Ordered that Dr. John Owen, Mr. Hugh Peters, and Major John Wildman be included within this qualification, notwithstanding they are in orders.

Qualific. XI.-Whosoever hath had a hand in- the late king's blood, or petitioned to bring him to tryal, or hath demolished his houses, cut down his woods, or pulled down churches, to sell the materials; or can bring proof, that he hath been of one or more high-courts of justice, or at one or more committees of sale or sequestration, of the committee for propagation of the gospel; or hath been a commissioner of the excise, a sequestrator, treasurer, or trustee, for the sale of king's lands or goods, or bishops, and deans and chapters, and delinquents lands; and hath gotten a considerable estate, by buying or selling the aforesaid lands; and can make it appear, that his head is forfeited to the Tower on LondonBridge, and the four quarters of his outward man to four respective gates of the city, if any revolution should happen to the general settlement of the nation. Any, and every such person, is declared rightly qualified to sit in this present parliament, and shall be admitted without taking any oath at all; for a man's skin is tenderer than his conscience, and this world much nearer to him than the next.

Qualific. XII.-Whosoever can bring proof, by the loss of his ears, or otherwise, that he hath stood on the pillory for perjury, forgery, faction, or sedition, to hinder the government of the late king; or that he hath been burnt in the hand, forehead, or shoulder, thrown over the bar, set in the stocks, carted, or whipped at the tail of a cart, for any thing by him done, said, or written against the said government, before the year 1642, shall be approved as most fitly qualified to sit in this present parliament. Provided that this shall not extend to William Prynne, of Swanswick, Esq; Utter Bencher of Lincoln's-Inn, nor to Major Wil. liam Poe.

Qualific. XIII.-Whosoever is son, brother, or nephew, or can prove himself to be the natural son or bastard of any member, or of the mother, sister, or wife of any member of this parliament now sitting, or any member thereof deceased, that sat since the year 1618, and will engage to conform to the sense of this house, according to the example of the said member unto whom he hath relation, is hereby declared rightly qualified, either to elect, or be elected, a member of this present parliament.

Qualific. XIV.-Whosoever can bring proof, that he is a man of a publick spirit, fit for all times and occasions, of approved liberty of conscience, and of courage and resolution to encounter any danger that extends to soul or body, if need be, rather than live out of authority and command, or under the laws of God or. man. That he hath proper suits for the service of the present go.. vernment, and can do the same things by the spirit of God, which other men are drawn to by the temptations of the devil. That he can break oaths by Providence, and forswear himself, to the glory of God; deal falsely and treacherously with men, out of consci

ence; and verily believeth it to be a greater sin to name faith, than to break it. That religion is his trade, and God himself his occupation. That he can hold forth any useful, though notorious untruth, with convenient obstinacy, until he believes himself, and so renders it no sin. That he hath an excellent spirit to find out ways of raising money, and will deserve his share both of the substance and curses of the people. Any, and every such person, is decla. red to be most aptly qualified to elect, or be elected, member of this present parliament. Provided that this capacity do not extend to Bulstrode Whitlock, Esq; or Richard Salway, Grocer, lately ejected this house.

Qualific. XV.-Whosoever can produce testimony, that he hath taken the late oath of allegiance and supremacy, the protestation, the solemn league and covenant, the engagement, to be true and faithful to the present government, without king or house of lords. That he hath subscribed the addresses, to live and die with Oliver and Richard Cromwell, and taken the oaths to be true and faithful to the governments under them, and feels no alteration in his conscience, but is ready to take the oath of abjuration of Charles Stewart, King Jesus, or any other single person. Any, and every such person, is declared, as rightly qualified to elect, or be elected, a member of this present parliament, and shall be admitted to sit, being duly elected, without taking any further oath at all.

Qualific. XVI.-Ordered, that a bill be forthwith brought in,' to make Newgate, Bridewell, and Bedlam Corporations; that writs may be issued out, to impower them to chuse their respective representatives, to serve in this present parliament, in as full manner, as the Upper-bench and the Fleet have already done.

Qualific. XVII.-Any nobleman, or late peer of the realm, that will renounce his creation, or his Creator, and is otherwise quali fied, shall be allowed capable (being first naturalised by an act of this house) to be made a knight, citizen, or burgess; and, being duly elected and sworn, shall be admitted to sit among the rabble of this house, in as full manner as Philip Herbert, Esq; late Earl of Pembroke, and William Cecill, late Earl of Salisbury,' at this present do. Provided that this shall not extend to any peer of the late other house, that, having a trade to get his living honestly by, did, nevertheless, betake himself to so lewd a course

of life

Qualific. XVIII.-Whosoever, by fraud, coven, or otherwise, hath possessed himself of another man's estate, or hath gotten into his hands any office or place, of considerable value, by ejecting, indirectly, the right owner thereof, and does not know how to maintain and justify the same so well, as by being chosen a member of this house, shall be approved of, in so doing, to have given good security for his fidelity to the present government, and be capable to elect, or be elected, &c.

Qualific. XIX.-Resolved, that the curses of the people shall, henceforth, that is to say, from this present fourteenth of Febru

ary, 1659, be reputed, and taken for their free voices; and whosoever hath most of the curses of his country, shall be understood to have most of their free voices, and be approved, as most fitly qualified to sit in this present parliament. For such will be very profitable members to this house, when it shall be judged seasonable to make the people pay for their cursing, as well as they have done for their swearing.

Qualific. XX.-No man shall be admitted to sit in this house, as a member thereof, howsoever duly qualified and elected, except before excepted, until he hath taken the following oath upon the Holy Evangelists.

THE OATH.

'I A. B. do swear, in the presence of Almighty God, and by 'the contents of this book, to be true and faithful to this present government, as it is now unestablished, and to the keepers of the 6 liberties, unsight unseen, whether they are of an invisible and ❝ internal nature, as fiends, pugs, elves, furies, imps, or goblins, < or whether they are incarnate, as redcoats, lobsters, corporals, troopers, or dragoons. I do also swear, that neither Charles Stewart, nor any person claiming from King James, shall ever be restored to the crown of England, Scotland, or Ireland, either 6 by foreign or domestick assistance, all dispensations and outgoings of providence to the contrary notwithstanding. I do like, 'wise swear, never to understand, nor believe any thing, that is against the authority, interest, or sense of this house; and that 'I will never give my vote, to determine the sitting thereof, during 'the natural life of every respective member thereof now sitting, nor consent to the establishment of any thing, but taxes, excise, free-quarter, plunder, confiscations, arbitrary government, high'courts of justice, committees of sale and sequestration, a gospel6 preaching ministry, and liberty of conscience. I do further

< swear, that I will constantly believe in all the privileges of parliament, as the house believes; and that I will, to the utmost of 'my power, maintain and defend the same, although I do not understand, nor ever will, what they are, or how far they extend. < And lest the present members should, when the house is full, be secluded by their own votes (by which the secluded members are declared uncapable of ever sitting in parliament, or bearing any office of trust in this commonwealth) I do swear, that the seclu 'ded members, properly so called, are not these who have been twice secluded, that is to say, the present members now sitting, but those who have been secluded but once, that is. the major 'part of the long parliament. As also, that, when it shall seem ' good unto this parliament to make every member thereof an offi< cer or commander of the army, this house will, nevertheless, be no council of officers, but a very parliament, and the sword still ❝ in the hand of the civil magistrate. I do also swear, that what< soever time shall hereafter produce (six governments off) for the advantage of the present parliament, or whatsoever they shall at any time do, say, or swear, in order thereunto, how contrary

'soever to any thing by them formerly done, said, or sworn, is, ' and will be always the good old cause, and the work of the Lord. 'That the present distractions are for his glory, and the peace of 'the government, and that the slavery of the English nation is for 'the liberty of the people. That, notwithstanding, they are bar'red to change their masters, as christian bondslaves, as in Turky, and are conveyed from government to government, as rogues ' are from constable to constable, still to be whipped and punished; all is for their freedom and protection in their ancient laws, rights, and immunities. Lastly, I do swear never to divulge the 'secrets of this house, nor discover the hidden mysteries thereof. 'The admirable art of managing factions, with confederate contests in ordinary matters, and staving, and tailing with the rabble of 'parties in businesses of profit and advantage, to carry on private 'designs under the masque of publick good. The subtle ways of 'packing committees, and proroguing business without doors. The ' ingenious artifices of double-dealing, by selling with one hand, ' and buying with the other, whereby several members have afforded 'themselves good bargains of delinquents estates, in suborned pur'chasers names. The most excellent invention of advising votes, ' and finding out the true value of a leading or seconding voice, 'third, fourth, or fifth; how many a lasting voice goes for, like 'the last trick at picquet; how to balance all these upon account, 'so that every sharer may have his due; with infinite other curious and occult sciences, which the present members, out of their long practice and experience, have found out, to the glory of 'God, and good of the nation.

'So help me God.'

Qualific. XXI.-And lest the new-elected members should (notwithstanding all these oaths and qualifications) oppose, and, being the greater number, overvote the present members, like a new piece of cloth upon an old garment, instead of patching, tear it wider: It is resolved, that but eight writs for new elections be issued forth, at one time, and no more, until the new returned members have been intrusted in the practice of this house, and, being engaged by profitable employments, have given proof of their conformity thereunto; or, in case of refusal, have been ejected.

THE

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

OF

FATHER PETERS:

As it was found quilted into my Lord Chancellor's Cap, with a Letter directed to his Lordship, &c. and his Prayer to the Blessed Virgin of Loretto.

Quarto, containing four pages.

MERITORIOUS SIR,

UNDE

INDERSTANDING that you were to be my successor in these houses of clay, I thought it would not be amiss to leave you my executor, who, next my Reverence, have done the king the best service in the nation, and consequently must be no stranger nor enemy to Father Peters. I have now laid aside the sword of the spirit, and betaken myself to an arm of flesh; and, having converted my apostolical robe into the Whore of Babylon's dye, am resolved to visit Father le Chaise, and send over the king of France with thirty-thousand men. I need not put you in mind of the terrible blow that shall come, and none see who hurts them, nor any other private juggle; for, having made room for your admittance to his majesty's ear, there is nothing can fall betwixt the cup and the lip. It would be superfluous to tell you, that innumerable prayers and indulgences for you, and your posterity. after you, are, together with this my sanctuary, couferred upon you; I wish England do not grow too hot for you in a little time: However, I go to prepare a place for you. Be not troubled, your merits and my beads will never let you lie long in purgatory, should all hopes fail, and therefore be secure of a future happiness; be of good courage, and your faith will save you. This I am sure of, and all the world knows it, that you have made to yourself friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, so that you are like to feed well as long as you live in this world; and, as for the other, let not one melancholy thought make you soak your guts one bowl the less, for I will warrant you, my works of Supererogation helping out your defects, I shall have nothing too much, nor you too little, to bribe admittance into paradise. St. Peter and I were old cronics, and, as long as I have but an evidence of his own handwriting to produce, he cannot for shame, but out of good manners, let me and my friend in. However, go on bravely, thou son of perdition, and fill up the measure of thy iniquity, till thou grow ripe for translation, and the Roman calendar. Divine Bard, and Reverend Impostor, into thy hands alone I commit my English spirit, and my last Will and Testament to be disposed of according to my