The Kings DECLARATION FOR A Pacification and Peace between his Majestie, and the Parliament.
VVith his PROTESTATION to defend the Protestant Religion, his offer of pardon to all his loving Subjects, desiring them to lay down Arms, for the avoiding effusion of bloud.
And lastly, His offer of choosing Counsellors on both sides to make a peaceable agreement between his Majesty, and all his Subjects.
LONDON, Printed for R. R. Nov. 5. 1642.
The Kings DECLARATION For a PACIFICATION.
THe Kings Majestie to declare that he is ful of Mercie as well as Justice, desiring not the effusion of his Subjects blood, doth by a late Proclamation declare, Thatwhereas it was unjustly suspected that he favoured the malignant party, and those that are Popishly affected, hee doth disavow and protest against all suspitions, ever intending the maintenance of the Protestant Religion, and the good of his Subjects, and doth therefore most earnestly desire that all matters of difference might be reconciled betwixt him and his Parliament, though many rumors have bin spread abroad that he hath sought the ruine and destruction thereof, and hath for that purpose raised this present great [Page]Army, but now since the great battaile at Kenton neere Banbury, he doth shew himselfe a right noble King, in desiring his Subjects not to be mistaken in his intents, but confidently to beleeve that he desires nothing more then that they would upon good tearms lay downe their Arms, & that thereupon he would receive them againe into his gracious mercy & favour: what can be said more by a King unto his Subjects: who seeking their preservation, if by any faire meanes it may be obtained, doth desire them to embrace the gracious offer of Peace: what love can be greater then for a King to intreat his Subjects, & desire them to be good unto themselves, & not to proceed in these violent courses, which must needs be the ruine and destruction of the Kingdom. He is resolved that for what is past, he will not [Page]think the worse of any of them, and if they will now return to their former obedience, he will most lovingly forget all opposition made by them, being confident that they have been mis-led by some factious advice to stand in an opinion of defending Religion and his Person, when by these violent proceedings, they goe about to destroy both. But on the contrary, it hath pleased his Majesty to declare, that if they stil continue to certifie matters by a combination, in opposing his Majestie, and doe contribute Plate, Money, or any other assistance to these present wars, he will account them open enemies against his Person, and the state of the Kingdome. But if they will submit unto his mercy, and proceed no further in a war-like manner, to take up Arms upon whatsoever pretences, but lay down those already [Page]ready taken, he will give unto all his Subjects a free pardon for all former acts, and will no more remember any former passages, even from the first beginning of this dissention between the King and Parliament.
And moreover, for the preventing of great effusion of blood, & the setling of matters, whereby the Kingdom may flourish as it formerly hath done, the King led thereunto by his own royall disposition, doth desire that certaine grave and substantiall Citizens may be chosen to reconcile matters of difference between his Majesty and the Parliament, and that he will in like manner appoint some equall in fidelity and understanding to consult with them about the great affaires of the Kingdom; and what they shall agree upon, he will ratifie and make good by consenting to [Page]all their Acts and Consultations, that so this Civil-warre, which hath bred so great a disturbance in the Kingdome, may proceed no further, a pacification and beace being made on both sides, to the generall content of the King, the Parliament, and all his royall Subjects.
It is most certain that the requests of a King have a commanding power, and howsoever some skilfull in calumnious reports, seeke to cherish and increase the unhappy disagreement betweene the King and people, yet in the wisdome of those that are best affected, nothing is thought to be a more ready way to procure the peace and happinesse of this Kingdome, then that all grudges and jelousies may be removed, & matters well stated and setled for the good of the Commonwealth, whereupon wil follow a cleere understanding between Prince and people, continued together in a mutuall league of dearest affection, it being the wonder of the Land, and the joy of forraign Nations, that there should be any disagreement between our Soveraign & his Subjects, especially a Civil war, the like whereof, these many hundred yeeres hath not been known [...] in England. It will be therefore very f;it not to seek too far into the causes of the Kings displeasure, or of the present disagreement of the King and Parliament, since all humane actions, whether of the Prince or people are subject unto such errors as cannot be corrected [Page]but by a Divine power; Many things may befall a State for the punishment thereof, that the people be in grown ripe in their sins, may on a sudden bee cut downe and the sword of the Prince may execute the decree of divine revenge; And againe, the people mis-led by factious counsel, may be drawn to oppose their King, (I say no [...] that they are) since to excuse in an equall manner cannot be thought to be any particular condemnation, but in regard that both are subject to error, it may be without offence concluded, that it were best with a cleere understanding to look into the occasion of this Civil war, whereof some perhaps are utterly ignorant, and others upon false grounds think it fit to be maintained: And therefore to shun these errors of opinion, it wil be the safest and most peaceable course to desire that there might be a Pacification and agreement between the Prince and the people, and his most loyall Parliament, which his Majesty in a late Proclamation hath most graciously offered.
For let all Subjects consider the premises of his disavowing all Papists, and protesting to maintaine the Protestant Religion, his desiring of peace betweene himselfe and his Parliament; his offer of pardon to all his loving Subjects, earnestly requesting them to lay down their Arms; his protesting that he doth and will seek to avoid the effusion of bloud; and lastly his offer of establishing a peace by Counsellers elected on both sides, and all this will be sufficient to work a desire of reconcilement between the King and his Subjects.