Mr. Pryn's last and finall declaration to the Commons of England, concerning the King, Parliament, and Army. And his remonstrance and proposals to the kingdome, shewing, that it is high treason, to compasse or imagine the deposition or death of our Soveraign Lord King Charles. With the oath of allegiance to His Majesty, taken by the Parliament men, before their admission into the House as members. / By William Pryn, of Lincolns-Inne, Esq.

Mr. PRYN'S last and finall DECLARATION To the COMMONS of ENGLAND , Concerning the KING , PARLIAMENT , And ARMY . AND His Remonstrance and Proposals to the Kingdome , shewing , That it is High Treason , to compasse or imagine the deposition or death of our Soveraign Lord King CHARLES . WITH The Oath of Allegiance to His Majesty , taken by the Parliament men , before their admission into the House as MEMBERS . By WILLIAM PRYN , of Lincolns-Inne , Esq.

Printed in the Yeer , 1648.

Master PRYNS Declaration to the KINGDOME Concerning The apparent danger of his Majesties Royall person , and the present proceedings of the Parliament and Army in order to the deposing of Charles Steward , their lawfull King of England , &c. Gentlemen , and Fellow Commoners ,

VVHereas my self , and above 200 Members more being forcibly secluded from siting in the house of Commons , by the Officers of the Army , I therefore held it my duty , to impart unto you these ensuing Proposals .

First , That by the common law of the Realm , the stat . of 25 E. 3. and all other Acts concerning Treason , it is no lesse then high treason for any man to compasse or imagine the deposition or death of the King , or of his eldest Sonne and heire , though it be never executed , much more if actually accomplished , and that many have been arraigned , condemned , and executed , for such intended treasons in former ages , as the E. of Arundell , and others , by judgment in Parl.

Secondly , That in the Oath of Allegiance whlch you have all taken , immediatly before your admission into the house as Members ; You do truly and sincerely acknowledge , professe , testifie and declare in your consciences , before God & the World , That our Soveraign Lord King Charles , is lawfull and rightfull King of this Realme , and of all other his Maj. Dominions and Countries .

Thirdly , That your selves , among other members , have in above one hundred Remonstrances and Declarations , professed , both to the King himself , kingdom , world , & forraign States , that you never intended the least hurt , injury , or violence to the Kings person , Crown , Dignity , or Posterity ; but intended to him and his Royal posterity , more honour , happinesse , gr●atnesse , and glory , then ever was yet enjoyed by any of his Predecessors , that you have proposed no other ends to your selves , but the performance of all duty and loyalty to his Maj. person , That his personal safety , honour , & greatnesse , are much dearer to you then your own lives and fortunes , which you do most heartily dedicate , and shall most willingly imploy for the maintenance and support thereof , That the Parl. will ever have a care to prevent any danger which his Majesty may justly apprehend to his person : with many other such like expressions . Which , whether your present Actings and Councels do not directly oppose , contradict , and give the lye unto , to your eternal infamy , and breach of publike faith , as much as in you lies , let the world and all men judge ; as they will do in due season . The rule in the Old Testament is , not to take any wicked Kings from their Thrones , ●nd behead them : but ( Rom : ●3 : 1 , 2 , &c. ) Take away the wicked from before the King , and his Throne shall be established in Righteousnesse . And the rule in the new Testament . To be subject to Kings , and the higher powers , and to submit vnto them , even for Conscience and the Lords sake : and to make prayers , supplications , and intercessions for them , that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life , in all godlinesse and honesty : for this is good and acctptable in the sight of God our Saviour : not to depose or shed their bloud , for which there is no precept . And is not this plain way of God , the safest for you and the Army to follow , yea the only short cut to peace and settlement ? Ruminate upon it , and then be wise , both for your soules good , and the welfare of poor England .

Fourthly , Remember , that no protestant King or State , ever yet defiled their hands , or stained the purity and honour of their Reformed Religion , with the deposition , or bloud of any of their Kings and Princes , much lesse of a protestant king or Prince , of a temperate and sober life , as the King is ; who never imbrued his own hand in any one mans bloud , in any tyrannical or bloudy way before or since the warres ( for ought I can hear ) but only in a Military .

Fifthly , Consider , that the Scots delivered the King to our Commis. at Newcastle , upon this expresse condition , That no violence should be offered to his person , &c. according to the Covenant . How then can you un-king , depose him , or take away his life upon pretext of Justice , which if you do , you ingage both kingdoms to war against you , and to crown the Prince of VVales their King , as being next heir apparent .

WIL : PRYN .

A Declaration touching the King .

AFter mature deliberation upon the proceedings of the Lord General Fairfax , and the General councel of Officers , in relation to the establishing of a firm and lasting peace within this bleeding , torne , and tottering kingdom , and the erecting of a pure and sound Government according to the Law of Nature , and the fundamental laws of this Realm , and after several conferences and disputations in order thereunto , divers of the Presbyterian party frequented to Westminster , and other places , where they had severall disputations and conferences with the Officers , and other members of the Army ; and after some debate upon the Foundation , of the grounds and principles of the Agreement of the People , the Presbyterians declared a great dislike thereof , remonstrating , That it was not founded upon a firm Rock ; to which objections , severall answers were made , for cleering such scruples and cautions , as seemed difficult to many ; And as for the person of the King , they further declared , that notwithstanding the present Ordnance of Attainder against his Maj. yet they conceived it requisite and lawfull , that the prayers of the Ministery bee still continued in every Congregation throughout his Maj. Realmes and Dominions ; desiring , that he may have a legal tryall , and that Hee may not be degraded of his Titles and Honours : Concerning which , be pleased to peruse this ensuing Letter from Holland , touching the degrading of his Majesty .

Sir , We are here in a kind of amazement , to hear that your King should be designed for the grave before his time : Believe it , there 's nothing more characterizes men wise in the opinion of the wisest meer man , then that they see a far off , not the plague of the body only , though that , but judgments somtimes for evildoing , somtimes for acting indiscreetly in matters that may be done . That which may lawfully bee done , it may be absurd to do at some time : The taking away life , which is that prized above all , by him that all account wise , is not just ( say some ) at any time , unlesse there be a law that makes the thing done death , and death to him that doth it : The supream power of England that forbids any to judge of treason in a constructive way , but themselvs have retaind in themselvs a power to judge such and such practises and endeavours to amount to treason or death . In particular , supose there were law , or it were in the power of the Lords and Commons to take awoy the life of the present King , yet if England , Scotland , and Ireland shal be made more miserable thereby in reason , and the waas renewed , to the probable ruine of the Nations , and chiefly to those who pretend most to piety and justice therein , it were better not . That it 's dangerous this may be said : If you cut off , you must set up , vacuities of that nature suddainly introduce confusion : If you set up , it must either be a new King , or a new Government ; if a new King , then the next of kinne , and if him , then let his ●complyance be what it will , his Fathers death cannot bee ●orgot ; no , the danger of his mothers influence , who will remain in banishment , be easily got over , refuse he to come in , as it 's most like , he hath the afore-named written upon his brest , hesides his hereditary claim , his marriage , which no man that hath a purse , but will endowry with a daughter , raise an army of 20000 to restore a son in law , and make his daughter Queen of 3 kingdoms , which by reason of scituation , and inherent accommodations may ( well managed ) be the ballancing power of Christendom . If any other , or a new Government , the objections are the same , & all the line & that successively are made enemies to boot ; besides hath the Parl. or army yet got so much love ? are they so deep in the hearts of the people , that they can assure themselves the newtrals , or those who have gone farre with them will quiesce ? But the answer is ready , we have an Army that cannot be over come , neither by what can rise here , or come from abroad . So had Alexander , but Alexander was poysoned , and what then became of his Army ? ruin approached . Some wil boast they fear no colours , nor danger , for they have the swiftest horse in the Kingdom ; but what if that horse stumble , and throw his Rider : where 's the man , the horse wandering up and down , as the fed Hauk for food , comes to the hand of a child ?

Hague 2 Jan. 1648.

The Heads of the Armies Deolaration .

1 That they were great promoters of the Kings design . 2 Of promoting the Kings design in Scotland , obstructing the Lord Lisle , and promoting the L. Inchequin . 3 That they incouraged the force that was set upon the Houses by the London Apprentises , hindered and obstructed such things a● tended to the settlement of the Kingdom , &c. That therefore to the end that there might be a speedy way for setling the same , they excluded them the House , and intend very speedily to send in the Charge against them .

FINIS .