First, We were glad to finde that there was yet some hopes they would looke to the peace and happinesse of that City, and at last sever themselves from any faction or dependence which might insensibly involve them in those Calamities they did not foresee. 'Tis the nature of Mortalls (but the cause I know not) to rest secure in his own thoughts, when in the opinion of others he is subject to the greatest casualties; nay, so averse are they, that when rea­son cannot promise a happy successe to their bad attempts, they make it a matter of faith, and be­lieve that for an absolute certainty, which in it self i [...] lesse than probable: I wish this disease may ne­ver steale into the Royall, but if His words bee scann'd, 'twill breed a jealousie of His inclination to that distemper; for if He were not, how could He imagine that the City of London, should now [Page 2]after so many desperate designes be insensible of the miseries that will ensue the Conquest, if ob­tained by their Adversaries? surely they about His Majesty have not that power over His Ratio­nall faculties, as to possesse Him with a thought of Divinity inhaerent in them, as if their wayes were like Gods, past finding out; Or if His Maje­stie do but weigh the severall accidents and passa­ges that have happened since these differences, He will finde no promise from God of the Victory; nay, I am confident His tender Heart cannot bee free from some fears, seconded with pregnant rea­sons, wh [...]r [...]on He may ground a beliefe of His losse; and for any thing that He hath yet gotten, the City may continue as zealous for the Parlia­ment as ever they were; and with no lesse safety than their diligence hath hitherto with Gods assi­stance purchased for them.

Secondly, With that Answer of ours we sent a Ser­vant of Our own to require and see that it might bee communicated to the whole body of that Our City; but instead of that admission we expected to Our Messenger, Guards of armed men have beene brought to keepe Our good Subjects from being present at the reading therof. What hopes is there of doing good, when His Majesty doth so confide in those ill instruments a­bout Him? who but the Messenger himselfe could make that false Report? were there at any time this twenty yeares more present at a Common-Councell, than at that? or did they keep out any [Page 3]that had right by custome to be then present; and for those that had no right, His Majesty Himselfe doth implicite acknowledge how justly they were kept out; for He saith in this His Letter and De­clartion to the Sheriffes, That Speeches were made by strangers, who were admitted the City Counsells con­trary to the freedome and Custome of those meetings: now if those that made speeches had no right to be there, and those that were kept out by the Guard, had as little right as they; then His Majesty doth implicitely commend the keeping of those out; and yet in another place of that Declaration Hee blames them for keeping them out; and for the entertainment of His Servant that brought the Message, what greater respect could be shewed him, than the admittance of his presence, and what fairer play can there be, than that above boord; the Messenger himself being made a witnesse of that dayes worke.

Thirdly, That all Our good Subjects may clearely understand how farre We have beene from begetting, how farre We are from continuing and from nourish­ing these unnaturall civill dissentions, and how much it is in their own power to remove the present pressures, and to establ sh the future happinesse and glory of that famous City.

'Tis most certain and beleeved of all, that His Majesty did not beget these distractions; but tis knowne by whom they have beene maintai­ned since their birth; I meane, by whose autho­rity, [Page 4]though his Warrants (as is probable) have bin used about that which was never intended at his granting of them: and 'tis clearly to be discer­ned, how easily they may remove the present pressures, and tis as clearly to be discerned how if they take that way prescribed to them to remove their pre­sent miseries, they will bring greater miseries in their stead, and greatest of all to their posterity: for the way prescribed is in effect this, that the City should first apprehend an inability to make re­sistance, and then yeeld themselves to the cruell mercy of those who have so farre possest His Ma­jesty; and that they should apprehend the Par­liament men, and other good Common-wealths men, as fast as the King accused them, till at last there would be none left to defend the Kingdom: now if this were done, the Warre would doubt­lesse cease, and these present pressures would be removed; not taken away, but drawne into grea­ter mischiefes that would follow, so that then the cure were worse then the disease, for by this kind of physicke you may tamper with the body to cure a Feaver that's spotted, and turne it to the plague.

Fourthly, Wee do hereby Declare the said Isaac Pennington not to be Major of that Our City of Lon­don, and to have no lawfull Authority to exercise the same, and that Our good Subjects of that Our City ought not to submit to any Orders, Directions, or Com­mands, which shall issue from him as Lord Major.] [Page 5]Here his Majesty hath excused the Lord Major, for not sending a Warrant to apprehend him that said he hoped to wash his hands in His Majesties bloud; it seemes he hath no Authority to do it: But I ra­ther hope His Majesty was mis-informed, for those words if they were spoken by any man, might well have beene questioned by the same au­thority that other things were done by; but tis likely that those which informed his Majesty of that, either knew more then my Lord Major did in that particular, or else wilfully injured my Lord by his false Report; but hower if some Ceremo­nies were not performed which used to be sollem­nized, nay though he had not beene chosen by the City, yet he hath authority from the Parliament for what he doth, and which is sufficient to force an obedience from those within his Liberties: but tis most likely that he was chosen by the major part, for if the City did trust him with the govern­ment of their estates in the Parliament House, sure­ly they would trust him with their Charter and to governe the City, and Alderman Cordwell was knowne before as well as now, and why had they not chose him to sit in Parliament before Al­derman Pennington if he had been better beloved, or if the City had beene so opinionated of him: but tis probable that many are offended because this Lord Major was chosen before others that were his Senio [...] Ald:, but for those that are offended they must needs know tis without cause; and so they may [Page 6]guesse how they shall be pleased, for the Office of Major goes not in order but by election, for other­wise the City might be enforced to have a Major that might undoe the City, but it hath beene the care of former ages (as I may say) to provide bet­ter for this City.