A DECLARATION OF THE ARMY, CONCERNING The Kings Majesty, the Prince of WALES, and the Citizens of LONDON, Agreed upon by the Officers and Souldiers, under the Command of the Lord Gen. Fairfax, to be read and published throughout the respective Counties within the Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales.
AND A Remonstrance thereupon, touching the proceedings of the King, and both Houses of Parliament.
TOGETHER, With a Letter read in both Houses, containing a Charge against all those who shall act contrary to the Lawes of the Land, either against King or Parliament.
London, Printed for R. Williamson, and are to be sold in St. Dunstons Church-yard, near Temple-Barre, 1648.
A Declaration from the Northern Army, concerning the Kings Majesty, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of York, and their Demands and Resolutions thereupon.
VVHereas we have lately seen a Copy of your Proposalls, presented by the Agents of the respective Regiments, to our ever honoured Gen. the Councell of the Army, we do therefore declare, that we do unanimously embrace the same, and blesse God, that he hath made you Instruments of so happy a work, promising all assistance therein, and protesting to live and dye with you for the accomplishing of the same; we shall be no longer silent, in this great work, but are resolved forthwith to send our Agents unto you, to the end, that our sence and Resolutions, may appear visible, to the general Councel, now assembled by the voice of the Army.
And we do further declare, that we are resolved to stand and fall with you, for the speedy executing of Justice [Page 2]upon all persons whatsoever, even from the highest to the lowest, and in all other particulars whatsoever, now agitating by you (our fellow Souldiers and Commoners) in the South, in relation to the proceedings of the King, the Prince, and the Duke, &c.
A Declaration of the further proceedings in the North concerning King and Kingdom, Sent in a Letter to the Right Honourable, William Lenthall Esq; Speaker of the Honourable House of Commons.
LIeutenant Generall Crumwell upon conference with us Gnetlemen of the four Northern Counties, conceives it necessary, that the standing Garison of Barwick be 1200 foot, and the Garrison of Carlile 800, and that there be also two Regiments of horse, consisting of 600 in a Regiment; to be ready upon all occasions to resist & oppose any Invasion that may happen by Sea or Land, and to quell Insurrections, that may rise amongst us, & to suppresse the Moss troopers, they being now stronger then ever, many of the enemies scattered horse being gathered to them, we shall most readily and heartily endeavour to do the utmost these poor Counties are able but sir, you know our intolerable sufferings, not onely this last Summer, but from the beginning of these Kingdoms [Page 3]troubles, & our Petition doth a little set forth the sad condition that wee are now in; wee, therefore most earnestly intreat you to move the House that these forces both of horse and foot, may be maintained by the whole Kingdom, not only in respect of our ex [...]ream poverty & disabilities, but because they are the frontier Garisons between the 2. Kingdoms, and have ever been maintained by the publike, we press this the more earnestly, knowing the necessity of a speedy provision, and the impossibility for these Counties to provide for such a force, and to what generall way the House please to appoint, who shall willingly and freely contribute our proportion, and labour both in that and all other things to shew our selves, Sir, Your faithfull Servant, &c.
A new Remonstrance from the North, concerning the King, and the Royall party, read in both Houses of Parliament.
WHereas we had formerly some hopes that lenity towards those who had been in Arms & otherwise active against the Parl. would so far have prevailed with them, that we might have peaceably enjoyed our own habitations, but we have lately found by wofull experience, that the permitting such persons, especially those of interest in the Country to live amongst us, hath brought most unsufferable misery upon these Countries: [Page 4]Insomuch, as we may justly fear the perishing of many F [...]milies this Win or for want of bread; Gentlemen of quality and their Families having no other drink but water, and as an exceeding addition to our former sorrows, suffered this Summer by imprisoning our pe sons, dispeopling our Towns, compelling all able to bear Arms, betwixt the age of 60. and 16. to assist against the Parl. and by destroying our corn and goods, and killing our Neighbours and Countrimen, and driving away our Cattle: And also by bringing into the Kingdom a forreign Nation, and by treacherously surprizing, and most basely delivering into the Scots hands, the two considerable Towns of Barwick and Cartile, & by further aiding and assisting of them, towards the subduing and enslaving of our Kingdom, that many of the actors, contrivers, and assisters in that horrible and traiterous Design, not only against our Countries, but the Parl. and Kingdom, are after all their Summers abominable treason and outrages, now returned with much confidence and boldnesse to their own houses, intending to hatch (as we have cause to believe) now plots this Winter amongst us.
The premisses considered, we pray that justice may be speedily executed on such impl [...]cable enemies and declared Traitors to the Parliament, Kingdom, & their Countries, and to that end a Commission of Oyre and Terminer, with learned and faithfull Judges may be forthwith sent down into these Northern parts, or such o h [...]r legall Course resolved on as to your wisdome shal seeme best for their speedy trials in these Northern Counties where they have committed the offences, and that a Solicitor may be forthwith sent down into these parts, that such as are fled out of the Kingdom, or gone [Page 5]yond Sea, may be proceeded against according to Law, we know no other way under God to prevent a new war, for many Delinquents late in Arms, are not only returned to their own houses, but meet, and have already their private consultations, pretending Articles for their peaceable living at home, and are thereupon so insolent, that they ride armed to publike places, and do not stick to say that they yet expect a turn for all this, and we find by experience, that unlesse the House do severely proceed against such notorious Delinquents, many of the people in these parts will adhere to them, and justifie their actions, and be ready to rise up in Arms with them upon all occasions.
We presse more earnestly the granting of this, knowing that the peace and quiet of the North, if not of the whole Kingdom, depends upon it.
His Majesties Remonstrance to the Parliament.
FOr a finall answer to you, as to you paper of the first of this instant, and the notes therein mentioned concerning the Church, His Majesty saith, that his Concessions expresseth in that paper, and mis-apprehended in these particulars following, viz. He never did, nor doth intend to make any more new Bishops during the terme of 3. years, that the power of Ordination should be practised in the old manner as formerly, for that heretofore the Bishops were at liberty to call what Presbyters they would to assist ordaining, but were not bound to their Councell or consent; but his Maj [...]sty doth now intend, and will consent, that Bishops shall not receive any into holy orders without the consent and limited number of Presbyters, to be chosen i [...] such manner as shall be agreed [Page 6]on by his M [...]j. & his 2 Houses for that purpose. Neither did his Maj. intend that a [...]e the end of 3. years, n [...] certain way should be setled concerning Eccl si [...]sticall Governm [...]nt; for that his Maj. did purpose du [...]ing the 3. years, to have a consultation with the Assembly of Divines. 20. being added of his own nomination; which if his 2. Houses shall resolve to entertain, i [...] cannot well be doubted, but upon the debate, such a Government will be agreed upon by his Maj. and his 2. Houses, as shall be best for the pe [...]ce of the Church, and most proper to prevent those distractions which his 2. Houses apprehend may ensue.
And as to that part of the proposition concerning the Book of Common-Prayer, for the satisfaction of his 2. Houses, his Maj. will not insist upon any provision for continuance of the same in his Maj. Chappell for himself and his Houshold; neverthelesse, his Maj. declares, that he intends to use some other set form of Divine Service.
And as to all other particulars in your paper mentioned, his Maj. having in his former Answers consented so far as possibly he can, as he stands at present perswaded in his judgment; doth refer himself thereunto. And since his Maj. by his Concessions hath brought all differences concerning the Church into so narrow a compasse, that the chief visible obstruction is that, wherein really in conscience he is not satisfied: He hopes his 2. Houses will not put further pressures of so tender a nature upon him, when it is most likely the time and Debate will happily reconcile all these differences.
Dated from his Majesties Court at Newport, the 12. of November, 1648.