“ Every person in England hath as clear a right to elect his representative as the greatest person in England. I conceive that’s the undeniable maxim of government: that all government is in the free consent of the people. If so, then upon that account there is no person that is under a just government, or hath justly his own, unless he by his own free consent be put under that government. ”

“ We have fixed our resolutions, and we are determined, and we want nothing but that only God will direct us to what is just and right. But I understand that in all these debates if we shall agree upon any one thing, to say, ‘This is our freedom; this is our liberty; this liberty and freedom we are debarred of, and we are bereaved of all those comforts,’ that even in case we should find out half an hundred of these, yet the main business is first how we should find them, and then how we should come by them. Is there any liberty that we find ourselves deprived of? ”

“ Why may not those men vote against all property? Again you may admit strangers by this rule, if you admit them once to inhabit, and those that have interest in the land may be voted out of their land. It may destroy property that way. But here is the rule that you go by. You infer this to be the right of the people, of every inhabitant because man hath such a right in nature, though it be not of necessity for the preserving of his being; and therefore you are to overthrow the most fundamental constitution for this. ”

“ I had rather we should devolve our strength to you than that the kingdom for our division should suffer loss. For that's in all our hearts, to profess above anything that's worldly, the public good of the people; and if that be in our hearts truly and nakedly, I am confident it is a principle that will stand. Perhaps God may unite us and carry us both one way. ”

“ They that have stood so much for liberty of conscience, if they will not grant that liberty to every man, but say it is a deserting I know not what -- if that liberty be denied me, I think there is not that equality that is professed to be amongst us. Though we should be satisfied in our consciences in what we do, we are told we purpose to leave the Army, or to leave our commands, as if we took upon us to do it as a matter of will. ”

“ Either they are a Parliament or no Parliament. If they be no Parliament they are nothing, and we are nothing likewise. If they be a Parliament, we are not to proceed without them in our plan for settlement but to offer it to them. If I could see a visible presence of the people, either by subscriptions or number, I should be satisfied with it; for in the government of nations that which is to be looked after is the affections of the people. And that, if I find it, would satisfy my conscience in the present thing. ”

“ I do very much care whether there be a king or no king, lords or no lords, property or no property; and I think, if we do not all take care, we shall all have none of these very shortly. But as to this present business. I do hear nothing at all that can convince me, why any man that is born in England ought not to have his voice in election of burgesses. It is said that if a man have not a permanent interest, he can have no claim; and that we must be no freer than the laws will let us be, and that there is no law in any chronicle will let us be freer than that we now enjoy. ”

“ I wonder how that should be thought wilfulness in one man that is reason in another; for I confess I have not heard anything that doth satisfy me, and though I have not so much wisdom, or so many notions in my head, I have so many apprehensions that I could tell an hundred such of the ruin of the people. I am not at all against a committee's meeting; and as you say -- and I think every Christian ought to do the same -- for my part I shall be ready, if I see the way that I am going, and the thing that I would insist on, will destroy the kingdom, I shall withdraw from it as soon as any. ”

“ If you will not lay the stress of the business upon the consideration of reason, or right relating to anything of human constitution, or anything of that nature, but will put it upon consequences, I will show you greater ill consequences -- I see enough to say that, to my apprehensions, I can show you greater ill consequences to follow upon that alteration which you would have, by extending voices to all that have a being in this kingdom, than any that can come by this present constitution, a great deal. That that you urge of the present constitution is a particular ill consequence. ”

“ To give the King a legislative power is contrary to his own oath at his coronation, and it is the like to give a power to the King by his negative voice to deny all laws. And for the Lords, seeing the foundation of all justice is the election of the people, it is unjust that they should have that power. ”

“ I think we ought to keep to that constitution which we have now, both because it is a civil constitution -- it is the most fundamental constitution that we have -- and because there is so much justice and reason and prudence in it -- as I dare confidently undertake to demonstrate -- that there are many more evils that will follow in case you do alter it than there can be in the standing of it. ”

“ If a foreigner come within this kingdom, if that stranger will have liberty to dwell here who hath no local interest here, he, as a man, it’s true, hath air, the passage of highways, the protection of laws, and all that by nature; we must not expel him our coasts, give him no being amongst us, nor kill him because he comes upon our land, comes up our stream, arrives at our shore. It is a piece of hospitality, of humanity, to receive that man amongst us. But if that man be received to a being amongst us, I think that man may very well be content to submit himself to the law of the land ”

“ I say it to you again, and I profess unto you, I shall offer nothing to you but that I think in my heart and conscience tends to the uniting of us, and to the begetting a right understanding among us; and therefore this is that I would insist upon, and have it cleared among us.
It is not enough for us to insist upon good things. That every one would do. There is not one in forty of us but could prescribe many things exceeding plausible-and hardly anything worse than our present condition, take it with all the troubles that are upon us. ”

“ This is the foundation of all the right any man has to anything but to his own person. This is the general thing: that we must keep covenant one with another when we have contracted one with another. And if any difference arise among us, it shall be thus and thus: that I shall not go with violence to prejudice another, but with submission to this way. And therefore when I hear men speak of laying aside all engagements to consider only that wild or vast notion of what in every man's conception is just or unjust, I am afraid and do tremble at the boundless and endless consequences of it. ”

“ For my part, as I think, you forgot something that was in my speech, and you do not only yourselves believe that some men are inclining to anarchy, but you would make all men believe that. And, sir, to say because a man pleads that every man hath a voice by right of nature, that therefore it destroys by the same argument all property -- this is to forget the Law of God. ”

“ God does seem evidently to be throwing down the glory of all flesh. The greatest powers in the kingdom have been shaken. God hath thrown down the glory of the King and that party; he hath thrown down a party in the City. I do not say that God will throw us down -- I hope better things -- but he will have the glory. Let us not stand upon our glory and reputation in the world. ”

“ But, I thank God, I stand upon the bottom of my own innocence in this particular; through the grace of God I fear not the face of any man, I do not. I say, we are to consider what engagements we have made; and if our engagements have been unrighteous, why should we not make it our endeavours to break them? Yet if they be unrighteous engagements it is not wise to hasten a present breach of them unless there be a consideration of circumstances. ”

“ And yet I do acknowledge that which you take to be so general a maxim that in every kingdom, within every land, the original of power of making laws, of determining what shall be law in the land, does lie in the people-but by the people is meant those that are possessed of the permanent interest in the land. But whoever is extraneous to this, that is, as good a man in another land, that man ought to give such a respect to the property of men that live in the land. ”

“ I could wish that none of those whose apprehensions run on the other hand, that there can be no safety in a consistency with the person of the King or the Lords, or in their having the least interest in the public affairs of the kingdom -- I do wish that they will take heed of that which some men are apt to be carried away by, namely apprehensions that God will destroy these persons or that power ”

“ I find that the engagements of the Army are at present the things which is insisted to be considered. I confess my ignorance in those engagements; but I apprehend, at least I hope, that those engagements have given away nothing from the people that is the people's right. It may be they have promised the King his right, or any other persons their right, but no more. If they have promised more than their right to any person or persons, and have given away anything from the people that is their right, then I conceive they are unjust. ”

“ If the master and servant shall be equal electors, then clearly those that have no interest in the kingdom will make it their interest to choose those that have no interest. It may happen, that the majority may by law, not in a confusion, destroy property; there may be a law enacted, that there shall be an equality of goods and estate. (Possibly someone interrupts to object that now only the rich are chosen) . I think that either of the extremes may be urged to inconveniency; that is, that men that have no interest as to estate should have no interest as to election and that they should. ”

“ If you do extend the latitude of the constitution so far that any man shall have a voice in election who has not that interest in this kingdom that is permanent and fixed, who hath not that interest upon which he may have his freedom in this kingdom without dependence, you will put it into the hands of men to choose, not of men desirous to preserve their liberty, but of men who will give it away. ”

“ Had we given ear to the inspiring word of Christ, and had we not given ourselves to the false prophet within us, certainly God would have kindled that light within us, and we should have gone on and submitted to his will, and should not have been troubled or harassed, as we are, with troubles and amazements, but must have gone with God as he hath allotted to us. The cause of every evil sought after, what is the reason that we find the light and glory of God eclipsed from our eyes this day? ”

“ If this be not so, we will not draw any men from their engagements further than the light of God shall draw them from their engagements; and I think, according to your own principle, if you be upon any engagement you are liable to be convinced -- unless you be infallible. If we may come to an honest and single debate, how we may all agree in one common way far public good; if we may meet so, we shall meet with a great deal the more comfort, and hopes of a good and happy issue, and understanding of the business. ”

“ And I believe some entertain such apprehensions as that we are engaged to secure some part of the legislative power of the kingdom where it may rest besides in the Commons of the kingdom. You will find that we are far from being so particularly engaged to anything to the prejudice of this -- further than the notorious engagements that the world takes notice of -- that we should not concur with you that the foundation and supremacy is in the people, radically in them, and to be set down by them in their representations. ”

“ Now I would know whether this can be destructive to the Commons, that so few men should be distinct from a law made by the Commons, especially when we have laws made as to the preserving of the peace of the kingdom and preserving every man in his right. The King and Lords are suable, impleadable, in any court. ”

“ Cowling made a speech expressing that the sword was the only thing that had from time to time recovered our rights, and which he ever read in the word of God had recovered the rights of the people; that our ancestors had still recovered from the Danes and Normans their liberties, by the sword, when they were under such a slavery that an Englishman was as hateful then as an Irishman is now, and what an honour those that were noblemen thought it to marry their daughters to, or to marry the daughters of, any cooks or bakers of the Normans. ”

“ And this is the old law of England -- and that which enslaves the people of England -- that they should be bound by laws in which they have no voice at all! With respect to the divine law which says Honour thy father and thy mother the great dispute is, who is a right father and a right mother? ”

“ Wildman: We do not know what opportunity God will give us.
Ireton: If God will destroy King or Lords he can do it without our or your wrong-doing. If you not only take away all power from them, which this clearly does, but do also take away all kind of distinction of them from other men, then you do them wrong. Their having such a distinction from other men cannot do us wrong. That you can do to the utmost for their safety is this: that a Lord or King may preserve his own person or estate free from the Commons. ”

“ And to accomplish that work which may be for the good of the kingdom is our end. But it seems as much to us in this as anything, we are not all of a mind. And for our parts we do not desire or offer you to be with us in our seeking of God further than your own satisfactions lead you, but only that against tomorrow in the afternoon (which will be designed for the consideration of these businesses with you) you will do what you may to have so many as you shall think fit, to see what God will direct you to say to us, that whilst we are going one way, and you another, we be not both destroyed. ”