MAster Recorder having fully and faithfully reported the truth, in shewing the little successe, or good, that after three daies de­bate hath been done, in that Committee, which was appointed to state the question in controversie, between the Alder­men and Commoners, members of this Court of Common-Councell, and I being by this Court added to that Committee, thought it therfore my duty (according to the best of my abilities) to give an accompt to this Court, whom it chiefely concernes, how in my judge­ment I conceive the right and truth therein [Page 2]doth stand; and for methods sake, I shall de­liver what in this I have to speake, under these three heads.

First, That this City (by those favours and bounties which we and our predecessors have received from sundry Royall Kings of England) is now invested with many excel­lent immunities, franchises and priviledges.

Secondly, Who are the proper recipients of those favours, or to whom the power of using and maintaining those favours and priviled­ges granted to us by our Royall Kings of Eng­land is committed.

Thirdly, The reasons or arguments, where­fore those persons unto whom this power is com­mitted, should carefully and conscionably main­taine and use those priviledges, with which they are intrusted.

For the proofe of the first, I have a large and a pleasant field to walk in; and truly I want both time to recount them all, they are so ma­ny; and words to set forth the worth of them, they are so excellent.

When I throughly view them, I know not well whether I should more magnifie the grace and favour of those royall Princes, in giving us so many priviledges, or admire our own hap­pinesse in the injoyment of them.

But I must only doe in these, as men usually doe in a curious garden, pluck here a flower [Page 3]and there an herb, which are most pleasing to their sences, and most usefull for their service; and when I have done the best I can, I must leave many behind me, for want of time and skill to collect and improve them for the com­mon good: But my hope and desire is, that some more able and skilfull hand, will shortly set them forth in their use and lustre, before your Lordship and this Court.

I can no way cast my eye, but it beholds ma­ny witnesses of this truth; for that we are here, at this time in the capacity of a City Councell, to consult upon, debate about, and determine of, such things which doe or may concerne the common good, this pleades, this proves our priviledge: That Emblem of Authority, which ere while was borne before your Lordship, and now presents it selfe within your view, is another argument to prove your power, and in it the power of this City, whose head (under his Majesty) your Lordship is.

Very much hath been anciently written by many Authors, in the praise and commenda­tion of London, but it hath been lately, as truly, so fully summed up together, by that learned Lawyer S^r Edward Cook, sometime Recor­der of London, and after Lord Chiefe Justice of England, in his fourth part of Institutes, p. 247. In these three expressions; 1. Camera Re­gis. 2. Rei Publicae Cor. 3. Totius Regni [Page 4]Epitome. The Chamber of the King, the heart of the Common-wealth, the Epitome of the whole Kingdome.

But, my Lord, I must come to the proofe of these proofes, for it is not sufficient to shew that we are thus, and that your Lordship is pos­sest of such a power, for this and more then this may be by usurpation, and without war­rant; But that which is my part to prove, is, That your Lordship and this City, is invested with a just and a full power thus to be, and thus to doe, and that by the free and cleere grants of sundry royall Kings of England, manifested in their severall and respective Charters, which by their grace and favour they have granted to us.

Those pleasant flowers and usefull herbs which I shall now endeavour to present you with, are such as will chiefely make a flouri­shing and populous City to be truly happy, which are these two.

First, To have the power to choose our own chiefe Governour, and subordinate Officers a­mongst our selves.

Secondly, To have also the power to make such Laws, which are or shall be for our own welfare, and best accommodation.

London was anciently governed, both be­fore the conquest, in the time of the conquest, and for about 120 yeares after the conquest, [Page 5]which was, untill the first yeare of Richard the first, by Port graves, or Port-greeves: Richard the first, appointed the first Major of London, which continued for about 24 yeares, untill the 14^th yeare of King John; And King John was the first King of England, that gave us the power to choose our chiefe Governour, viz. the Major amongst our selves, as the words of the Charter in the 16 yeare of his raigne, makes it plaine, the words are these.

Know ye that We have granted to our Barons of our City of London, that they may choose unto themselves a Major of themselves.

And that Charter of Henry the third, in the 37 yeare of his raigne, gives us the like power, in these words.

We grant also unto the said Citizens, that they may yearely present to our Barons of the Exchequer, We or our Heires not being at West­minster, every Major whih they sholl choose in the City of London, to the end they may be by them admitted, as Major.

And that Charter of Edward the second, in the 12^th of his raigne, confirmeth to us the same power of choosing the Major, with this addition also, of choosing both the Sheriffs, I say, of choosing not only one, but both the She­riffs, and that in these words.

That the Major and Sheriffs of the City a­foresaid, may be chosen by the Citizens of the same [Page 6]City, according to the tenour of the Charters of our Progenitors, sometimes Kings of England, to that end made; Et nullo alio modo.

Which Charter, hath reference to the Char­ter of King John, in the first yeare of his raigne, in these words.

And further, We have granted to the Citizens of London, that they may make of themselves, She­riffs, whomsoever they will, and may remove them when they will.

And the same Charter of Edward the se­cond, gives us the power of choosing the Cham­berlaine, Common Clarke and Common Ser­jeant, in these words.

And that the Chamberlaine, Common Clarke and Common Serjeant of the City afore-said, be chosen by the Commonalty of the same City, and amoved at the pleasure of the same Commonalty.

The same Charter, gives the choice of the Masters of the Way-house, to the Commonalty, in these words.

And that the Weights and Beames for weigh­ing of Merchandizes betwixt Merchant and Merchant, Whereof the issues growing, and the knowledge of them, pertaine to the Commo­nalty of the City afore-said, remaine to be kept at the will of the same Commonalty, in the custody of two good and sufficient men of the same City, expert in that office, to be hereunto chosen by the Commonalty afore-said; and that they be not in any [Page 7]otherwise committed to any others, but to such as shall be so chosen.

And in the 22^th of Henry the eigth, this is granted to the Major, Commonalty and Citi­zens of London conjunctim.

I might tire out my selfe, and weare out your patience, if I should reade all the severall Charters, which gives the choice of many o­ther City Officers unto the Commonalty, as the Serjeants of the Chamber, the Offices of Packing, Garbling of Spices, Gaugers and Measurers, with many others, but I will at pre­sent forbeare, and goe on to the next, which is this.

That this City is invested with power, to make such Laws, which are, or shall be for our own wel­fare, and best accommodation.

That Charter of Edw. 3. in the 15^th yeare of his raigne, fully cleeres it in these words.

We have granted further, for Ʋs and our Heires, and by this our present Charter confir­med to the Major and Aldermen of the City a­foresaid; That if any customes in the said City, hitherto obtained and used, be in any part difficult or defective, or any thing in the same newly hap­ning, where before there was no remedy ordained, and have need of amending; the same Major and Aldermen and their Successors, with the assent of the Commonalty of the same City, may adde and or daine a Remedy, meet, faithfull and consonant to [Page 8]reason, for the common profit of the Citizens of the same City, as oft, and as such time, as to them shall be thought expedient.

When I seriously consider, what Privi­ledges by these Charters we are invested with, I know not well what further in this kind, could be desired to make us a happy people, were we not wanting in our selves towards our own happinesse. I have now done with the first, which I think makes fully good the thing proposed, viz. That this City, by those favours and bounties which we and our predecessors have received from sundry Royall Kings of England, is now invested with many excellent Immunities, Franchises and priviledges; and I pray God give us grace, wisely and humbly to make a right use of them.

The second thing I proposed to speake to, was this, viz. Who are the proper Recipients of those priviledges, or to whom the power of u­sing and maintaining those priviledges and fa­vours granted to us by our Royall Kings of England is committed.

I have only in this these two things to speake to;

First, To shew to whom these priviledges have been granted.

Secondly, To prove by whom these priviled­ges have been practised.

These two things being once well cleered, [Page 9]will fully prove the thing proposed.

For the first take a survey of all the Char­ters, which have been granted to this City, since the date of that grant of King John to this day, which are very many, and they all runne thus, or to this effect.

To the Major, Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of London, or to the Major and Commonalty of our City of London. And here I cannot but remind you of those Charters of Edward the third, in the 15^th yeare of his raigne, where the Major and Aldermen, with the assent of the Commonalty, have the power, as to explaine, so to amend the old, or to make new Laws, for the common profit of the Citi­zens, And of that of King John, in the first year of his raigne, and of Edward the second, and in the 12^th yeare of his raigne, where the sole pow­er both to elect and to amove the Sheriffs, the Chamberlin, the Common Clarke, and the Common Serjeant, is wholly left to the plea­sure of the Commonalty, without any refe­rence to the Major and Aldermen.

Thus it is cleare, that the Commonalty have by the Charters, an equall share with the Ma­jor and Aldermen in the priviledges granted to this City; and if there be any difference, as there is, in the choice of some City Officers, the advan­tage is unto the Commons.

The second particular in this second head, is this;

By whom these priviledges have been pra­ctised. I shall endeavour to make this as cleere as the former; For as the power in the aforesaid Charter of Edward the third, doth inable the Major and Aldermen, with the as­sent of the commonalty, to amend the old, or to make new Laws, so suitable thereunto are all our Acts of Common-councell, which are our City Laws; they are made as in the joint names, so by the joint power of the Major, Al­dermen, and Commons in Common-councell assembled.

Give me leave I pray, to instance in a few particulars, which have been done by the power of this Court, since I have had the happinesse to sit as a Scholler in this Schoole.

As upon the 4^th of March, 1641. The re­moving of Duputy Alden from being a mem­ber of this Court.

Upon the 5^th of Septemb. 1642. The put­ting away of M^r John Wild, from being Town Clarke of this City.

Upon the 18^th of Febr. 1642. The expelling of Thomas Wiseman, the City Remembrancer out of his Office.

Upon the 28^th of April, 1643. The Amove­ing of divers Aldermens Deputies, from their places of Deputy-ship; And all this by the joint and concurrent power and authority of the Ld Major, Aldermen and Commons in this Com­mon-councell assembled.

And that all the determinative, binding and concluding power of this Court, is in the plura­lity of the votes of the Lord Major, Alder­men and Commons conjunctim; And that the Lord Major and Aldermen, have in this Court no more power of a negative voice, then as single persons, which every member of this Court hath as fully as they, if their judgements in the debate sway them to the negative; And that the Aldermen alone and by themselves, cannot hold the negative against the Commons affirmative; I prove these three wayes.

First by practice, Secondly by argument, Thirdly by equity and justice.

First, I will shew by practice that it hath not been so.

Secondly, I will prove by argument that it cannot be so.

Thirdly, I will make it appeare, that in equi­ty and justice it ought not to be so.

First, That it hath not been so, I thus prove by practice.

Upon the 17^th of Febr. 1641. A Petition was brought into this Court, directed only to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and because it was not directed to the Lord Major, Alder­men and Commons in Common-councell as­sembled, this Court refused to take any cog­nizance of it; But the then Lord Major, Sir Richard Gurney, with the major part of the [Page 12] Aldermen then present, in that Common­councell, would have the Court to admit of that Petition; and the Court refusing, for the reason aforesaid, the Lord Major and Aldermen (conceiving, as I suppose, that they should car­ry it by plurality of votes) would have the Court divided and numbred by the Pole, and so it was done; there was for the Petition, the Lord Major, 7 Aldermen, and 61 Com­moners; and against the Petition, 5 Alder­men, and 85 Commoners, and thus the mem­bers of this Court, both Aldermen and Com­moners being reckoned together by the Pole on both sides, as members of this Court, the que­stion was determined, the Petition rejected, and the power and authority of this Common Councell maintained.

Secondly, That it cannot be so, I thus prove by Argument.

That Court which hath the power to make a Law, and by that Law to confer a power up­on the Lord Major and Aldermen, which as Lord Major and Aldermen they had not be­fore, must needs be quo ad hoc, unto the ma­king of a Law above the Lord Major and Al­dermen: But this Court of Common-councell hath the power to make a Law, and by that Law to confer a power upon the Lord Major and Aldermen, which as Lord Major and Al­dermen they had not before. Therefore this [Page 13]Court of Common-councell, so farre as unto the making of a Law, must needs be above the Lord Major and Aldermen.

That this Court hath the power to make a Law, and by that Law to confertre a power upon the Lord Major and Aldermen, which as Lord Major and Aldermen they had not be­fore, I prove de facto, as appeares by an Act of Common-councell, made in the 6^th of Hen­ry the 7^th, upon the 15^th of April; by which this Court conferred a power upon the Lord Major and Aldermen, that at the election of the Chamberlain, the Lord Major and Al­dermen should present two men to the Com­monalty, and the Commonalty to choose one of them to be Chamberlain. And in the same Act of Common-councell, this Court confer­red a power upon the L^d Major and Aldermen, that at the election of the Bridg-masters, the L^d Major and Aldermen, should present four men to the Commonalty, and the Commonalty to choose 2 of them to be Bridg-masters. Which power of presenting two men for the choice of Chamberlain, and foure men for the choice of Bridg-mastere by the L^d Major and Aldermen, they as L^d Major and Aldermen had not before, Ergo, The Court of Common-councell quo ad hoc, as unto the making of a Law, must needs be above the Lord Major and Aldermen.

2. Argument.

That Court which hath the power to make [Page 14]a Law, and by that Law to take from the Lord Major and Aldermen, that power which be­fore was by a Law conferred upon them as Lord Major and Aldermen, must needs be, quo ad hoc, as unto the making of a Law above the Lord Major and Aldermen; But this Court of Common-councell hath the power to make a Law, and by that Law to take from the Lord Major and Aldermen that power, which by a Law was formerly conferred upon them as Lord Major and Aldermen; There­fore this Court of Common-councell must needs be quo ad hoc, as unto the making of a Law above the Lord Major and Aldermen.

That this Court of Common-councell hath the power to make a Law, and by that Law to take from the Lord Major and Aldermen, that power which formerly was by a Law confer'd upon them as Lord Major and Aldermen. I prove as before de facto, as appeares by an Act of Common-councell, made the 21^th of June, 1643. by which this Court repealed the for­mer Act of Common-councell of Henry the 7^th, and so tooke away that power from the Lord Major and Aldermen, which before was by that Law conferred upon them, as Lord Major and Aldermen, and so setled the choice of Chamberlain and Bridge-masters in statu quo prius; Therefore this Court of Com­mon-councell, quo ad hoc, as unto the making of a Law, must needs be above the Lord Major and Aldermen. 3. Argument.

If the Court of common-councell so farre as unto the making of Laws be above the Lord Maior and Aldermen, then the Lord Major and Aldermen can have no negative voice, as Lord Major and Aldermen, so as to hinder the Court of Common-councell from making of a Law, but the Court of Common­councell, so farre as unto the making of Laws, is above the Lord Major and Aldermen; ther­fore the Major and Aldermen, as Lord Major and Aldermen can have no negative voice, so as to hinder the Court of Common-councell from making of a Law.

That the Court of Common-councell so farr as unto the making of Laws, is above the Lord Major and Aldermen, the two former ar­guments fully prove, therefore the conclusion stands firme upon it's true foundation, viz. That the Lord Major and Aldermen, as Lord Major and Aldermen, can have no negative voice, so as to hinder the Court of Common­councell from making of a Law.

Thirdly, That it ought not to be so, I prove by equity and justice. The Aldermen are but in number 26, the Commoners in this Court about 250. in person, and in representation ma­ny thousands. Now if there should be a power of a Negative voice, in 26. single persons, Mem­bers of this Court; and they thereby have the power to hinder the passing of Law, which up­on [Page 16]serious and solemne debate, hath been upon good grounds assented unto, and desired by so great a number (and that for the common good and welfare of the Citizens of this City, every one of which greater number, being as fully interessed in the good or evill that may come by the passing or not passing of the Law in question, as any of the 26. Aldermen are; O then how many, and how great advanta­ges may we see before us, which being by the passing of a Law obtained might make us hap­pie. And on the other side, how many pres­sive and unsupportable evils may we see ready to swallow us up; and for want of power to passe a Law to prevent them, will make us ir­recoverably miserable; and yet we must all sit still and sigh, with our fingers in our eyes, and morne and die for the meere will and plea­sure sake of 26. single persons, nay of seven per­sons, for thirteen Aldermen make a Court, and seven of them being the greater number of thirteen have the power of the Court, and so the power of a negative vote, to hinder the passing of an Act in Common-Councell; If this be granted, into what a remedilesse way of ruine may we fall, as in the case of S^r Richard Gourney, in standing out against the just desires, yea commands of Parlia­ment.

And thus I have, I hope fully and clearely [Page 17]proved, both by Charters and by practise, that the L^d Major, Aldermen and Commonal­ty conjunctim, and not either alone, as sepa­rated or disjunct from the other, are the proper recipients of those grants and priviledges, which our Royall Kings have in their bounty and favour invested this City with.

Therefore my Lord, we honour your Lord­ship, and all those worthy Senatours your As­sociates, and we cannot but acknowledge your Lordship, to be under his Majesty the head of our City, yea a head of our own choosing; if therefore we should goe about in the least mea­sure to ecclipse your Honour, or to diminish your just power, we should in so doing wound our selves, whose head you are.

But as we give you the honour of a head­ship, O take not from us, I beseech you the right of Membership, but acknowledge us as Members of your body, though we be (as truly we confesse our selves to be) with refe­rence to your Lordship, and the Aldermen, but inferiour Members, as suppose the hands and feet of this great body, whereof your Lord­ship is the head; yet as in the Naturall body, the soule diffuseth it selfe into all the Members of the body, to make them fit for action, as into the feet to walke, into the hands to worke. O suffer us I pray you to doe that, which God, which nature, and which all our Royall Kings, [Page 18]in all their Charters have granted to us, and doth require of us, that is, that in our pla­ces we may act our parts; And then you will easily see, that as in the Naturall body, the head cannot walke without the feet, nor work with­out the hands, nor can your Lordship and those worthy Aldermen, though the head and chiefe of this great Councell, yet act nothing without the concurrent power of us your hands and feet for to assist you.

The soundest and best of bodies are subject to diseases, and those maladies in the most noble parts, are ever most dangerous; if therefore there breeds an ulcer, or tumor in the head, and cause it so to swell, as it hinders the neces­sary and naturall motion of the rest of the Members, and thereby endangereth the life of all. Oh then blame not, I beseech you blame not, the feet, if they run forth to seek a remedy, nor yet the hands, if they apply it; for every Member, as it tenders it's owne well-being, ought to seeke the welfare of the whole body.

And if the distemper be in the head, as sad ex­perience daily proveth, no member of the body can then be well at ease. But I fore-see an ob­jection that may here be made, against a part of what I have before spoken, which is this.

That the choyce or election of some City-of­ficers have been time out of mind in the power [Page 19]of others, and not in the Commonalty, as one of the Shrieves to be chosen by my Lord Majors Prerogative, and the common Clark and common Serjeant by the Court of Alder­men.

I shall give to this objection a two-fold an­swer.

First, that which our Saviour Christ gave to the Pharisees in the case of divorce, they then pleading (as these now) prescription for it, and saying, that time out of mind, even ever since Moses daies, it had been so; True, saith our Lord Christ, Moses for the hardnesse of their hearts, suffered them to give a bill of divorce, and to put away their wives, but from the beginning it was not so. The same say I, 'tis confest, that a great while the choice of these and some other City-Officers, have been suffered to run along in these Channels of pretended Prerogative and unwarranted cu­stome, but from the beginning it was not so; therefore as our Saviour Christ said in that case, What God hath joyned together, let no man put asunder; So say I in this, what God and what the Charters of our City hath joy­ned together, let not man, let not not your Lordships pretended Prerogative, let not un­warranted custome, either put or keepe a­sunder.

The second Answer I give to this objection is this.

That this power hath either been given from the Commonalty by their owne consent, or els taken away from them by usurpation, if by u­surpation, then it behoves this Court, the on­ly representative body of this City to use all good meanes to regaine what hath been so long unjustly taken from them.

But if given away by consent, as I will not deny, but our fore-fathers in their times, might be perswaded upon specious shews and faire pretences, and peradventure in their e­steeme upon solid reasons, to make over a part of their power, into the hands of the L^d Major and Aldermen, who knew better for their owne advantage, how to use it, then they to keepe it, yet I hope, if reason and just cause require, the power of this Councell may reassume it again into the hands of the Commonaltie, as it did in the like case upon the 21. of June, 1643. reassume the sole power of choosing the Chamberlain and Bridge-ma­sters into the hands of the said Commo­nalty.

I come now to the third and last head I am to speake to, viz. The reasons or arguments, wherefore those persons unto whom this pow­er is committed, should carefully and conscio­nably, maintain and use those priviledges with which they are entrusted: I will insist only up­on two Arguments to presse this.

First, from that dammage and losse which our Predecessours have under-gone for mis-u­sing and non-usage of those Priviledges and Immunities, which by the favour and bounty of former Princes have beene bestowed on them.

Secondly, from that obligation of a sacred Oath, by which we all as free men of this City stand bound for to maintain them.

The omission and misusage of Priviledges have been exceeding detrimentall to our Pre­decessours, and may be of as dangerous a con­sequence unto us; but before I prosecute this Argument, give me leave to acquaint you, how carefull one of the Kings of England was to preserve this City from losse and danger in this respect. I reade that Edward the third, in the first yeare of his raigne made provision for this City, that our Liberties should not be seized into the hands of the King for any per­sionall Trespasse of any one minister of Justice in this City, but did ordaine that such a mini­ster of Justice should be punished according as the quality of his Trespasse should require.

But if the City it selfe (which is only re­presented in this Court) shall so farre under­value, or slight the grace and favour of our Royall Princes, as not to use or to misuse such graunts and priviledges, as they are pleased in their bounties to invest us with, then as this neglect, and non-usage, or misusage of our [Page 22]priviledges hath made our Predecessours to pay deare for it: So we may also mourne under the losse of it, and smart for it: For in the same Edward the 3. daies, in the 15. yeare of his raigne, it cost this City 1000. marks, for not fully using those free Customes and Liberties which had been formerly granted to them, where observe that it is not sufficient to use some of our free Customs and Liberties, but we must use them all, yea and fully use them in that way and manner, as in which they were granted to us by our Charters, else as then, so now, the non-usage, or mis-usage of them may occasion a mulct or fine to be imposed on us.

For there is no man that is any whit conver­sant in our City Charters, but can easily and truly testifie, that not once or twice, but 10. if not 20. times, this City hath been forced to receive a pardon for non-usage, and mis-usage of their priviledges, and for City-Officers to be chosen, and not by the persons appointed by Charter to choose them, is a plain mis-usage of power and priviledge.

Therefore my Lord, if your Lordship will by your Prerogative still choose one of the Shrieves, and the Court of Aldermen will still choose the common Clarke and common Ser­geant; Why I beseech you may you not as well share the choice of all the City-Officers a­mongst your selves? but if you will grant us of [Page 23]the Commonaltie, our rights in the choice of some of them, I pray deny us not our rights in all. For do you not thinke it is much better to use and keep that we have, then by neglect, dis­usage, or mis-usage to loose all.

And is there not still some about the King, which would fain take hold of any occasion to fill their own Coffers with our City Coyn, if ac­cording to the Country Proverbe, they could a­ny way find a hole in our Coat.

Suffer me I beseech you to relate unto you, what I have sometimes read to this pur­pose.

In the 16. year of Richard the 2^d, there was a Commission procured from the King to the then two Dukes of York and Glocester with others, grounded, as then pretended upon a Statute of Edward the 3^d, in the 28. yeare of his raign; which Statute in King Edward the 2^d daies was by a by-word called, as saith Sir Henry Colthrop, sometimes Recorder of Lon­don, Flagellum Civit. Londini. the whip and scourge of the City of London, God keepe us from the like whip again, least it fetch life, as well as bloud from us.

It was to enquire (I will give it you in the words of the Record) of all and singular er­rours, defects and mispritions in our City of London, for want of good Government of the Majors, Shrieves and Aldermen of the same City. And as there doth not now, so it seemes [Page 24]there did not then want informers, for the then Major, Aldermen and Shrieves, were convi­cted and adjudged to pay for their first default a 1000 Marks, for the 2^d 2000 Marks. And for the third, the liberties of the City was taken into the hands of the King, and did there re­main, untill by the mediation and intercession of the Queen, a pardon was procured, and their Priviledges restored.

My authour tels me not what this Mediation of the Queen cost this City, but we may well thinke the pardon came not off at a low rate, I'll close this with a good lesson I long since learnt.

The second Argument is from the obligation of a sacred Oath, by which we all as free-men of this City stand bound to maintain all the Li­berties and Franchises thereof.

Sacred Oaths I conceive may admit of a two­fold distinction.

1. Assertorie.

2. Promisorie.

I am only to speak of the second, and of it but three things; and of those almost in as few words. As

1. The Antiquity of it.

2. The Authority of it.

3. The Obligatorines or binding power of it.

For the Antiquity of it, I find it as ancient as Abraham, and the Authority of it from God himselfe, both these in Genes. 22.16, 17. By my selfe have I sworn, saith the Lord, that in blessing, I will blesse thee, &c.

The Obligatorines or binding power of it, is also from God himself, Numb. 30.1, 2. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded; If a man sweare an Oath to bind his soule with a bond, he shall not breake his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. And if any man dare doe otherwise, God himselfe will likewise be a swift witnesse against him for it.

And that we are all bound by Oath to main­tain the City Liberties, this clause in a free­mans Oath, (viz. The franchises and customes of this City you shall maintain) doth fully prove.

I have now gone through all I proposed to my self, and J hope fully proved every parti­cular.

Give me leave J beseech you to close all as S^t Paul did to Philemon in the case of Onesi­mus, Though I might enjoyne thee that which is convenient, yet for loves sake I rather in­treat thee.

So J, though we might require our rights of your Lordship and those worthy Aldermen, as that which is our dues, by the City Char­ters, yet for love sake we rather become suters [Page 26]to your Lordship, and all your Associates, those grave Senatours, the worthy Aldermen; And doe as for love, so for peace sake also, in­treat you to joyne with us, by your consent and assistance to settle them all aright upon their owne Basis, that so we may be in such a con­dition, as upon every emergent occasion to be able, by the blessing of God, to be safe within our selves, and serviceable in our places unto King and Parliament.

I could in this way of supplication to your Lordship even weep out my own eyes, yea let out my owne bowels, could J but thereby pe­netrate in the breasts of your Lordship, and those worthy Aldermen, to draw some com­passion from you in this very nick of time to helpe to save a sinking City, if not a dying Kingdome. Is it not the enemies maxime, Di­vide & impera, divide and rule; and hath not Division already proved too destructive to us; and is there any meanes under heaven, so hopefull for our helps as Unity and Concord: Hath not that God, who is the God of Ʋnity, made us One: Hath not the Charters of our City made us One, and doth not the Constitu­tions of this Court make us one entire Coun­cell; and yet shall we who are thus made one by this three-fold bond breake in two, and runne to ruine. O my Lord J want words to expresse my sorrow, we who are the Commons stand with our stretched out Armes, ready to [Page 27]imbrace your Lordship, and all those worthy Aldermen in the nearest and firmest bond of Ʋnity and Love; looke not upon us I Beseech you with a displeasing countenance, but afford us the like mutuall imbraces; disdain us not, though below you, for we are as your flesh and your bones, If therefore there be any consola­tion in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels of mer­cies in you, grant our just desires, and in love and peace settle and estate us in our rights and dues, and be of the same mind with us, having the same love to us, for O how good and plea­sant it is for brethren to dwell together in Ʋ ­nitie.

I might further presse this by a three-fold ar­gument; As

1. That as you are the head and Governors of this City.

2. That as you are bound by severall sacred Oathes.

3. That as you tender the welfare and li­bertie of your posterities, You ought to doe it. But I'll forbeare, hoping that a word to the wise will be sufficient, and shut up all with the relation of a City Historie upon Record, which I beseech you seriously to consider of, and make such an application of it to your selves, as in your wisdomes shall seem most meet unto you. In Anno 1389. William Vennor Major, and John Walcut and John Lony Shrieves, with [Page 28]the then Aldermen, who all by name in their order stand blemisht upon Record, That for the Errours, defects and mispritions in their Government, they were fined at 3000 marks, and the City Liberties seized on by the King. Can you imagine that every or any water or aqua fortis, will wash of or weare away this their obloquie and repreach, Abundans cautela non nocet, Very much cautiousnes will no way hurt you.

Consider on the other side, that the wisest of Kings, spoke very wisely, when he said, A good name is rather to be chosen then great ri­ches, and that it is better then a pretious oint­ment. And will it not be so to you, when for your long lasting fame and glory, it may stand upon Record to after ages, when we are dead and gone, That in Anno 1644. when the Right Honourable Thomas Atkin was Lord Major, the right Worshipfull William Gibbs, and Richard Chambers were Shrieves, and that learned and able Lawyer and Patriot of his Countries libertie John Glyn was Recorder, and such and such worthy Knights and Gentle­men, reading you all according to your degrees by name, was Aldermen: That then by your assistance and consent, London, I say the Com­monalty of London, was restored to their long lost Liberties and Priviledges.

Consider what I say, and the Lord give you understanding in all things.