1. The Protestant Religion.
2. The King's just power.
3. The Laws of the Land.
4. The Liberty of the Subject."
After expatiating upon these four resolutions, the paper concludes thus:—
"As wee conceive ourselves obliged by the Law of God, the Law of the Land, by the Dictates of Nature and reason to maintaine all these; so by God's grace assisting us, we hope we shall not be terrified or compelled to yeeld any active obedience to any dis-joyned part of Parliament without the consent of the whole (which we heartily desire may be united) or to any uncertaine Debates, Votes or Ordinances, that are not digested or setled into Lawes; nay which seemes to contradict former Lawes, and yet are tender'd to us with so much earnestnes, as some dare hardly deny them with safety or obey with Conscience.
"Nor shall we ever yeeld ourselves such Slaves, or so betray the liberty purchased by our Forefathers blood, and bequeathed unto us as to suffer our selves to be swayed by any Arbytrary Government whatsoever, or stand with too much contention of Spirit to cast off the yoake of our Tyrany to endure many worse.
"And seeing his Majestie is graciously pleased to maintaine the true Protestant Religion; his owne just Power, The Lawes of the Land, The Liberty of the Subjects and that these waters of Reformation having beene longe stirred; we want onely the favour of his Princely Majestie to let us in and heale us; So we doe reciprocally declare that we conceive our selves bound to maintaine him in all the Premisses with our lives and Fortunes."
On July 8th, 1642, the House of Commons resolved that this printed paper should be referred to the Committee for printing, and that Hammon the printer should be forthwith summoned to attend the House. Mr. Maddison was then called in, and averred that he being at a stationer's shop and reading this pamphlet, and saying that this was a foul scandal upon the Parliament, and that the author of it deserved to be whipt; one Sir William Boleter told him that he deserved to be whipt for saying so; and that he would justify every word of it; and that, by God he would slash him; and while he was talking with him one Mr. Dutton a minister came to him, and likewise said that he deserved to be whipt; and he asked him wherefore? And he replied, for speaking Nonsense, and for saying it was a Libel. It was then resolved that Mr. Dutton the Minister should be forthwith committed a prisoner to the Gatehouse, during the pleasure of the House for carrying himself in a scornful manner in the House, and for, as much as in him lay, justifying the foulest and most scandalous pamphlet that ever was raised or published against the Parliament.
Sir Robert Harley reported from a conference had with the Lords, that the Lords had brought unto them a printed paper which is a scandalous and infamous libel in the name of the County of Hereford, and they desired that the Commons would join with them in desiring the Knights that serve for that County to send down to know who in that County would avow the same; and if any did, that they should be prosecuted to the utmost for setting forth such an infamous libel.[83]
111.
Animadversions upon those notes which the late Observator hath published upon the seven doctrines and positions which the King by way of Recapitulation (he saith) layes open so offensive. London. 1642.