The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things…

18. How far the Parliament was from being Presbyterians, may partly be seen in the Propositions sent from them by the Earl of Essex to the King at Nottingham, and partly by their defeating all the desires and endeavours of those that would have Presbytery settled through the Land: We know of no places but London and Lancashire where it was commonly taken up, and some little of it at Coventry, and some few such places. And that was only as a tolerated or commended thing, without any imposition that ever we knew of: And accordingly it came to nothing in a short time.

18. How far the Parliament was from being Presbyterians, may partly be seen in the Propositions sent from them by the Earl of Essex to the King at Nottingham, and partly by their defeating all the desires and endeavours of those that would have Presbytery setled through the Land: We know of no places but London and Lancashire where it was commonly taken up, and some little of it at Coventry, and some few such places. And that was only as a tolerated or commended thing, without any imposition that ever we knew of: And accordingly it came to nothing in a short time.

17. Till their new modelling their Army, the Parliament had given out all Commissions to their Soldiers to fight for [King and Parliament.] But then the King's name was lest out; which seeming to many thousands an utter change of the Cause, from that time many did desert them: And thereupon the Party called Sectaries flowing in to Cromwell, and his Army conquering, the power fell into their hands, who imprisoned the King, accused and drove away ⟨p. 129⟩eleven Members of the Parliament, and afterward imprisoned and excluded the major part of the remaining House, and with the rest cut off the King, cast down the House of Lords, pretended a while to set up a Commonwealth (as they called it) imposed an Engagement to that Commonwealth as established without King and House of Lords; ordered the sequestration of the Ministers that refused it, and of those that kept not their days of fasting and thanksgiving, for the Scottish wars which then they made. After which they cast out with scorn that remnant of the Commons that had joined with them; and chose themselves some men called a Parliament, who attempting to put down all Parish-Ministers, Tithes and Universities (the first put to the Vote, and carried but by a few against them) they were broke up by delivering up their Commission to Oliver, who was made Protector, and had the honour designed of saving the Ministry, Tithes and Universities from the Sectaries; even from that danger into which he had brought them.