THough it might seem the extream Act of folly to descend to an observance of each rude Aspersion on derived Powers , when the Highest Court of Judicature , and Fountain of Authority hath been openly traduc'd , and even prophaned by the irreverent reproaches of Malevolent and impure tongues and seditious papers ; yet lest through the advantage of silence , the contrivers and spreaders of those late insolent scandals , should occasionally triumph ; Reason wil forgive me the waste of that brief discourse which betrayes Calumnies , and clear the proceedings of the most wise , and ( when time shall scatter the present Clouds , and make way for the breaking out of Truth ) the most Apparently innocent Committee .

The turbulent and unquiet spirits , which were for a long time kept under by the care and vigilancy of a faithfull Committee , taking advantage of some distractions in other parts of this Relapsed Kingdome , and the diversions of the Army grew so factiously bold as to sling off their ( now uselesse ) vizard , and appear bare-fac'd in the field , with a Sword and a Manifest , things fitly conioyned , where the infamy of the latter , must be beholden for supportance to the violence of the former ; wherein yet they make nothing manifest to the eyes of the world , but the Rotten fruits of old Malignancy , not as then utterly extirpated through the mercies of Parliament , and Lenity of those men whom yet they rise up in Armes against for conceived wrongs , and Immaginary oppression , then intrusting the vigor of their applauded Manifest , as wanting stings to wound singly , ( though in coniunction with the Sword ) they let flie a Remonstrance , in which after a vain suggestion of necessity , exasperating and insinuating their Armies at Publique Peace ( The ordinary Guise of all Rebellions ) They invade the Persons of particular men , and by such lime-twigs attempt to ensnare the mindes , and hold the hearts of the unwary vulgar , although in both those iniurious Papers they limit their Grievances within the Pale of their own County , having either too little of valour , or else too much of cunning , to assault the Power of the two most Honourable Houses of Paliament in a plain open behaviour .

Yet ( 't is evident ) their Reach was at that Judicature , & however they drive their design in a narrower compasse , and after a more plausible manner , yet their Grasp was at that High Court , and their onely end to give the honour and very being of Parliaments , mortall wound , through the bleeding sides of that Loyal obedient and ever Renowned Committee .

To enter here on a narration of their saithfull Acts , and unparaleld services , consecrated to the good of the State , ever since the first Buddings of the Kingdoms distractions , how Impartially iust some of them have been in the execution of Ordinances , even to the prostrating as it were their own natural affections , at the Feet of Justice , and their intrusters Commands . And how have they been generally lookt upon as the chief Pillars of Parliament , and prop of Liberties , & consequently have alwayes proved ; but now of late more excessively offensive to the eyes of men eminently disaffected .

This Copious Narration would be inconsistent with intended brevity , and challenge a more speciall and leisurable imployment , I shall only touch the particular charges , and from the weaknesse of the Crimes objected , leave to every indifferent man to consider the strength of envy , and the sharpnesse of her stomack , that can so hastily leap at empty bates , and bite almost at nothing .

As to the Manifest , the first thing they labour to Brand the Integrity of the Committee with , is the suppressing of a Petition ; 't is true , some writing there was contrived , & pen'd by the Factious of that County , in opposition whereunto , the reverent Committee issued out orderly , & summons the County Forces , but whether it own'd that name wil be only affirmatively decided , by such Persons who have the Power , or rather impudence to new stamp Violence , and Christen Seditian , by the Specious name of an humble Petition : When an Armed multitude Accoasts some number of naked travellers in the Kings High-way , and with the prevailing Rhetorick of Swords and Pistols begs their Almes ; would any but one as senslesse as that multitude would be resolute and mercilesse , account such demanders in the Rank of simple Beggers ? And should not this Committee have forfeited , not their Fidelities onely , but their very Reasons , if being intrusted with the Peace and quiet of that County throughout swarming with Troops of Horses , and Companies of Foot ; After having seiz'd the Publique Magazines , possest themselves of strong houlds , renounced hostility , against all who should endeavonr to oppose them , and all this under the shadow and fair pretence of a Petition .

I say , if they had not withstood such violent perparations , but had even befool'd their own judgement , to a silly belief ; that such furious preparers , were but honest and well meaning Petitioners : This confest the wise Committee oppos'd their Councels and Power , before any Actuall Armings and open Postures of War and defiance . But as in the Naturall body , prevention is the best part of Physick , so in Policies and State-Government , 't is the highest commendablest part of Gubernative wisdome to anticipate the Councels of Seditious heads , and to stifle Faction in the very conception , lest comming to a birth , and gathering strength , it grow too unweildy and Potent for suppression .

Could that Committee be so unskilful in the Astronomy of that ever-rowling and unsetled County , as after the narrowest and exactest Observations , of the number and quality of exhalations , which from time to time had evaporated in those parts , to be ignorant at last ; what fiery Meteors would necessarily kindle from the confluence of such unwholsome matter , and after Demonstracy of the necessity of event , could they do lesse then bestir their strengths , to keep off the fatall Combustion ? had the Committee for many uninterrupted years sate as it were at the beds-head of that labouring and feavourish body , and actually cured it of many desperate distempers , as that of Dover , Tunbridge , Canterbury ; & the last late unparaleld Petitionary Insurrection , raised by that Arch Monopolizing Rebell , Goring and his complices . And was it not proved at this instant , after the addition of so long times experience , it should not discover the marks of inwardly putred ulcers , and even in the fair and healthful countenance of a Petition , read the Character of Ruine and Rebellion , when in their well-grounded judgments , they foresaw the fire approaching , should they have expected till the flame had seized on them , and have defer'd the laying on the remedy , till the soar had grown too wide for the plaister ; had the wisdome of that prudent Committee miscarried , in their sentences , on so evident , so Malignant a Symptome , they had lost the credit of all their former cures , and the past Recoveries of that diseased County , would have been adjudged but the works of chance and immediate providence , and not the actings of a skilfull and carefull Committee .

Secondly , the next thing which the Manifest vents , to make odious the very name of a Committee , For what is more intollerable then unlimmited Taxations in their increasing of Taxes of the County above the due proportion ? How easie is it for men who look through Glasses of their own chusing , to erre in the just proportion of quantity , and to mistake molehils for mountains , when either a naturall Avarice , or a strong disaffection to the cause , be the false prospective to convey the Image of a Tax , to the unwilling fansy , how unproportionate and beyond all degrees of measure must that Tax appeare ? whereas the inproportion still lies not in the object , which is but ordinary and mean , Rebus sic stantibus , but in their own eyes distracted , by the inequality of their contrary affections , and perverted judgments .

But had these Manifesters either mind or leisure , to compare their money with their wars , in a just and equall account , they would soon find the alledged interruption , lest any yet appear to be rather on their side of the bargaine ; For was it possible , had themselves been their own Traders , and had managed the businesse of Peace and content , they should ever made a better market , then the Committee hath done for them ? could they have bought Ease and Rest at an easier hand ? Other Counties have bled as much in their veines as these men in their purses ; and even in their purses too , have they bled in a more evcessive manner , having had their houses fired , their goods Plundred , their Persons stripped , and imprisoned , and yet endure all with more moderate relentings ; contented though late , to be rid of the fury of war ; and now at last to enjoy a dear-bought Peace within their Ruin'd habitations . How many even amongst these now-Repining Manifestors , were formerly themselves Actors and Promoters of these now Scandalized Assessements , yet now look back upon them as Grievances , and tumultuously declare against them , although with that desertlesse Mariner in a storm they could have once vowed Candles as big as their Ship-Masts , to the Patron should protect them , yet having once recovered the Shoar to safe harbor , they think much one of ten to the pound ; like unthankfull foolish Merchants , they bewail from the secure harbor , those trifling goods they flung out , as a Pledge for their lives , in the extreame rage of a violent Tempest ; so unmindful are they of past benefits , and present grudgers of what they once freely parted with ; in times of troubles and visible dangers , that they even quarrel ( being made well ) at their Phisitians , for too much letting them bloud , though thereby they received their health ; and had they then bled lesse , they might have perchance now wanted veines to bleed at all .

Now to the Remonstrance , lest Generals should not take ( Nam dolus versatur in Universalibus ) which those who expect distincter knowledge in Impeachment of such concernment , and lest the Pil should not go smoothly down which was so guilded over with Liberty and Peace , they Ransack the mouths of parcidular persons , and bring their words to the Bar , for a general condemnation .

First they Arraign Sr Antony Welden , a man so elevated in inward worth , and very high in his Countreys service , that ( it seems ) envy her self was put to miserable shifts , to find matter to besmear him , at last was forced to rake the very kennel , and gather up thence those fragments of Coller , which that most worthy Knight had spit out of his mouth ; which yet ( in the worse construction ) are but the Boylings up of a just and Noble indignation .

Next they attach the speech of Mr Beale , a very wel affected Gentleman ( and a worthy member of that Honourable Committee ) unable ( as it should seem ) to tax him farther , and from such aiery foundations , erect the Castles of their fears , and ungrounded presumptions ; Is not that man think you in a very desperate condition , who in the midst of his precipitacy is constrained to catch at straws ? and those are his surest holds to save his neck the breaking : What stronger supports have these men , who catch at , and are enforced to fasten on the brittle and slippery matter of words , to secure their head-long courses , from the suspition and danger of Rebellion ? must not their actions be extreamly Regular , and very even , on which envy cannot stick , but thence slides off to words ; and rests satisfyed to have found a flaw in their manner of expressions .

These Remonstrers ( like that Romane Emperor , who to busie himselfe , would kill flies ) rather then suffer their discontents to remain idle , will imploy them on subjects as mean and rediculous , as infects and wil fill the mouths of these , whom they have deluded into Commotions , with spoonfuls of Eyemeates and vanishing accusations .

Words in this case are but meer Ciphers , and signifie nothing but in association with actions , they more fright , then either hurt , or harm ; and are but the innocent Thunder of a just zeal , provoked by a strong feare of Lawes and liberties , at the point to be swallowed up by the gulfe of Tumults and Insurrections : The story of King James is notable for eruptions of Passion , who though but a simple unknown Countrey-man , had by meer chance but crost his sports , in pursuit of his game in hunting , would in a wrathfull displeasure command him to the Gallows , yet was his Reign as Peaceable and gentle , as his speech was Rough and hasty ; whether were those injust , and ( if executed ) the most Tyrannicall Command esteemed an usurpation , over the lives and estates of Persons , by His word of mouth so imperiously condemned ?

What but a disturbed hunting drew from a wise but Passionate King , ( whose very words notwithstanding carry Power in them ) might not the apprehension of an afflicted Country ready to be exposed to the humours and lusts of impatient men , with much more reason extort from the lips of trusty Magistrates , overborn with a Pious zeal and affection to their Country , however these Remonstrancers should have afforded us the occasions , and the entire Chain of the circumstances of those speeches , otherwise they quote words , but as the Devill sometimes brought in Scripture . They silence that one part , or necessary adjunct of expression , which might perchance quite destroy ; at least qualify and moderate the Rigor of the other : When such furious objectors shall actually find either their bodies exposed to open punishments , or their tired fouls languishing with inward vexations .

't will be indeed high and full time to complaine , but not of some occasional Prophetick speeches , refering to such ends , but of their own disobediences and insolencies , which drew down upon them such exemplary judgements . But lest this hasty discourse should run out as far in length , as the Manifest fals short of truth , and the Remonstrance of strength , I shall only adde : That the Interests of Parliament , are so twisted with the present Interests of this honoured Committee , that the fall of the latter must of necessity give a main crack to the Fabrick of the former . And therefore though the Blow was Immediately directed against this one Branch of Power , yet was it Really and effectually intended against the Root and Foundation of all just Rights , and Legall Authority : But the Plot according to the successe of all , ( for the most part ) disloyal causes , have failed of that main end ; and the too forward Actors , instead of sinking others , have themselves been swallowed down , in the noysome waters of their own troubling .