I shall not at all conceale my disaffection , nor desire to retaine my imployment , that may give me a relation to that government , to expose which my life hath been so often hazarded , and my hand and my heart to so many solemn declarations against it , which together with mine own light and reason , would haunt and persecute mee , like so many revenging furies , if I should dare to harbour an apostate thought of being instrumentall to revert , as if it was nothing in the eyes of God and Good men , to imbrew two Nations in blood , to execute a great Prince , to destroy so many considerable persons and families , who now all beg their bread in forrain Lands , and to take the food out of the mouthes of the poore , and their beds from under them for taxes and impositions , and all this to the intent to support that liberty which nature hath bestowed upon mankind , and then to make no more use of the most miraculous mercies of God , and the precious blood and ●●ars of so many worthy and religious Patriarks , then to make them instrumentall to pull down a Legall Monarchy , for being somwhat too tenatious of certaine power prejudiciall to common freedom , and at the same time to set up , and introduce without form of law , justice , or consent ( no not of the armie it selfe as is suggested ) an arbitaary boundlesse power solely subservant to the exorbitant wil and unsupportable ambition of one single person , and that for ever , who is to have thirty thousand men , who are not to bee disbanded , nor the money for their entertainment laid or altered by Parliament , these are to be his Janizaries , and their work to inslave the people in these nations , to the lusts of their grand Senior . For if hee have any forraine emergencies hee may raise more : what hard-hearted men were those in Parliament , who thought the Earle of Stratford worthy of death , for telling the late King , he had an Army in Ireland , which hee might imploy to reduce his subjects here to their obedience , and how severe were these grave and learned lawyers , who judged that speech treason , even at the Common Law , and now thinke it none for themselves , to act in seats of Judicatory , execute laws , and hang men , and yet have no power to authorize them therein , but what is derived from such another trick , as that Earle would have then plaid ; to be short , if I should examine that paper cal●ed the Government , I should hardly find a line in it , which is not destructive to our cause and liberty , soe that it appears plainly to be a Monarchy bottomed in the sword , or to come neerer the right name , a Common-Wealth established in a Lord Protector , and thirty Thousand men , these considerations my Lord , do prevaile with me , to believe that your Highness do not intend to continue this form of government upon us , but have assumed the power for a time , that you may be able to accomplish the worke of Libertie amongst us , which the Parliment consisting of divers Persons , of several and different capacities , was not able to establish , and this seems more probable to me , not onely from your owne Oaths , protestations , and excellent principles against Monarchy , but even from the consideration of the ticklish and slipperie Posture in which al Monarchies do stand , who have no foundation of their right and Government , but an armed force ; how often have the P●eto●ian bands , the Turkish & Rushian Armies proved more fatal and tyrannical to their own princes , then to their poor oppressed vassalls , and it seemes to be agreeing both to divine justice , and humane reason , that an armed multitude , which by the preswasions of one man , hath broken all the bonds of Law and conscience , to serve his interest , and inslave their country ; should when the tide of their fancy or passion turnes , thinke themselves as well absolv'd and disingaged from all reverence and obedience to their owne Captaine . Since I have said thus much it will be needless to speake more in praise of a free state , for that the best and most limited Monarchies are but perpetuall contests between the interest of Mankind , and that of one person , each striving industriously which shall ruine and undermine the other , & in that Government flattery and unworthy insinuations are turned up Trump , without which noe man can win in such a game , which gives a plaine reason why the most vertuous Princes , as Marcus Aurelius , Antonius Pius , and others , could never make their people so ; the interest of their Government being wholly contrary thereunto ; for if the principle of vertue and justice should be sowne , and come up , they would have that growth and increase , which would in short time overtop the interest of one person , & so destroy the state ; as hath been seen by the experience of those Governments which have erected themselves out of the ruine of Monarchy , where the Prince hath been so unadvised , to suffer his people to attaine to riches , and so get good education , for that the great concernment , or reason of state in Kings and Tyrants , is to keep mankind poore and ignorant , which the Greeks and Romans understood well , when they stiled those nations who lived under the command of one man , Barbarians , just point blank contrary to this , are the principles and maximes of a Commonwealth , which is the nursery of vertue , valor , and industrie , where no Court whispers , no pimping projecting , or such arts , can bring advantage to those who practise them , but onelie a publike spirit exprest in just and honorable actions , must advance and prefer persons to the highest offices and imployments , this laies a foundation for the constant succession of g●n●●●us and worthie Patriots , this makes a people rich and free , ●●pp●e at home , and formable abroad , and historie , which is the best reason in this point , will plainlie shew , that the worst and meanest of commonwealths , have been more rich , powerful and populous , then the same Countrie could ever be under a Prince ; I take the most factious and corrupt estate in storie ; to have been that of Fl●rence , yet did that Common-wealth for many years together give Law to Italy , and when they had war with part of their own Territories , as Pisa , and its Countrie , did for manie thousand yeares maintain sixty thousand men , whereas the same Dominions now under a Duke , with the addition of the state of Sienna , is not able to raise or maintaine twelve thousand men ; for when the present Prince was necessitated in the yeare one thousand six hundred and fourtie three , to make an inconsiderable war against the Pope in companie of Parma , Modena , and the Venetian , and that for but one summer , he was reduced to such extremitie , that he hath been forc'd to sell his Gallies , and whollie to neglect the Sea , and yet those people that are left in his Dominion , are much more opprest by impositions , then in the daies of libertie ; I will not speak of England , because it was never yet a Commonwealth , though it hath past a civill war , and all other sufferings which belongs to a Change , yet this must and will be said , that all those actions of Honour , which our Kings for six hundred years have performed , did not bring more renowne ; nor so much advantage to these Nations , as the atchievements of the same People when they had no Prince , and but the Name only of a free state ; and if for our sins it be decreed that we shal never be so ; I dare almost prophecy that the actions of succeeding Monarchyes wil not outdo , nor perhaps not Equall these , and then Posterity will have leave to thinke , that all the wisedome , valor , and activity of these Nations was not residing in one single person ; but I have dwelt too long upon this , and shall onlie conclude , that if all Kingdomes be neer their period and ruine , when the subjects under them grow rich , wise , and capable of understanding their own good , and contrariwise , that Common-wealths do not decay , but when their people in general grow poore ; and ignorant , and the riches of the Nation comes to be ingrossed by a few , who by that meanes can buy voices to get into command , and then bribe souldiers to uphold them in their ambitious designes , to inslave their Countrie , the povertie and abjectness of the people , making them fit for the impression ; then it must necessarilie follow , that those in whose hand and power it is to settle and establish what form of Government they please , ought to improve that power for erecting a Free State , or a Commonwealth ; this is the case of your Highnesse , who besides your oaths and trust , have this obligation more , that you know , and are perswaded in your conscience , that this is a more excellent form then Monarchie , as you have thousand of times exprest your self , and particularlie in that Declaration which you composed here , and published when you entered the Province of Munster , 1649. in which you have most excellent and unanswerable Reasons for a Popular Government , which shall make mee say no more of this businesse ; but come to bring it to our present condition , because it is Alledged ( and indeed to that we owe this Change , which hath brought upon us so much distraction & unsettlement , that we were not capable being a free state , And so that you by necessitie have been forc'd upon these Courses , to prevent confusion ) I am not ignorant , that nothing is more commonly said and believed amongst the Vulgar , then this Error , and it is besides industriously fomented by some subtil grandees , who knows their great Riches , titles , knavish cunnings , and such useless Qualities , will not prefer them to that dignitie and Eminencie in such a Government , as they hope to injoy under a Prince , whom they can sooth and flatter , I must confesse , to look upon the present humor of the People , as they are divided into factions , & animated against the Parliaments managing affairs , a rational man might believe , that as their passions do hinder them from seeing the advantage of a Comonwealth , so they would likewise hinder them from Obeying it ; but those who shall consider on the one hand their punctuall Obedience , not only to all laws , but even to these ordinances , which are now called so , and that undoubtedly against their Judgement , as well as their affections ; and on the other side their genuine inclinations , and before this warr , when they were free from factions , and in Puris naturalibus , to freedom , which was plainely seene by their joyning unanimously with the House of Commons , in their contest against their King : I say whosoever shall observe that , must needs say , that a small force joyned with Good Principle , and honest Governors , will soon reduce them to their naturall disposition and temper againe , If thirty thousand men can support this Government , then ten thousand might maintaine Freedome , which would quickly come to subject by it self without any force at al ; which al states do , that are Established upon a right Basis , viz upon the natural temper and humor which the posture and condition of the people puts them into , if they be poore and low , Monarchy may serve their turn , if rich , they wold look to have share , Rule & magistracy themselves : whosoever then wold , found a Government which he intends not , shal subject by force ( for if he do it , matters not what he makes it ) might above all things , observe these accidences , which ruind the precedeing state , for every form of Government which crumbles and fals to ruine , by the weakness of its owne pillars , must have a new fabrick , or mend the old , one just in the place , first breake , if it be capable of it , and whosoever shall looke backe into the turnes and revolutions of state ; will find , that all changes in Government have been mending of old frames , or making of new ones , & as Legislators or Senats , have gone to the root of nature in this , have not palliated or patched up the cure , so Nations have been happie or unhappie , free or slaves , governed by force continually , or by consent , and states durable , or short lived , is true , that our unhappiness is that great alterations seldom come without intestine wars , it being hard ( especially in populous and flourishing Cities , to bring the multitude to give so great a power to one man as is necessary to redress a disordered State , and for that men are generally short sighted , and cannot foresee great inconveniences till they are too late to remedy , but by force , this makes the cure oftentimes miscarry , as in the case of the Gracchi at Rome , and of Agis and Cleomenes at Sparta , in both which examples , there was an endeavour to reduce those two excellent States , to their first principles , but it was too late attempted , when the corruption was growne to too great a height , which if they had found , and would have been contented to erect a new form more suitable to the inequalitie of mens estates at that time , they might possiblie have succeeded , if not to have introduced so good and excellent a model as they fell from , yet one able to have prevented the ruine and slaverie which soon after befell both these people ; not to make the business longer , I will instance in the example of our own Nation , the first historie of which , ( it is not esteemed fabolous ) is that we were invaded and conquered by William the Norman , who either ruled by his own will , or made the Law rule , which he gave at his own pleasure ; his French Lords left posteritie behind them , who in process of time grew so rich and powerful , that they did not think it fit to be governed by the discretion of one man , but believed , they might deserve and share in rules themselves , for there is nothing more fundamental by nature , then that those who possess a land will desire , and by all means attempt to govern it , which is the true reason of what was alledged before , viz. That it is against the interest of a Monarchy , to let his subjects grow rich ; from this contest of the Lords , with succeeding Kings , began the Barons Wars , and in the close of them our Government , by Kings , Lords , and Commons , wherein , although the Commons were named , it will be found ( if we look into Records , that they had little share , except to help bear up the Lords , whose Blew-coats they wore against the King ) and it will likewise appear , that they were never discontented at their small proportion , and the reason is the same with the former , viz. that either they possessed no lands at all , or else he held them as servants to their loving Lords and Clergie , so that this State was founded with great wisdome , upon the verie condition of the People , which had it continued the same it then was , could never have been shaken , but by a forraign war ; but all great bodies are well politique as natural , receive great alteration and corruption , and though in good mixtures they commonlie tend to decay and ruine , yet where the Crasis is bad , there may be accedents which may incline to amend it , and that without the knowledg of the parties , who are the subject matter of the change , and as Wine changes it self by working , so many times the natural humor of a Nation tends from the corruption of a Monarely , to the erecting of a Popular State , though whilst they are in motion , they may not possiblie understand whether their own impulse doth incline and lead them , this will prove to be the case of England ; for when Henry the Seventh had established himself King , and saw plainlie that he did owe his acc●ssed to the Crown , more to the favour of those Lords who assisted him , then either to his own Sword or Title , he began to consider in how ticklish a posture he stood , whilst it was in the power of any small number of Lords to set up , or pull down a Soveraign at their will , and upon this contemplation he made it his whole aim and work to lessen and debase the nobilitie , that he might have the less to apprehend in his new-gotten royaltie , by which he laid the foundation of destroying his Posterity , not considering at all that the Lords could not be diminished , but by advancing and inriching the Commons , whose desire of power must necessarilie increase accordinglie , which if they could obtain , it was then obvious that they must strike not at this or that Prince , but at the verie Root of Monarchy it self , as being a thing uselesse whollie to them , and indeed inconsistent with their Government and interest : Henry the Eight continued in the same policie , and amongst many other accidents of increasing the power of the Common-wealth , to the setling the Militia in Deputie Lievtenant , it happened in his daies that religious houses being taken away , most of the Lands and Mannours belonging to them , some for moneys , others for Donations , fell into the hands of the Commons ; this was the first time they began to bear up with the Lords , who since have been abased and impoverished by manie accidents , as by finding a means to cut off Intailes , whereby it came to be in the power of those who were in present possession , to sell their posteritie and revenues , and so to ruine the Lords who succeeded them , ( which estates too ) being most what spent in Court vices and luxurie , lost the interest of the Peers in their Countries , and made them contemptible to the whole Nation , and slaves to the Citizens , who by their prodigalities grew into great wealth , and possest their lands ; about this time trade beyond Sea increased , and abuses in the Law growing up , made that a wealthie profession , so that incensiblie foundations of great families amongst the Commons were laid , whilst the Lords grew dailie to decay , and that which brought them to nothing at last , was doubtless the Scotch race of Kings , who whether by design , or for want of prudence , is not known , made so many worthless persons Peers here , as well Scotch as English , and those too for the most part so inconsiderable in point of estate , that the people did universally detest the Government , as we may observe by the constant unquietness of their Representors in Parliament , there scarce having been one in the two last Kings raigns , which were not dissolved abruptlie by them , so little complying were they to his Government : Now though I am no waies ignorant that the dissentions which happened between those Kings and their Parliaments , had verie good ground on the peoples side , as the taking away grievances , and the like , yet the natural cause ( and which was a long time collecting ) was the height of the Commons , and the meanness of the Lords , and the King , who had by this time sold and given away all his revenues ; and this too will appear to have been the original of these civil wars , for although the last action , which drove us into it , will ever be acknowledged to have been the Kings misgovernment , yet as we are apt to say in Malignant fevers , that the last excesse we made drove us into it , though the bodie had been gathering that pestilential Mass many years before ; so in this case the essentiall and natural cause of this State disease , was much longer in collecting , then the Ship-money , or the Loan ; and this is clear , for that the people did support much more then those from their Prince and Landlords too , whilst they were poor , and never did stomack to be governed , even arbitrarilie , by those upon whom they were necessarilie to depend in point of estate and subsistance , it being then , my Lord , so clear and evident , That the riches of the people in general , is the natural cause of destruction to all Regal States : I desire to bring this to our present discourse , and will beg leave to ask your Highness leave , whether the Commonaltie of England be grown poorer then they were when this was began , or rather , whether they are not become so much more rich , as the Lands and Mannours of King , Bishops , Dean and Chapters , and of all the great Delinquent Lords , together with Free-farm Rents , could make them ; if this be granted , it must be then concluded , that we are farther off from a capacitie of being governed by Monarchy again , then when we first began this quarrell ; so that you see that it is so far from being true , that the Nation of England is not fit at all to be a Commonwealth , that indeed it is wholly impossible to make it any other , without an excessive force and violence ; so that my Lord , if your Highness shall yet resolve to detain from us our liberties , with which you were intrusted , you will not onlie offend against your owne Oaths and Principles , against common right and justice , but even against God and nature too , for that it will be impossible for you to mend this frame where it first brake , except you can take from the people their estates , and confer them upon old or new Lords , which will be hardlie safe for you to attempt , it hath been my unhappiness to make this discourse somewhat too long for a letter , but I have been forc'd to rove too far into the nature of Government in generall , before I could shew the principles of a Free-State , and how neer we are to it , if you please , so neer , that the Cavaliers themselves in their hatred to the Parliament , and now to your self , do fully manifest , that they abhor all Superiours , and are impatient to be governed by others ; and this verie humor in them , is a secret impulse towards a Commonwealth , which although they do not now understand to be so , yet they would soon do it , if they had what they immediatelie desire , for I am fullie perswaded , if their Darling Charles Stewart could be brought in by them , and all his opposers whollie rooted out , he would not be able without a standing Armie to maintain the old Government , even amongst his own partie , so much is the case altered now , and so strong and natural the motives which draw towards Liberty . I must confess these speculations were no part of the cause which induced me first to take up armes first for the Parliament , but did come into my thoughts since by discourse , what I did originallie look at , was the justness and honestie of the cause , the excellencie of libertie , the glorie of advancing and promoting the interest of mankind , the making my Nation more wise , valiant , happie , and honest then before , as well as more free , which I cannot yet dispair of whilst I see you alive , whose noble and unwearied endeavours to that end , can never be forgotten , when the King , the Scots , and half the Parliament combin'd against us , you could not be daunted , when your own Grandees would have perswaded you out of those principles , you would not be circumvented , but did often say , that towards the attaining of a just and upright Government , an ounce of honesty and resolution , was worth a pound of sneaking policie : Oh let not those men who have suffered for your enemies get that upon you , by soothing your ambition , which they could never doe by opposing your reason , let not those instruments , who have deserted the cause of libertie , be now made use of to destroy it , and by advising you to purge the Armic , make those Janizaries , whose glorie it was once , they would not acknowledg themselves to be Mercenaries , put not your self upon the discretion of those whose love is not to you , but to Monarchy , and when they shall have made you a while the instrument of their ambition and avarice , will in the least adversitie look back to the old line again , which they scarce ever yet offended , and when that shall be understood by Charles Stewart and his Hectors , and that there shall be nothing standing in their way hither , but your life , the antient asserters of libertie being laid by with shame , and those who were once outed for opposing it , stept into their places , in how hazardous and desperate a condition is that life of yours like to be , which hath been hitherto so precious to all the honest partie in these Nations ; Consider therefore that those Grandees are like fire and water , good servants , but verie dangerous masters , let them do your drudgery , but let them not steer your counsels , trust this Nation with their freedome , posterity with your fame , and God for a reward ; we know we cannot be free without your help , till we have undergone a thousand confusions in the way , our factions will not suffer us to agree in any thing , except you lead us into that frame which will fit us , and to make which , you may find persons enough to assist you , if you please to seek them ; and who knows but that the wise providence of God , seeing the failings of the Parliament hath permitted you to assume this great power , to that end , do not offend that God whom you have so often called to witness of the integrity of your heart ; Consider , that if you will not build us up that fabrique of a Free State , you must be the first to lose your own libertie ; do but weigh the feares and the uncertainties you will be in , whilst you live , and the almost inevitable necessitie that your posterity must be destroyed when you are gone , as well as ours , or let this prevaile with you , at least to make us a Commonwealth , because you can make us nothing else ; if you believe your selfe not safe without this power , pray consider how many plots and designs there were against you when you were our General , and how many nights sleep you brake then in examinations , nay remember , if during the Triall of the late King , you did not walk the streets often with one servant , or without one , whereas now , new Troops and Regiments must be raised , and the old recruited , and all thought too little to preserve you ▪ and yet the lives of all the honest Patriots in England were then wrapt up in yours , as much as now , and their interest more ; but if yet after all this , that detestable poyson of ambition , and desire of domination , have taken so far possession of you , that no Antidote can expell it , and that nothing will satisfie you , but to destroy that libertie which you were appointed Guardian to ; and to outdoe him whom you have pull'd downe and executed : I must professe to all the world , that though I shall ever acknowledge that I owe much of my being setled in the principles of freedome , which I now adhere to , to your former excellent discourses , and most excellent actions ; yet that I cannot finde any thing in my conscience that will perswade me to change vvith you , but shall vvash my hands from the guilt and infamie of your vvaies , and vvithall lay dovvn my commands , and all other relations to your Government , that so I may deliver you from the apprehensions , vvhich I believe you are in , that you cannot finde a specious pretence to discharge me from my imployments , though the series of your former behaviour in that kind tovvards your friends , makes me believe you vvill be soon provided of a cause to lay me by , for you have hitherto ( as I may so say ) rid so fast , that you have seemed to be mounted rather upon Post-horses , then those vvhich vvere your ovvn , leaving them still at their stages end , and taking fresh ones ; one vvhile none but Barkley Legg and Ashburnham must serve your turne , and the King must either be brought in , or it must be thought so , soon after , vvhen his head comes to be cut off , the Levellers must when that is well over , the Presbyterian must be Courted till the war of Scotland be ended , and their nest fired ; next to this an expedient in Religion must be thought upon , and a Committee for Propagation appointed , into which , as into the Ark , all kind of creatures must enter , soone after this Blackfriers men must be incouraged to cry this downe , and the Parliament too , for going on too fast with it , and for not reforming the Laws , till at length they being preach'd ripe for destruction , the members of Parliament must be removed , and such honest godlie persons chosen to succeed them , as may make the people forget Monarchie ; but these are presentlie cashiered too , for endeavouring to perform what they were called for , as if they had been summoned onlie to beat a Commonwealth out of the Pit , and serve for a foil for the new Monarchie ; next , because we have no more varieties of fashions or instruments , we must revert to our Monarchical Grandees againe , these are now the onlie wise men , for having distrusted you , and foreseen all this , the only firme States men , for sticking to their principles , these must now be called the honest partie , whilst those who were so the last year are stiled factious fellowes , and to make this relish the better , there must be sought out instruments of an inferiour capacitie to the Grandees , who never had any other principles then fear and avarice , and who never disdained to be flatterers in any age , I mean Divines and Lawyers , whom the late fright they were in for Tythes and Reformation , hath made them now more supple then formerlie ; the first of these must now preach up tyrannie , as much as ever they have done libertie , they who once said the people , or the Saints , were the Lords Annointed , must now recant that Doctrine , and say its the Lords Protector , and must even prostitute the Jus Divinum of their Ordination it self , to an Ordinance of your Highness , and for the latter , they must make that just and honorable in you , which they thought . Treason in the Earle of Stafford ; those who condemned Ship-money , must cry up the monethlie Taxes in their Circuits and charges , and such who scrupled Councel-Table Orders formerlie , must now sweare to , and judg by such Laws , as you can make a dozen in an hour , without the trouble of twice reading or ingrossing , nay , the same persons must be a High Court , and hang men for striving to oppose Monarchie to day , who yesterday did the same to them who would have brought it in : But my Lord , we will have patience to expect the end , it will be that which must give the denomination to all this , which if it terminate in libertie , will be esteemed prudent policy , if in the contrary , it will have another name ; but least your Highness should think , that either my selfe , or any honest man here , do place our hopes of a good issue to this business in the next Parliament , as you call it , I will presume to disabuse you in that particular , and give you that which I conceive to be the judgement of the world concerning it , at well as mine : First , then my Lord , it is understood to be a creature of your will and power , the definition of the places , the qualification of the persons , the summons , and all other incidents belonging unto it , deriving themselves wholly from you , and your assumed office , so that if there be a flaw in the justice of legalitie , of that which is the foundation , what can be hoped for in the superstructure ? it might be objected in the next place , the people having alreadie chosen a Parliament , which have not received any formal , ( or as it was once called ) legal determination , could not be in a capacitie to chuse another , because this would seem to grant , that any prevailing violence might , even in that sense of Law , dissolve a Parliament ; but I leave this as that which comes too neer Treason ; another thing which renders the whole scrupellous is , that your Highness should think the people fit to have a share in Government , and give Laws , and yet should make your selfe so far Paramount to them at the same time , as to confine them by the Instrument and Indentures , what power they shall delegate to their Trustees , if the original of all just power be in the people , as we have beene taught by the Parliament , how comes there to be a Jurisdiction superiour to theirs , which must command them what to do with that power , and what instructions to give those who represent them ? but if that Doctrine be not true , what need they be disturbed in their harvest work , to chuse and send needless Cyphers up to London ? and why cannot you rather , either as you do now , make Lawes still with the consent of the major part of seven men , or without it , or else take the paines , as you did latelie , to name the persons , to be summoned your self , this had savoured of much more ingenuitie , and would have made us hope this deplorable estate we are now in , had been to last no longer then till you , with the advice of wise and honest Patriots , had been able to frame a moddle of present freedome for us , whereas things standing thus , there are sad apprehensions , that the countenance of a Parliament , and not their counsel , is sought for , and that specious pretence to deceive the vulgar are more aimed at and desired , then either the present good of the Nation , or any designe of settlement for the future , and reallie what advantage could have been expected from the last Parliament , if the King , which called it , had incombred it with an Indenture , that they should have power onelie to have secur'd his ends , but not to alter the Government , though he had taken them man by man , and murthered them , and doubtless this must be a president for all Kings and other usurped Powers , which shall succeed in England , to put all their Commands , Lusts and Projects into writing , and deliver them for a lesson to the people at their choice , till they have made their Indentures as long as Drury House Conveyance , till such time as the people of those Nations , like the Natives under the Spaniard in the Indies , shall be capable of no other office or imployment , but to summon and bring in their fellows to the mines , and make them slaves ; one advantage more towards tyrannie in this businesse is , that those blocks laid in the way , will discourage many wise and honest Patriots , from suffering themselves being elected , and so the credit and reputation of this new Junto , will be as small as its Authoritie , onelie this will render them somewhat more fit to serve the end for which they are appointed , viz. either to confirm this power as it is , or settle the old Royaltie in your line , or else perhaps finde out some mungrell expedient , by which they will seem to retrench some part of this arbirrary Soveraignty , and by that means , as much as in them lies , authenticate the rest ; but the truth is , they do perform all that by summoning in ; and not only so , but make all these poor blind people who elect them , to submit themselves to a voluntary slavery , by owning an authority destructive to their freedom , for either those they send , must not attempt to do them any service , or if they do , be perfidious and break their trust , since the only call they can pretend to , is the peoples choice , and even by them they are confused by an instruction to approve this Government , and so undoe all that hath been building up towards our Libertie for these fourteen years : Next my Lord , because it is Commonly reported here that your Highness intends to resign your power , entirely and absolutely into the hands of those men when they are met , I will crave leave to say a word to that , to the end , you may perceive that there are some honest people even in Ireland who are undeceived in that point . First then they Conceive you may , as well and justly Resign it to your Council , they being equally your Creatures , and then they observe the falacie of Leaving those men free , whom you have Caused to be bound ere they came there , and with such Chaines as you your selfe cannot loosen , no more then a Foraigne Prince can Give an Embassador sent from hence Authority to Negotiate beyond his Commission , and those bonds which you have Laid upon them are concerning the very Essence of our Liberty , viz. the Government by one Person , which you were once so fully perswaded of that you said in your Declaration here , that you did believe that God was entering into a contest with Kings and Priests , and would very suddenly open the eies of the Nations , so that within few years , there should not be either left in the whole world . Cease then , my Lord , to Flatter your selfe any longer with an Opinion that the well affected people of any of these Nations will think any better of your Monarchy then they now doe , when you shall seemingly have Laid it down to those men who have no power for any thing , but to restore it to you ; and who are besides a product of your own will . A Civill Army Raised by your selfe to handle the Estates of your people , as the other perhaps doe their persons when they are purged and fitted to the principles of A Turkish Empire , and possibly you had this , this thought when you made this Modle , that because it was probable ( and it fell out since ) that the Most wise and honest part of the Gentlemen of England would not suffer themselves to be perswaded to come into your Council , nor own your Govenment , therefore you would make the people of that Nation your Lictors , who should send you four hundred men bound hand and foot to perform your commands , and who should have power to tax , poll , and oppresse them , but not the least shadow of any to relieve them : And here I cannot chose but touch at one thing often alledged ; and it is , that if you do rightly and duly administer justice , the Nation will be happy that you tooke this power , for it matters not who Governs so they Govern well , for my part I wholly dissent from , and detest this opinion , and do conceive it to have been invented first by some Lawyer or other flatterer , meerly to satiate their present Apostacy , for if it will be granted that there is in the most pure and incorrupt part of mankind , a natural instinct or inclination to Liberty in Government ( which is for ought I know ) the only thing that distinguishes them from beasts for that the creature hath no Reason , or no Religion , cannot infallibly be said by us as it can , that they never attempt to rule themselves by Lawes but suffer a Monarchy over them , to be either in the strongest of themselves , or in us , without ever attempting to assert their freedom ) then it will likewise be confest that it is a vile and an unnatural Passion in us which makes us prefer estate , much more a little quiet or ease , before that liberty which is so essential to us , and for this I have the example of all those excellent Persons and Nations whom their own hazards and adventures in this behalf have styled so in the universal esteem of all mankind ; indeed if the contrary to this were true , it would follow as Mr. Goodwin holds , that any Person who believeth in his conscience that he could govern better then others do , might , nay is bound to use all means to attain to power , and acquire the Government , the consequence of which will be that if any man will call his Ambition Conscience , no known Laws , no Constitution of Estate , no Common Right , in fine nothing divine or humane ought to stand in this way . I dare go yet farther and affirm that nothing can be more pernitious to these Nations at this present , then for you to govern well , for it would Palliate the assumed Power , and so hide it from the just indignation of this age , and prove like the guilding of poysonous pills , or Painting of Sepulchers , and be a bribing us out of our Rights and Liberties with a seeming justice , nothing but this can Iull asleep so many Patriots , who have been often awakened with Drums and Trumpets , to adventure their lives against a Tyrant ; neither indeed could any other thing then the just and happy Reign of Augustus Caesar , have given the last defeat to the Roman liberty , or made way for those Monsters who succeeded . You see then my Lord what a businesse you have undertaken , when you have made it the interest of honest men to wish that you may commit all Excesses , and use more violence , break more Laws and ties , in carrying on this arbitrary Soveraignty then you have done in the assuming of it . My Lord , I beseech your Highnesse to pardon the length of this Letter , which could not well have been made shorter , for that the intention thereof is to evince , first , that to continue this present government upon us or any thing like it , would be most injurious in you , not onely because it is most contrary to your own trust and Oathes but even against common right and justice , and in the next place that there is no necessity of a new erected Royalty , the nature and Condition of those Nations being so proportionable to a Commonwealth that we are no way fit to receive any other form , but by an outward force and violence , besides that we have spent our blood and fortunes for it , and in the last place to shew that we are not easily deluded into a belief , that either the next assembly or any expediencies that arise from thence have any right or likelihood to mend our conditions ; I shall next give your Highnesse a short account of my self , and then humbly take my leave . I took up Armes with the first in the quarrel of the Parliament , not as a mercinary , as not having before my eyes the temptation of my Masters pay or the spoile of their enemies , but purely and solely out of a conscientious desire to free my Nation from slavery and oppression , and having confirmed my judgement in this , I did examine my zeal and resolution , and believed it had enough of both to hazard my self , for such a cause ; in which expectation I thank the Lord , I have not yet found my self deceived ; How I have behaved my self since I came under your command , it would seem vanity for me to relate , if my former and present usage did not make it necessary for me to say that for my Justification , which I should never have said for boasting ; this excuse makes me bold to lay before you some of my services , as wel as my personal discouragements : your Highness may please to Remember , ( here some particulars are left out which would detect the person who wrote the letter ) notwithstanding all which I am yet satisfied to go on with my imployment here , and to be faithful in it , as being for the advancement of the Common Cause and against the Common Enemy , and yet if I were assured that you did intend to perpetuate upon us this slavery ( after you had disolved the Parliament , for an imputation of endeavoring to perpetuate themselves ) I should have many scruples against serving you in Scotland , whither we are very lyable to be transported ; for what Reason is there that we should not give them leaves to be Governed by their Native King , and whom they had received by their Parliament ? and at the same time seeke to impose upon them by force another Prince of our Nation , whom we had chosen for them , or rather had chosen himself , what can you think my Lord the just God , who hath been used to deside upon appeales would do in this quarrel , if they should have recourse to him with faith and prayer ? Alas my Lord you do not consider how much these thoughts do weaken the hands and hearts of those poor righteous and precious souls , who are yet left in the Army and who poure forth their tears and prayers daily before the Lord on your behalf , that you may find mercy in this day of your temptation , that so they may not be traduced to have slain so many men as Bravoes to your designes , and that you would make use of the Great power you are now possest of to settle and transmit to succeeding ages a state of Lasting freedome which a small trouble and force would accomplish , whereas this Government must be eternally supported by violence , no unnaturall things being permanent without it , or if this cannot be , their prayers and desires are that you would summon a free unlimitted Parliament ( consisting of such that have not forfeited their liberties ) not bound or fettered by Indentures , and devesting your selfe of all power and Command , you would leave the whole sway & Government to them , and swear the Army to obey them , by this means the Nation would either enjoy their liberty , or have the choice & imposition of their own yoak ; nor is there any Reason except you will do one of these , upon which you can excuse the dismission of the Parliament , for that it was within their power and design to make Indentures in the behalf of Liberty , which would have had an unquestionable Authority as well as a more Noble end , then those you have compelled for the Contrary ; If you shall wholly refuse all things of this kinde , and obstinately resolve to goe forward in your way you now take , you will want the hands , hearts and prayers of all Gods people in these Nations ; and though the principles of some of them may not give leave as private men to make you any further opposition , yet they will wash their own hands , and deliver their own Souls , and beseech the just God of Heaven and earth , who hath appeared so visibly and Miraculously for this Cause of freedom , and whom no hypocrosie can deceive , no false Oathes , nor teares prevaile upon to judge between you and these poor oppressed and deluded people , but if yet you shall Answer their hungry expectations of Liberty ; you will give Glory to God , increase to his Church , flock and Religion , which hath been grievously dishonoured by those actions , Immortall fame to your self , safty to your Posterity , happiness to mankinde , and will have the lives of many thousands intirely at your service and Command , and amongst the rest that of Waterford this 24 Iune 1654. Your most humble and most faithful Servant R. G. POSTSCRIPT . REader , that this letter should not be exposed to publique view so long after the date thereof , I hope will not possess thee with any prejudice against it the honesty and reason of the tract and faithfulnesse of the Author to that good old principle of common justice , equity and liberty , secured in the most noble form of government , viz. The peoples representative may commend it to thee , indeed that hath been the Axletree of the cause which God so signally blessed us in , and since it was broken ( although upon pretence of going faster on in the obtaining of our liberties ) hath blasted us , wherein that saying is verified Melius in via claudicare quam extra viam currere . It was the design of the old , so it is of the new Court , to estrange the people from , and work them out of love with Parliaments , many honest well meaning men being too much led away with that mistake . The Author mentioneth his fear of the last Representative not of their judgement in , & affection to the publique cause of liberty , but by reason of that restriction in the indenture framed to serve the intrest of the present Protector . But indeed the Gentlemen deserve an honourable esteem from all English men , who though they could not do the good desired by us , and doubtlesse intended by them , yet would not do us the evil ( which a powerful party endeavoured to court and threaten them unto ) in perpetuating by any act of theirs our vassalage to the present Grandees , or revoke those acts which maketh it treason for any single person to assume the supream Magistracy . I shall only adde this as the earnestly desire of myself and of many who are friends to the good old cause , that the Lord would be pleased to guide us in the attayning of a free Representative , which may assert our liberties , and secure them to posterity , which will be a glorious answer to the faith , prayer , expence of blood and treasure , both of the godly and likewise of the rest of the freeborn people of England who have been faithful to the common cause of justice and liberty . FINIS .