His Majesties letter and declaration to the sheriffes and city of London. Ianuary 17, 1642

His Majesties letter and declaration to the sheriffes and city of London. Ianuary 17, 1642

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Title page

HIS MAjESTIES LETTER AND DECLARATION to the SHERIFFES and CITTY Of LONDON.

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HIS MAjESTIES LETTER AND DECLARATION to the SHERIFFES and CITTY Of LONDON.

Ianuary 17. 1642.

TRusty and Welbeloved, We greet you well. We received lately a Petition from the Aldermen and Common-Councell of Our City of London, by the hands of Persons entrusted by them for the delivery, who found such a reception from Vs, as well manifested Our regard to that body which sent them; Though We well knew by whom that Petition was framed, and where perused and examined, before it was approved by those from whom it seemed to be sent, yet We were so willing to enter into a correspondence with that Our City, and to receive any addresse and application from them according to that Invitation We had given by Our late Proclamation; And were so glad to find that there [Page] was yet some hopes they would look 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, that We returned such a gracious Answer therunto, so full of Candor and Affection, that the meanest Inhabitant of that Our Citty, if he carefully consider the same, will find himselfe concerned in it, and that We have had an especiall care of his particular. With this answer of Ours We sent a servant of Our own, in the company of those who had been so well used here, to require and see that it might be communicated to the whole body of that Our City; not doubting but that both it & the Bringer should receive such Entertainment there, as might manifest their due regard of Vs, & of Our Affection to them: But to Our great wonder, We finde that after ten dayes Attendance, and suffering ridiculous Pamphlets to be published in Our name, as if We retracted Our former Resolutions, (which Pamphlet We have caused to be burned by the hand of the Hangman, as We also require you to see don) instead of that admission We expected to Our Messenger and Message, guards of Armed Men have beene brought to keep Our good Subjects, to whom that Our Answer was directed, from being present at the reading thereof; and Speeches have been made by Strangers (who have been admitted to the Citty Councells, contrary to the Freedome and Custome of those meetings,) to Blast Our said Answer, and to Dishonour and Slander Vs, which if Our good Subjects there shall suffer, We shall be much discouraged in Our desired correspondence with that Ou [...] City, and so by the cunning and power of those Incendiaries mentioned in Our Answer (Alderman Pennington (who to show his great Loyalty to Vs, and his fitnesse to [Page] bee the chiefe Magistrate of such a City, being informed that a desperate person there, said, that hee hoped shortly to wash his hands in Our Bloud, refused to send any Warrant, or to give any direction to any Officer for his Apprehension,) Ven, Fulke, and Manwaring) who have plunged that Our City into such unspeakable Calamities, in which they would still keepe it to cure their owne desperate condition, Our good Subjects there are not suffered to receive Our gratious Answer to that Petition; Wee have therefore thought fit to write these Our Letters to you, requiring you the Sheriffes of Our said City; to take care for the publishing that Our Answer (which Wee herewith send you) to Our good Subjects of that Our City; And Our pleasure is, That you the Masters and Wardens of the severall Companies of our said City forth with summon all the Members of your severall Companies, with all the Freemen and Apprentises (whose hopes and interests are so much blasted in these generall Distractions) belonging thereunto, to appeare at your severall Halls, where you shall cause Our said Answer, together with these our Letters, to bee publiquely read, that all Our good Subjects may cleerely understand how farre We have beene from begetting, how farre Wee are from continuing or nourishing these unnaturall civill dissentions, and how much it is in their owne power to remove the present pressures, and to establish the future happinesse and glory of that famous City, and may seriously weigh every part of that Our Answer, as well that which carries caution in it for the future, as pardon for what is past, for assure your selves, for the time to come, Wee shall proceed with all severity against such who shall incurre the penalty of the Law in those points, of which wee have given them so faire a warning in Our said Answer, [Page] & whosoever shall not behave himselfe like a good Subject in this Our Kingdome, shall not (if We can helpe it) receive the benefit and advantage of being Our Subject in any other, but all Forraigne Princes shall know, that as such Person hath parted with his Loyalty to Us, so he must not hope for any Security by Us, and to that purpose Wee shall hence forward have a very inquisitive Eye upon the Actions of all Our Subjects, that some example may be made, how easie it is for Us to punish their disloyalties abroad, who for a time may avoyd Our Iustice at home. And to the end that none of Our good Subjects of that Our City may thinke themselves bound to obey any of the Orders or Commands of the pretended Lord Major (whom We have and doe still accuse of high Treason, & conspiring to take Our life from Vs,) it is well knowne to those Citizens who understand the Charter of that City (so amply granted by Our Royall Progenitors, and so gratiously confirmed by Us, & of which We presume Our good Subjects there doe still desire to receive the benefit,) that the said Isaack Pennington was never regularly elected, or lawfully admitted to bee Lord Major of that Our City, that in truth Alderman Cordwell, was by the plurality of voyces chosen, and that this Man was never presented to, or admitted by Us, in such manner as is prescribed by the said Charter, neither had that Iudge, who presumed to sweare him, any more colour of Law or Authority to administer such an Oath to him, then hee hath to doe the same to morrow to any other Alderman of the City: And Wee doe therefore hereby Declare the said Isaack Pennington not to bee 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 Order, directions, [Page] or commands which shall issue from him as Lord Major of that Our City, but that the same are void and of none effect. And Wee doe once more require you the Sheriffes of Our said City, and all other the Magistrates of the same, in which all Our good Subjects of that City will assist you, that you cause the said Isaack Pennington, Ven, Fulke, and Manwaring, to bee apprehended and committed to safe Custody, that Wee may proceed against them as guilty of high Treason, and principall Authours of those Calamities which are now so heavy upon Our poore Subjects of that City, and if not suddenly remedied, will in a short time utterly confound a Place, and a People lately of so flourishing an estimation in all the parts of Christendome, And where as We are informed that one Browne a Wood-monger, Titchborne a Linnen-Draper, and one Harvy a Silke-man, have exercised great Insolencies and out rages in that Our City, and when many of Our good Subjects there, have assembled together in a peaceable and modest manner, to consult about the Peace and welfare of that City, the said mutinous and seditious Persons have presumed to lead Multitudes of armed Men against them, and by such force have beaten, wounded, and killed Our good Subjects; Our Will and Pleasure is, that if the said Browne, Titchborne, and Harvy, or either of them, shall so farre neglect Our gratious offer of Pardon, as still to engage themselves in those unwarrantable and seditious courses, That you Our Sheriffes of London, rayse power to suppresse the said force, and that you and all Our Ministers of Iustice, use your utmost meanes to apprehend the said Persons, and to bring them to condigne punishment. And We doe here by Declare, That it shall be lawfull for any of Our loving Subjects, to resist and oppose the said [Page] Persons, if they shall hereafter, in such a Warlike manner, endeavour to molest them as they would doe Rebels and Traytours: And We hope that all Our good Subjects of that Our much injured City of London, doe take notice of Our Grace and Favour towards them in our so freely passing by and pardoning the Offences there committed against Us, as Wee have offered by Our Proclamation and Our late Answer; and of Our very earnest desire to bee with them, and to reside amongst them for their Comfort, Support, and Protection, if they shall, by first providing for their owne security (in such manner as We have directed them in Our late Answer) give Us an instance that We may be safe there too; And that they doe likewise observe, that being by such violence kept from them, Wee have done Our utmost endeavour to continue and advance the decayed trading of that Our City, by permitting and encouraging all resort and traffique thither, and therefore if by the stopping of Carriages, and seizing Commodities by other men, the commerce and correspondence be broken betweene that place and Our good Subjects of other Counties, they will impute that mischiefe to the true Authours of it, and looke upon Us onely as not able to helpe them. Doe but your Duties, and this Cloud, which threatens a present confusion, will quickly vanish away, and you will enjoy all the Blessings of a happy Nation, to the which no endeavour of Ours shall bee wanting.

Given at our Court at OXFORD, this 17. day of IANUARY. 1642.

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HIS MAjESTIES LETTER AND DECLARATION TO THE SHERIFFES and CITTY of LONDON.

Ianuary 17. 1642.

Printed, by His MAjESTIES Command, AT OXFORD, Ianuary 18.

By LEONARD LICHFIELD Printer to the Vniversity. 1642.

Information about this book

Title statement

His Majesties letter and declaration to the sheriffes and city of London. Ianuary 17, 1642

England and Wales. Sovereign (1625-1649 : Charles I)

Edition statement

1642

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

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Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2009-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

B02013

ID [STC]

Wing C2385B

ID [STC]

ESTC R223452

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

51784438

ID [OCLC]

ocm 51784438

ID [VID]

174857

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. B02013)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 174857)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English Books, 1641-1700 ; 2703:16)

Source

— His Majesties letter and declaration to the sheriffes and city of London. Ianuary 17, 1642, England and Wales. Sovereign (1625-1649 : Charles I), Charles I, King of England, 1600-1649., City of London (England). Court of Common Council..

Extent

[2], 6 p.

by Leonard Lichfield, printer to the university.,. Printed by His Majesties command, at Oxford, Ianuary 18. :: 1642.. (Reproduction of original in: Bodleian Library.)

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