91 all the dcbosht nobility and gentry, and their dependents, and the lewder rout of people; yet even of these some there were, that had English hearts, who came in to the parliament; but finding afterwards that the advance of liberty and righteousnesse could not consist with riot and ungodlinesse, they forsooke their party, and wei·c content to be the king's slaves, rather than divorce themselves from those lusts, which found countenance from both priests and princes on one side; and on the other were preacht clown by the ministers, and punisht by the magistrates '· Towards the end of May, the parliament sent the king word, that if he would not disband his forces, and rely upon the !awes and affections of his people, for his security," as all good princes before him had done, they held themselves bound in duty to God and the people's trust reposed in them, and by the fundamental! !awes, to employ their utmost care and power, for securing the parliament and pre.Serving the kingdome's peace. Whereupon they voted, " That it seems the king, seduced by wicked councell, intends a warre against the parliament, &c. "That whensoever the king makes warre upon the parliament, it is a breach of the trust reposed in him by the people, contrary to his oath, and tending to the dissolution of this government. " That whosoever shall assist him in such warres, are traytors, by the fundamcntalllawes of this kingdome, and have bene so adiudg'd, in two acts of parliament, 11 Richard 2, and I Henry 4; and that such persons ought to suffer as tray tors." a VVhatever may be said at this day of the hypocrisy of the religionists of those times, the most th~t can possibly be allowed, is that their professions might somewhat outgo their practice; but this mu st in some degree befal every Christian. No one can deny that, instead of captivating vulgar minds by breaking the bonds of morality, as modern demagogues hcwe done, the foref~1thers of our liberti es set the pattern of a religious, and decent conduct, and caused the same to be observed Jn their armies with an exac tness that surprizes us, and of which rigour many striking examples are to be found in \..Yh itelock's 1\'Iemorials.
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