An Introduction.
THat Observation, mans extremities are Gods opportunities, was never more abundantly and experimentally made good, then in these latter dayes, and in none of these more then on Friday the 13. of Ianuary, 1642. in and toward the City of London, where his Majesties unexpected answer to an humble Petition presented to his Majestie at Oxford, from the Lord Major and Common Councell of that Honorable Citie, made many sad hearts; not onely in regard that all the unwearied and loyall endeavours of Parliament and Citle (with other parts of the Kingdome) have made no deeper impression upon his Majesties heart (the greatest treasure for which they have contended) but also in some doubtfull expectation what advantage such spirits might have made of it, at least to the unsetling of the peace, and disuniting the spirits of the Citi [...], who steere all their actions by that maxime of Policie, Divide & impera, divide, and doe what you will: The rather when they observed that the counsell of some not so well wishers certainly to the publike safetie, as to their owne private interests had prevailed with his Majestie, that His answer should be published in a Common Hall, by His Maj [...]sties expresse messenger for that purpose, when as the Petition was humbly tendered to His Majestie from a Common Councell. To avoyd all inconveniences, it pleased the wisedome and goodnesse of Heaven to direct the Parliament to chuse an honorable Committee of Lords and Commons to be present at the reading thereof; and the Governours of the Citie to order that all the Companies should first meete at their severall Halls, and then come in their Citie habits to the Guildhall, where his Majesties answer was to be read: When the Committee of both Houses, with the Lord Maior, Aldermen, and such a confluence of Liverie men as hath not beene seene there (in the memory of the eldest man in the Citie) being met, the Lord Maior commanded the Towne Clerke to reade in the audience of that great Assembly, the Cities Petition, which here followes:
To The Kings most Excellent MAIESTY. The humble Petition of the Major, Aldermen, and Commons, of the City of London.
THat the Petitioners, Your Majesties most humble and loyall Subjects, being much pierced with the long and great divisions betweene Your Majesty and both Your Houses of Parliament, and with the sad and bloudy effects thereof, both here and in Ireland, are yet more deeply wounded by the mis-apprehension which your Majesty seemeth to entertaine, of the love and loyalty of this Your City, as if there were some cause of feare, or suspicion of danger to Your Royall Person, if Your Majesty should returne hither; And that this is made the unhappy Bar to that blessed Reconciliation with Your great and most Faithfull Councell, for preventing that desolation and destruction, which is now most apparently imminent to your Majesty and all your Kingdomes.
For satisfaction therefore of your Majesty, and [Page 3] clearing of the Petitioners innocency, they most humbly declare, (as formerly they have done) that they are no way conscious of any disloyalty, but abhorre all thoughts thereof: And that they are resolved to make good their late solemn Protestation and Sacred vow made to Almighty God, and with the last drop of their dearest bloods to defend and maintaine The true Reformed Protestant Religion, and according to the duty of their Allegiance, Your Majesties royall Person, Honour and Estate, (what ever is maliciously and most falsely suggested to your Majesty to the contrary) as well as The Power and Priviledges of Parliament, and the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subject: And doe hereby engage themselves, their Estates, and all they have, to their uttermost power, to defend and preserve your Majesty and both Houses of Parliament from all tumults, affronts, and Violence; with as much loyalty, love, and duty, as ever Citizens expressed towards Your Majesty, or any of Your Royall Progenitours in their greatest Glory.
The Petitioners therefore upon their bended knees doe most humbly beseech your Majesty to returne to Your Parliament (accompanyed with Your Royall, not Your Martiall Attendance) to the end that Religion, Laws, and Liberties may be setled and secured, and whatsoever is amisse in Church and Common-wealth, reformed by their advice, according to the fundamentall Constitutions of this Kingdome; And that such a Peace may thereby be obtained, as shall be for the glory of God, the honour and happinesse of your Majesty and Posterity, and the safety [Page 4] and Welfare of all your Loyall Subjects, who (the Petitioners are fully assured, whatsoever is given out to the contrary) doe unanimously desire the Peace herein expressed.
THis being done, the Kings Messenger being wished to reade his Majesties Answer to that Petition, made some apology to be excused, partly willing to intimate that his Commission was but to deliver the Answer to the Lord Major, (which seemed very strange to standers by, who were ready to conclude that if his Majesties Command had beene of no larger extent, the trouble of a Common-hall might well have beene spared) and partly pleading the inaudiblenesse of his voyce in such a vast Assembly, but being deemed the fittest for that service by the Honourable Committee, the Lord Major and his Brethren, he then read his Majesties Answer, which here followes.
His Majesty hath gratiously considered this Petition, and returnes this Answer.
THat His Majesty doth not entertain any mis-apprehension of the love and loyalty of his City of London. As he hath alwayes expressed a singular regard and esteeme of the affections of that City, and is still desirous to make it his chiefe place of residence, and to continue and renew many marks of His favour to it; So He beleeves much the better and greater part of that His City is full of love, duty, and loyalty to His Majesty: And that the Tumults which heretofore forced His Majesty for His safety to leave that place, though they were contrived and encouraged by some principall members thereof (who are since well knowne, though they are above the reach of Justice) consisted more of desperate persons of the Suburbs, and the neighbouring Townes (who were misled too by the cunning and malice of their seducers) than of the Inhabitants of that City. He looks on His good subjects there as persons groaning under the same burden which doth oppresse His Majesty, and awed by the same persons who begat those Tumults, and the same Army which gave Battell to His Majesty: And therefore as no good subject can more desire from His soule a Composure of the generall Distractions, so no good Citizen can more desire the establishment of the particular peace and prosperity of that place by His Majesties accesse thither, then His Majesty Himselfe doth.
[Page 6] But his Majesty desires His good subjects of London seriously to consider what confidence His Majesty can have of security there, whilest the Lawes of the Land are so notoriously despised and trampled under foot, and the wholesome Government of that City (heretofore so famous over all the world) is now submitted to the Arbitrary power of a few deserate persons of no reputation, but for malice and disloyalty to him: Whilest Armes are taken up not onely without, but against His consent and expresse command, and Collections publiquely made, and Contributions avowed for the maintenance of the Army which hath given Him Battell, and therein used all possible meanes, Treason and Malice could suggest to them to have taken His life from Him, and to have destroyed His Royall Issue, whilest such of His Majesties subjects, who out of duty and affection to His Majesty, and compassion of their bleeding Countrey, have laboured for Peace, are reviled, injured, and murdered, even by the Magistrates of that City, or by their directions: Lastly, what hope His Majesty can have of safety there, whilest Alderman Pennington, their pretended Lord Major, (the principall authour of those Calamities which so neerely threaten the ruine of that famous City) Ven, Foulke, and Mainwaring, (all persons notoriously guilty of Schisme and High Treason) commit such Outrages in oppressing, robbing, and imprisoning, according to their discretion, all such His Majesties loving subjects, whom they are pleased to suspect but for wishing well to His Majesty: And His Majesty would know whether the Petitioners beleeve that the reviling and suppressing the Booke of [Page 7] Common Prayer (establisht in this Church ever since the Reformation) the discountenancing and imprisoning godly, learned, and painefull Preachers, and the cherishing and countenancing of Brownists, Anabaptists, and all manner of Sectaries, be the way to defend and maintaine the true Reformed Protestant Religion? That to comply with, and assist persons who have actually attempted to kill His Majesty, And to allow and favour Libels, Pasquils, and seditious Sermons against His Majesty, be to defend his Royall Person and Honour according to the duty of their Allegiance [...] Whether to imprison mens persons, and to Plunder their houses because they will not rebell against his Majesty, nor assist those that doe? Whether to destroy their Property by taking away the twentieth part of their Estates from them, and by the same Arbitrary power to referre to foure standers by of their owne Faction to judge what that twentieth part is, be to defend the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the subject? And if they thinke these Actions to be instances of either, whether they do not know the persons before named to be guilty of them all? Or whether they thinke it possible that Almighty God can blesse that City and preserve it from destruction, whilest persons of such knowne guilt and wickednesse are defended and justified amongst them against the power of that Law, by which they can onely subsist?
His Majestie is so farre from suffering Himselfe to be incensed against the whole Citie, by the Actions of these ill men, though they have hitherto beene so prevailent, as to make the Affections of the rest of little use to Him; And is so willing to be with them, [Page 8] and to protect them, that the Trade, Wealth, and Glory thereof (so decayed and ecclipsed by these publike Distractions) may againe bee the envie of all forrain Nations, That He doth once more graciously offer His free and generall pardon to all the Inhabitants of that His Citie of London, the Suburbs, & Citie of Westminster (except the Persons formerly excepted by Mis Majestie) if they shall yet returne to their Dutie, Loyaltie, and Obedience. And if his good Subjects of that His Citie of London shall first solemnly declare, That they will defend the knowne Lawes of the Land, and will submit to, and be governed by no other Rule; If they shall first manifest, by defending themselves, and maintayning their own Rights, Liberties, and Interests, and suppressing any Force and Violence unlawfully raysed against those and His Majestie, their Power to defend and preserve Him from all Tumults, Affronts and Violence: Lastly, if they shall apprehend and commit to safe custody the Persons of those foure men, who enrich themselves by the spoyle and oppression of His loving Subjects, and the ruine of the Citie, that His Majestie may proceed against them by the course of Law, as guiltie of high Treason, His Majestie will speedily returne to them with His Royall, and without His Martiall Attendance, and will use his utmost endeavour that they may hereafter enjoy all the blessings of Peace and Plentie, and will no longer expect Obedience from them, then Hee shall with all the Faculties of His Soul labour in the preserving and advancing The true reformed Protestant Religion; The Lawes of the Land; The Libertie and Proprietie of the Subject; and The just Priviledges of Parliament.
[Page 9] If notwithstanding all this, the Art and interest of those men can prevaile so farre, that they involve more men in in their guilt, and draw that His City to sacrifice it's present Happinesse and future Hopes to their Pride, Fury, and Malice, His Majesty shall onely give them this Warning, That whosoever shall henceforward, take up Arms without his consent contribute any Money or Plate, upon what pretence of Authority soever, for maintenance of the Army under the Command of the Earle of Essex, or any other Army in Rebellion against Him, or shall pay Tonnage and Poundage, till the same shall be setled by Act of Parliament; Every such Person must expect the severest punishment the Law can inflict; and in the mean time His Majesty shall seize upon any part of his Estate within His Power, for the relief and support of him and His Army rais'd and maintain'd for the Defence of His Person, the Lawes, and this His Kingdome; And since he denyes to His Majesty the duty and benefit of his subjection, by giving assistance to Rebells, which by the knowne Lawes of the Land is high Treason, His Majesty shall likewise deny him the benefit of his Protection, and shall not only signifie to all His Forraigne Ministers, that such Person shall-receive no advantage by being His Subject, but shall by all other wayes and meanes proceed against him as a publike Enemy to His Majesty, & this Kingdom.
But His Majesty hopes and doubts not, but his good Subjects of London will call to minde the Acts of their Predecessors, their Duty, Affection, Loyalty and merit towards their Princes, the Renown they have had with all posterity from and the blessings of Heaven which alwayes accompanied those virtues, and will consider the perpetuall scorne and infamy, which unadvoidably will follow [Page 10] them and their Children, if infinitely the meaner part in quality, and much the lesser part in number, shall be a [...] to alter the Government so admirably established, destroy the Trade so excellently setled, and to waste the wealth [...] industrously gotten, of that flourishing City; And th [...] they will easily gaine up the Courage and Resolution to joyne with His Majesty in defence of the Religion, Law and Liberty, which hitherto hath and only can make themselves, His Majesty, and His Kingdome happy.
For concurring with the Advice of His two Houses of Parliament, being with Reference to the Common-wealth may be as well at this distance, as being at White-hall, His Majesty doubts not but His good Subjects of London well know how farre (beyond the example of His Predecessors) His Majesty hath concurred with their advice, in passing of such Lawes, by which He willingly hath parte [...] with many of His knowne Rights, for the benefit of the Subjects, which the Fundamentall Constitutions of this Kingdome did now oblige Him to consent unto, and hath used all possible meanes to beget a right understanding betweene them; And will therefore apply themselves to those who, by making Just, Peaceable, & Honourable Prepositions to His Majesty, can only beget that concurrence.
After he had read it once upon the Hustings, in the audience of those Honourable persons, was (for the helpe of the lownesse of his voice, and the advantage of the great multitudes in the Hall) willed the second time to read the same Answer in the Clock-house, in the audience of the bodie of that Assembly, among whom, after he had finished his worke, an inconsiderable company neere the doore made some offers towards an acclamation, but finding no expected Eccho to answer their shout, wound up in a little modestie and a great deale of silence, upon which the Earle of Manchester declared in his Speech as followeth.