THE EXAMINATION OF Divers Independents and Separates taken at their Private-Meetings neere Charing-Croſſe, and examined by a Committee of the Houſe of Commons,

THe great Buſineſſe which at this inſtant lyeth in agitation, about a matter of great concernment, and the chiefeſt particular which the whole Kingdome deſireth to bee reſolved in; it being the Kingdoms chiefeſt Work upon which they have now fixed their eyes.

And having for many years by-paſt, deſired a firme and well-grounded Government in Church & State, have now in ſome part their deſires ſatisfied: For, having obtained a ful & poſitive anſwer from both Houſes of Parlia­ment, for the ſpeedy ſuppreſſing of all Sects and Sectaries, are in ſome meaſure and ſatisfi­ed, and doth begin to execute the Parliaments Commands againſt all ſuch perſons, which ſhall aſſemble themſelves together, either for preaching or expounding the Scriptures, at a­ny place or meeting whatſoever. Inſomuch, that many thouſands of Citizens and others are grieved to the very ſoule; eſpecially, di­vers men of emineney, who hath hazzarded both life and limbes in the Parliaments cauſe againſt the enemies of England, whoſe truſt and fidelity hath been performed with much alacrity and faithfulneſſe; as hath apparent­ly been made manifeſt, by their gallant ſer­vice, and heroick actions, obtained againſt the potent enemy of this Kingdome.

But becauſe I cannot diſpenſe too much with time, I ſhall here briefly communicate unto you, ſome paſſages worrhy your obſer­vation, viz.

Upon the 4. of this inſtant Moneth of Ja­nuary, a Report was made to the Houſe of Commons, that ſome certain perſons were ap­prehended, which were met together at a Con­venticle, namely, one Mr Wayt and Goff, Who were taken preaching in Harts-horne Lane neer Charing-Croſſe, which parties were exa­mined by a Committee of the houſe of Com­mons, in the queens Court, & after ſome time ſpent, and divers Arguments laid open before them, for confuting of their ways, and convin­cing them of their erroneous Opinions, and being ſtrictly examed about one prrticular point, concerning their preſumption, in un­dertaking ſo great a Charge, which belonged chiefly to Learned Divines, and Orthodoxe Miniſters.

They replyed, and began to expreſſe them­ſelves, as followeth:

That whereas they were pleaſed to lay o­pen this accuſation againſt them for preach­ing, they indeavoured to vindicate themſelves ſaying, that they had onely Bibles in their hands, and were reading.

Then Wayt was accuſed to ſay, that the Parliaments Declaration was made at twelve a clock at night when above halfe the Mem­bers were away, and that he knew the knave­ry of it. But they intend to proſecute the Or­dinance of both houſes againſt all ſuch per­ſons whatſoever, and hath ordered that it ſhal be executed throughout the whole Kingdome of England. Which Ordinance, the Kentiſh­men are reſolved duly to obſerve, and to put in execution, as will appear by their late De­claration, which I ſhall here inſert, and give you verbatim.

WHereas we underſtand that ſeverall Petitions are ſet on foot, and promo­ted by divers perſons within this County, wherein they take to themſelves a liberty of venting their own private thoughts, and de­ſires, in matters concerning the publike and great affaires of the Church and State, which can produce no other effect, then the raiſing and countenancing of contrary parties and factions within the County: We doe hereby declare, & admoniſh all ſorts of perſons what ſoever, within this County, that they forbear to give any countenance or furtherance to a­ny ſuch Petitions, upon what pretence ſoever; and that they avoyd all ſuch occaſions of new diſtractions in the County; as they tender the welfare thereof. And we do hereby require all Miniſters of the ſeverall Pariſh Churches, o­penly to read this ſignification in the Pariſh Churches upon the next Lords-Day, after the receipt hereof, before the end of the Morning Exerciſe.

Thus having given you the chiefeſt particulars of the great buſineſſe in agitation within the Kingdom of England, I ſhall advance Northwards, and give you the proceedings of the Parliament of Scotland, reflecting upon the Government of both Nations.

Amongſt other things, If his Majeſty ſhall have thoughts of comming to this Kingdome at th s time, he not having as yet ſubſcribed the League and Covenant, nor ſatisfied the law­ful deſires of his loyall Subjects in both Nations, We haue juſt cauſe to fear that the conſequences of it may bee very dange­rous, both to his Majeſty and theſe Kingdoms; Which there­fore we deſire may be timely prevented.

For ſo long as his Majeſty doth not approue in his heart, & ſeal with his hand the League and Covenant, we cannot but apprehend, that according to his former Principles, hee will walk in oppoſition to the ſame, and ſtudy to draw us unto the violation thereof and the diſſolution of the Union ſo happily begun between Us and our Brethren, to weaken the confi­dence and truſt, and to entertain jealouſies, and make diviſions amongſt our ſelues.

Neither is it poſſible but that our receiving Him in this preſent poſture of affairs, will confirme the ſuſpi­cions of the Engliſh Nation, of our under-hand dealing with Him before his comming to our Army; & make them, not without cauſe to thinke that We purpoſe to diſpoſe of him without their conſent, and to their prejudice: Which is contrary to the Profeſſion of theſe that were in truſt at his Majeſties firſt comming to the Scots Quarters, and overthroweth all the Arguments that have been uſed by the Commiſſioners of our Parl. in their Papers concerning The diſpoſing of his Maj. Perſon by the joynt advice & common conſent of both Kingdoms given into both Houſes of Parliament in England, nor doe we ſee how we can vindicate ſuch a practice from a direct breach of our engagements to them by Covenant and Treaty, which were not onely to expoſe us into the hazard of a bloody war, but to in­volve us in the guilt of Perjury. And what greater diſ­ſervice could be done to his Majeſty and his Poſterity, then to g•ve way to a courſe that might prove prejudi­ciall to their intereſt in the Crown and Kingdome of England.

Our carriage now for many yeers paſt, in the midſt of many tentations, hath put us beyond all ſuſpition in the point of our Loyalty.

Nor have wee the leaſt thoughts of deſerting his M•­jeſty in a juſt and good Cauſe, being bound by our Co­venant in our ſeverall Vocations, to endeavour with our eſtates and lives, to preſerve and defend his Perſon and Authority, in the defence and preſervation of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms; And ſo farre as his Majeſty ſhall be for theſe, we really are, and wee truſt the reſt of his Kingdoms will be for him: Yet we cannot deny, but openly avouch it,

That if his Majeſty (which the Lord forbid) ſhall not ſatisfie the juſt deſires of his People, Both Nations ſtands mutually obliged by that inviolable Covenant to purſue the ends therein expreſſed (which cannot be divi­ded) againſt all lets and impediments whatſoever.