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fo the Houfe of Commons was now called) would be beavier than the King's Loins. And fo in Truth it was. (0) The People (fays an anonymous Author) fuffered extremely in their Goods, by exorbitant and continual Taxes, and that under Pretence of Neceffity to pay the Army: Whereas the Army Officers in that fatal Remonftrance from St. Albans 1648. did pretend, that the Removal of the King was neceffary for difbanding of the Army, and eafing the People of their heavy Burdens and Taxes: But we fee neither the one nor the other has followed on it, but that rather our Miseries have encreased. Now if we fhall join to thofe intolerable Taxes the great Decay of Trade, occafioned principally by making War with Spain, upon the Score of private Interest against the general Good, and to the great Damage of the three Nations, as may be feen at large in that excellent Remonftrance of the Merchants, prefented to the late Protector and Parliament, it may be clearly feen, that nothing has been wanting to make the People of thefe Nations perfectly miferable, both in their Perfons and Eftates. If the Farthing Tax of Ship Money was thought fo heavy and intolerable à Burden in the King's Time, when Gold was almoft as plentiful as Silver is now, and when our Trading admirably flourished all the World over; what may be justly thought of all the Taxes that have • been raifed fince the Beginning of thefe Troubles, or particularly fince the King's Death? May it not be justly concluded, that these Taxes being compared with the Ship Money, &c. and to which they have fo vaft a Difproportion, have been, and are a Burden to the People more than • intolerable?' And another Writer of those

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(0) England's Settlement, &c. London 1659. p. 6. Publick Library, Cambridge 19. 9. 6.

B 2

Times

Times obferves, (p) spection had brought in and reported to the Houfe the State of the Accounts of the Publick, and of the Martial and Civil Lifts in the three Nations, by which it did appear, that the yearly Incomes of (q) England, Scotland, and Ireland, came to Eighteen hundred fixty-eight thousand feven hundred and feventeen Pounds, and the yearly Iffue to two Millions two hundred and one thousand five hundred and forty Pounds: So that Three hundred thirty-two thoufand eight • hundred twenty-three Pounds of Debt incurred yearly by the ill Management of double the Revenue that ever (r) King of England enjoyed: And to maintain the unjuft Conqueft of Scotland, coft us yearly one hundred fixty-three thoufand • fixteen hundred and nineteen Pounds more than the Revenue yields.' And in an intercepted Letter to a Merchant at Paris, from T. M. 14 December 1653. are the following Words (s): • At London we are forced to take up our Tax by Soldiers, which is not pleafing, and so it must be thro' all this Land: If Holland's A&tings be not appeafed, this Land will not be able

That a Committee for In

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(p) England's Confufion: Or, A True Impartial Relation of the late Traverfes of State in England, &c. printed 1659. p. 6. Publ. Libr. Cambridge, 19. 9. 6. Heath's Chronicle, p. 415. They had it (fays Mr Walker, Hiftory of Independency, part 2. p.155.) in their Wills and Power, to difpofe of the King's, Queen's, Prince's and Duke's, and the rest of the • Children's Revenue, Deans and Chapters Lands, Bishops Lands, fequeftred delinquent Lands, fequeftred Papifts Lancs, Compofitions of all Sorts, amounting to Millions of Money, befides Excife and Customs; yet this is not enough, altho', if rightly husbanded, it would conftantly pay above 100,000 Men, and furnish an anfwerable Navy thereunto: But the People muft now, after their Trades are loft, and their Eftates fpent to procure their Liberties and Freedom, be affeffed above 100,000l. a Month, that they may be able, like fo many Cheaters and State Thieves, to give 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16,000l. a piece one to another, to buy the Commonwealth's Lands one of another, at 2 or 3 Years Purchase.

(q) Hiftory of Independency, 4th Part, p. 36.

(r) It is obferv'd by Mr. Carte, (Life of James First Duke of Ormonde, vol. 1. p. 50.) That King James I. in 16 Years Time, receiv'd two Millions, 200,000 l. in Aids from Parliament, which he feems to think an extravagant Sum.'

(5) Rymer's Feedere, continued by Mr. Sanderson, vol. 20. p. 730.

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to bear it, Trade being loft: I affure you, fince the Breach with the late King, there hath been spent by the Parliament upwards of (t) fixty Millions in Money, and yet this is not fo much as the Lofs of Trade. (u) Is not (fays another • Writer of thofe Times) the whole Burden laid upon your Backs, Burden after Burden, even 'till your Backs break? How many thousands of you, who were of great Eftates, are even reduc'd yourfelves, your Wives and Children to Mifery and extreme Poverty? How many Thoufands and Millions have you exhaufted; yea, hath not your Hands been liberal beyond your Abilities? How freely have you brought in your Gold, your Silver, Jewels, Rings, &c. which in London, Middlesex, Effex amounted to above eleven Millions, befides threefcore Mil• lions extracted out of the Counties, with the ‹ innumerable Sums otherwife raised and spent in this Service.'

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Such was the confummate Wisdom of this new Conftitution, which had neither the Confent of the People of England, nor their Reprefentatives of Parliament.

N. P. 3. The Agitators petitioned the Houfe to diffolve themselves, that new Representatives might be chofen: The Commons, alarmed at thefe Proceedings, ordered their general Officers to cashier the Petitioners, and break their Swords over their Heads, which was done accordingly.

(t) You could not (fays Mr. Petyt, Vifions of the Reformation p. 133.) allow the King any confiderable Supplies towards mantaining a foreign. War, in which you had engaged him, could raife and consume 17,000000 Sterling in less than three Years, in a Domestick War against him.' And. 'tis obferved by Mr. Walker (Hiftory of Independency, part 2. p. 228) That more Money had been raised in Taxes in eight Years during the Rebellion and Ufurpation, than in all the Kings Reigns fince the Conqueft.' Which Lord Clarendon confirms (Speech to the Parliamant 1661. Life p. 189.) That Monfier Commonwealth (fays he) coft this Nation more in the few Years the was begot, born, and brought up, and in her Funeral (which was the beft < expence of all) than the Monarchy hath done this 600 years. (*) Martin's Eccho. penes me, p. 17.

The Names of the Petitioners were Robert Ward, Thomas Watfon, Simon Grant, George Felles, William Sawyer. The Sentence was pronounced against them by one Baxter; (w) That they fhould ride with their Faces towards their Horfes Tails, before their feveral Regiments, with their Faults written on their Breafts; and their Swords to be broken over their Heads, and fo to be ⚫ cashiered the Army, as not worthy to ride therein And a Proclamation to be made, that none <fhould receive them into any Troop, Company, or Garrison; and this (he informs them) they • must look upon as a great Mercy of the Court.' And yet notwithstanding this Severity, fo bold were the Levellers at that Time, according to Whitelock, (Memorials, p. 399.) that they buried one Lockier, (x) a Trooper, who was fhot to Death by Sentence of a Court Martial, in the following Man

ner :

"About one thoufand went before the Corps, ❝ and five or fix in a File: The Corps was then "brought with fix Trumpets founding a Soldier's

Knell, Then the Trooper's Horfe came clothed ❝ all over in Mourning led by a Footman. The "Corps was adorned with Bundles of Rosemary,

one half stained in Blood, and the Sword of the "Deceased with them. Some Thousands followed "in Ranks and Files: All had fea-green and black "Ribbon tied on their Hats, and on their Breasts, "and the Women brought up the Reer. At the

(w) A Tract intitled, Hunting of the Foxes from Newmarket and Triple Heaths to Whitehall, by five fmall Beagles of the Army, and printed in a Corner of Freedom, right oppofite to the Council of Warre, Anno Domini 1649. p. 19, 24. Publick Library, Cambridge 19.9. 6. Whitelock's Memorials, p. 386.

(x) Mr. Walker (History of Independency, part 2. p. 164.)® observes, That Lockier was executed to ftrike a Terror and flavifh Fear into fuch other Soldiers, as fhould dare to take Notice of their approaching Slavery. But his Chriftian and gallant Deportment at his Death, with honourable funeral Pomp attending him to his Grave, turned all the Terror of this Tragedy into Hatred and Contempt of the Authors thereof.' See likewise Heatb's Chronicle, p. 233:

New

<< New Church-yard in Westminster, fome Thou"fands more of the better fort met them, who "thought not fit to march through the City.

Many looked upon this Funeral as an Affront "to the Parliament and Army, others called "them Levellers; but they took no notice of "any of them."

N. Ibid. To cultivate a good Understanding with the (y) Dutch, the Parliament fent Dr. Dorillaus, an eminent Civilian concerned in the late King's Tryal, Agent to the States General; but the very first night after bis Arrival, May 3. He was murdered in bis own Chamber by twelve defperate Cavaliers in difguife, who rushed in upon him while he was at Supper, and with their drawn Swords, killed him upon the Spot.

Lord Clarendon fays (with whom agrees Mr. Echard, and Bishop Kennet) (z) That whilft he was at Supper the fame Evening that he came to the Hague, in company of many, others who • used to eat there, Half a Dozen Gentlemen entered the Room with their Swords drawn, and required those who were at the Table not to ftir, for there was no harm intended to any but the Agent, who came from the Rebels in England, who had newly murdered their King. • And one Whitford, who knew Doriflaus, pulled

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(y) The Dutch had little Reason to value thefe wicked Ufurpers; for Mr. Walker informs us, (Hiftory of Independency, part 2. p. 209.) That Captain Young had blown up a Ship of the Prince's, call'd the Antilope, at Anchor in Helvet fluice, under the Protection of the States of Holland, whereby the Chamber of Holland, and their Inland Sea is ravished from them. By this and fome former Actions of the like Infolency, fays be, as the firing upon their Ships, and killing their Men for not ftriking Sail to them, you may fee what good Neighbourhood the Dutch are like to have of their younger Brother State, when they are once fettled and confirmed in ⚫ their yet Infant Government.' And Whitelock informs us, (Memorials, p. 412.) That upon Complaint to the States in Behalf of the Scots King, that fome of the Parliament Ships deftroy'd the Antilope Ships in

• Helvet fluice, the States order'd, that the King have Liberty to act the fime upon any of the Parliament Ships in any Harbour within their T 'nions.'

(x) Hiftory of the Rebellion, vol. 3. p. 229. Echard's Hiftory vol. 2. p. 668. Bishop Kennet's Complete Hiftory, vol. 3. p. 197 Hiftory of Independency, part 2. p. 173.