THE KINGS Majesties last DECLARATION TO The Lord Mountague, and the rest of the Commissioners of PARLIAMENT with the ARMY.

Wherein is declared, His Majesties Desires to the said Com­missioners, concerning His Highnesse the DUKE of YORK.

AND The Armies Propositions for Peace, to Both Houses of Parliament; together with the Parliaments Answer, and his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax his Reply.

LONDON: Printed for R. Rishton, and are to be sold at the Royall Exchange in Cornhill, Iuly 3. 1647.

The Kings MAJESTIES DECLARATION, Presented to His loyall and faithfull Subiects upon His going to Windsor.

Sir,

HAving obtained such a fit opportunity, to expresse my willingnesse in a sa­tisfactory way, to all your Desires, I shall here impartially communicate the most re­markablest Occurrents, which hath (lately) ebb'd and flowed, within the Kingdomes great Streame, whose appearance in this in­stance of time, seemes to be the Worlds chie­fest Object. But by reason of breviation, and the desire of a sudden dispatch, of some of these papers to the Army, I must of (neces­sity) betake my self to my limited bounds, [Page] and briefly insist upon those things which are of grea­test concernment, being so much desired by the whole Kingdome, viz.

The Kings Majesty having received a Copy of some certain Votes, agreed upon by the Lords and Com­mons in Parliament assembled, touching the remo­ving of the Kings Majesty to Holdenby; At the rea­ding whereof, His Majesty began to shew a great dis­like of the same, and His great unwillingnesse to re­turn to Holdenby, and after some consultation there­upon, His Majesty declared His Resolution to the Right Honourable the Earle of Denbigh, the Lord Mountague, and the rest of the Parliaments Commis­sioners, now residing with his Majesty, concerning the said Votes; Wherein He further declares, his full re­solution and determination touching the particulars mentioned therein, and more particularly, concerning the Vote for disposall of His Royall Person, further declaring,

‘That He hath set down his Resolution, concerning his return to Holmby, and [...]hat he cannot give his Royall as­sent for complyance with the said Vote, having fully re­solved for Windsor, and to that end, great preparations are making for the entertainment of His Royall Person, divers Carriages being already dispatched thither, for the better accommodation of his Majesty.’

His Majesty further declared, That He desires the Duke of York, and the rest of His Children at London, may be speedily sent down thither; which if granted, it will give great satisfaction to his Majesty, by reason of his long and earnest desire, to see those Princely Babes, whom He hath for many yeares, wanted the sight of.

His Majesty having thus declared his will and plea­sure, [Page] together with his resolution, hee desired that all things might be made ready, and that his Sumpture horses might be forthwith in readinesse, which was ac­cordingly performed.

His Majesty hath further declared, that he desires nothing more earnestly, then to see this languishing Kingdome setled in peace and unity, that so all his loyall Subjects throughout his Majesties Realms and Dominions, may enjoy a firme and lasting Peace.

And for the accomplishing of these his Majesties Desires, the Officers and Souldiers under command of his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, hath sent up Propositions for Peace, to Both Houses of Parliament, for the speedy setling of the Kingdome of England, and Dominion of Wales in peace and amity; which Propositions are briefly drawn up into 8 Heads, as followeth.

Propositions for Peace, proposed to both Houses of Parlia­ment, for a safe and well-grounded Peace, through­out the Kingdome of England, and Domi­nion ofWales.

  • 1 That the declaration inviting men to desert the Army, and promising their arrears in case they do so, may be recal­led and annulled.
  • 2 That the Army may be presently paid up, equally to those that have deserted it.
  • 3

    That His Majesties coming to Richmond may be sus­pended, untill affairs be setled.

    And in the mean time, no place may be appointed that may be any nearer to London, then the Parliament will al­low the quarters of the Army to be.

  • [Page] 4 That the Members charged, may be forthwith suspen­ded or sequestred the House.
  • 5 That those that dave deserted the Army may be instant­ly discharged, and dispersed, and receive no more of their arrears till the Army be first satisfied.
  • 6▪ That both Parliament and City may be speedily, and effectually freed from those multitudes of Reformadoes & souldiers before mentioned, that flock together bout Lon­don, by a speedy dispatch, and discharging of them from the City.
  • 7 That such listings, or raising of new Forces, or drawing together of any before mentioned, and all preparations to­wards a new war, may be effectually declared against and suppressed as also all invitations, or endeavours to draw in forreign forces.
  • 8 That the present perplexed astairs of the Kingdome, and those concerning the Army, as also all the things desi­ered in our late representation in behalfe of the Kingdome, may be put in some speedy way of setlement and compo­sure.
By the appointment of His Excel­lence Sir Thomas Fairfax and the Councell of Warre. JOHN RUSHWORTH, Secretary.

In answer to which; the Generall hath re­ceived the Votes of both Houses of Parlia­men, which hath given a great deale of satis­faction to the army, they being now satisfied in most of their desi [...]e [...]. Whereupon the Generall presently gave out Orders, for the drawing back of the army, and the Head-quarters [Page] to be at Wickham, 27. miles from London.

And in further pursuance of the said vote the Generall writ a Letter to the Commis­sioners of Parliament with the army, and a­nother to the Commissioners for the City of London, for them to acquaint the Parl. and City with the proceedings of the army, and their drawing further back from London.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

BY the Votes you pleased to communi­cate to me this morning, I find the Par­liament hath taken into their consideration the Propositions of the army, which necessa­rily craved some satisfaction before the with drawing of it; and that their progresse al­ready made (though but in part) meets with such a complyance in my Councell of war, that it begets in them a generall confidence, of the Houses speedy and full answer to the remaining Propositions; and therfore to te­stifie the readinesse of this army to observe the Commands of Parliament, they have re­solved to remove the army to a farther di­stance, [Page] and the head quarters to be at Wick­ham, believing, that this forwardnesse on their part to satisfie both Parliament & Ci­ty, will not retard, but hasten the Resoluti­ons of the Houses with a full satisfaction to the particulars not yet answered.

This is a perfect Copy of his Excellencies own Letter, desiring you to hasten the pub­lishing of it, and to send us downe two or three hundred Copies for the use of the ar­my, and I shall remain

Wickham 2 July 1647.
Yours to command, R. RISHTON.
FINIS.

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