MY Lord, and you his Brethren, and the reſt of the Common-Council of the City of London; it hath pleaſed the Parliament to Order this meeting by you, to give you notice of the Proceedings now on foot in this Nation: And whereas in your Petition, and Declaration to the Parliament; you have ſet forth your Affections to them, and your Willingneſs to joyn with them in the Affairs of the Nation: And you were pleaſed to put them in mind of ſeveral Particulars, worthy of their Conſideration; in which, • nd in many others, the Parliament have made a good progreſs, though they found a great alteration in the ſtate of Affairs, ſince the time they were, (as you mention in your Petition;) and the truth is, with Violence Interrupted; for when they met again, they found a great alteration, by a vaſt expence of treaſure, a great decay, and loſs of Trade, and Wars begun with Forrain Nations, and chiefly to ſupport the intereſt of a ſingle Perſon: Yet however the Parliament were willing to look forward for the carrying on of Affairs in theſe Nations, and put all in Oblivion that was paſt in the late ſeveral changes of Government, a • d now deſired to ſettle a Common-wealth, and thereupon paſt an Act of Indempnity; but they were informed at their firſt meeting and coming together, of a deſign of Charles Stuart, and his Agents, to deſtroy this Nation of their Freedome, and ſettlement of this Common-wealth; this was carried on during the laſt Convention, and was managed by ſome Members of that Convention, which hath appeared Acters in it▪ Therefore it hath taken a great part of their time to diſcover their wicked practices: At that time there was Maſſey and divers others, as parties imployed to carry on that Deſign; and here in London, they had their Councels, and ſecret meetings to carry on that buſineſs, In it was alſo Mr. John Mordant, who made a narrow eſcape for his Life, at his Tryal before the High Court of Juſtice, yet is faln again into this Deſign, that is ſo laboured, and endevoured to be carried on; for it appears manifeſt, that Mr. Mordant is gone over as their Agent here, to Charles Stuart; and hath received direction, and was ſupplied with monies, for the carrying on of this deſperate buſineſs now on foot in England: There are many others, as Mr. Newport, lately taken priſoner in Shrewsbery there was alſo Letters intercepted, directed to the Lady Howard, and another to the Lord Herbert, and divers others, amongſt which, were ſome from Charles Stuart, as hath appeared by the Examination and Confeſſion of ſeveral perſons now taken priſoners: ſo that this Deſign is evidently made forth, that they endevour to ſet up Charles Stuart, to reign in Tyranny amongſt us, and to deſtroy this State and Common-wealth; for there hath been ſeveral Meetings and Randezvouz appointed by them in ſeveral places of this Nation; but by the care and diligence of the Parliament, and Council of State, with the help of their forces at home and abroad, meeting with them in divers places, they have diſappointed them, and taken divers priſoners, being fruſtrated in theſe parts, there hath another party appeared in a Body in an open Hoſtile manner in Cheſhire, Lancaſhire, and thoſe parts, (as I preſume you have all heard,) there are with them, (and joyned in this Deſign,) divers eminent Commanders and Officers, as Randal Egerton, and Robert Werden, and others that were in the late Kings Army, and with them there hath joyned Sir George Booth, and Sir Thomas Middleton, and are all in actual Arms, having taken Cheſter, and Carrick Caſtle, and have proclaimed Charles Stuart to be King in Warrington, and thoſe parts; and what their Deſign is, is evident by their actions; this is their buſineſs and their Deſign, to ruin and imbroil this Common-wealth in blood; but the Parliament having pleaſed by their Authority, and their Council, have taken care, that a conſiderable Force hath been ſent forth under the conduct of the Lord Lambert, and they are far on their march to thoſe parts to ſuppreſs • hoſe Rebels, yet thoſe in Cheſhire have been working to ſee what may be done in procuring Aſſiſtance in this City of London for their help in carrying on this deſperate Deſign; it appears fully by many examinations taken by the Council, and as it appears by ſome taken by your Lordſhip, and ſome of you worthy Gentlemen; ſo that you ſee their Deſign is to make a diſturbance in this famous City, that your Houſes and your Goods may be brought into the hands of the Spoilers; There Deſign was to have fired the City in • ivers parts of it, and to plunder the City, and to bring an utter Deſtruction upon this famous City; which I doubt not, but the Lord will preſerve, and have a care of: And therefore we hope that you will all have a great care in this buſineſs, and be very careful to joyn with thoſe that have the 〈◊〉 of the Affairs of this N • tion, in the preſervation of this Common-wealth. It is the duty of all well • ffected and faithful Citizens of this • ommon-wealth; therefore it muſt be your endevours herein, that ſo you may be Examples to others. The Parliament therefore finding this City thus deeply concerned in the Affairs of this Common-wealth, have thought good, things might be im ••• ed to you the Lord Maior, and Aldermen, and the reſt, the Common-Council of your City, by reaſon there are ſuch deſigens among you, that it is plain and evident, by ſome parties ingaged among you in this Deſign; therefore it is your duty, and we doubt not of your care, but that you will joyn in this buſineſs, though there are divers of your Apprentiſ • s gone forth to aſſiſt thoſe perſons, that intend ruine upon this City. Gentlemen, you that are Commiſſioners of the Militia of this City, you have taken a great deal for care for the forming of a Militia for your own preſervation, you have raiſed ſome Horſe and ſome Foot; The Parliament hope you will go on, for your own ſakes, for your own protection, as well as the Publick. It is the duty of the Parliament to take care of all their Forces, in a ſpecial and peculiar manner, for the preſervation of this City, and of your Safeties, and of the ſafety of your Wives and Children, And therefore they thought good to let you know the ſtate of things and deſigns abroad; They have teſtified their intention of advancing of the Trade of this Nation, and their putting an end to all their Troubles; It is their Duty, It is their Truſt, but you cannot but be ſenſible of their Interruption. Gentlemen, we are all envolved in one and the ſame cauſe, it is a Righteous cauſe, a Juſt cauſe, it is a ſettlement of peace, a ſetling of you and your poſterity, that you may not be under the Yoak of Tyrany, and made Vaſſal • , but that you may be a free people, and your Freedome advanced, your Peace preſerved, and your Rights and Liberties continued; ſo that if we be united together in the cauſe it ſelf, we ſhall not need to fear the Enemy it ſelf, but hope, that that God that hath appeared hitherto, will ſtill appear for us, in a cauſe ſo juſt, and which we ought to maintain: And therefore Gentlemen, being the minor of the Parliament, they have been pleaſed to paſs a Proclamation, which I ſhall read to you.

WHereas the old and Implacable Enemy having for ſome time before the reſtoring of this Parliament, formed a Deſign for the bringing in of Charls Stewart, to the Deſtruction of all the faithful and conſtant Aſſerrors of the Parliaments moſt Iuſt and Righteous cauſe, and had brought it to ſuch ripeneſſe, that (by the Confeſsion of divers Engaged) the day was prefixed, the firſt of this inſtant Auguſt for their Riſing in Arms; but through the good Providence of the Lord, were ſo timely diſcovered, that their Deſign was in a great meaſure diſappointed. Nevertheleſs it hath pleaſed the only wiſe God, to ſuffer the ſaid Deſign ſo far to break forth, that Randolph Egerton a Major General, and Robert Werden a Colonel, with divers others, Officers and Commanders in the War under the late King, together with Sir Tho. Middleton, Sir George Booth, and other Apoſtates, in proſecution of the ſame Deſign, have proclaimed Charls Stewart to be King, Levied Actual War, and poſſeſt themſelves of Cheſter.

The Parliament doth therefore Declare and Proclaim the ſaid Randolph Egerton, Robert Werden, Sir George Booth, Sir Thomas Middleton, and their Adherents in this War, to be Rebels and Traytors.

And becauſe it is not probable that the ſaid perſons ſhould, upon what ſpecions pretences ſoever, undertake ſo wicked a Deſign without expecting Aſſiſtance from others, The Parliament, to the end that no more of the people of this Common-wealth be ſeduced into any Compliance with them, do alſo Declare, That whoſoever ſhall from henceforth any ways Aſſiſt, Abet or Conceal the carrying on of their ſaid Deſign, be Deemed and adjudged Rebels and Traytors, and ſhall be proceeded againſt accordingly.

This Proclamation the Parliament having paſt, thought it ſeaſonable to communicate to you: Thus briefly you have heard the particulars of their preſent Affairs; The Parliament deſires yout Care, and expects your utmoſt Aſſiſtance, and beſt Affections for the carrying on of this work▪ being a Righteous and Good cauſe, and to do what lyes in you; That your peace and comfort may be brought home to you, and you ſhall find them and their beſt Aſſiſtance to go along with you, in the carrying on of this work, advancing the Trade of your flouriſhing City, and preſerving your juſt Rights, Liberties, Laws and Priviledges.