THE PROPOSALLS DELIVERED TO THE Earl of Nottingham, and the rest of the Commissioners of Parliament, resi­ding with the Army, from his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, and the Army. Resolved upon at a Generall Councell of Warre held at Reading July 17. 1647.

With a Message sent by the Lord Wharton to the Parliament: And a Letter to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Councell, concerning the Disposall of the Militia of London into the former hands.

By the appointment of his Excel. Sir Thomas Fairfax, and the Councell of Warre.

Signed John Rushworth Secre.

LONDON; Printed by Matthew Simmons for John Pounset, and are to be sold at his Shop at the signe of the hand and Bible, at the lower end of Budge-row neere Dowgate. 1647.

These severall ensuing particulars, being considered, debated, and resolved upon at a Generall Councell of Warre (his Excel­lency being present) wee the Commissioners of the Army were appointed (in the name and behalfe of them) to present the same to your Lordships, and the Commissioners to be ten­dred with all speed to the Parliament; which wee accordingly offer and desire your speedy care therein; That so an Answer (according to the desire and expecta­tion of the Army) may be speedily returned to these Particulars.

1. THat there be an effectuall Decla­ration forthwith published to the whole Kingdome, against the inviting, bringing or com­ing in of any forraine Forces, under any pretence whatsoever.

2. That the Army may be paid up equall with the Desertors thereof, according to the late Votes of Parliament: And that the Army may forth­with be put into a constant course of pay, that they may not be so burdensome and oppressive to the Countrey; for the more speedy perform­ance whereof; Wee desire, That the House of Peers would be pleased to concurre with the de­sires of the House of Commons, (so often pro­posed [Page 4] to them) for the reviving of the Commit­tee for the Army, that so the Assessements and great summes in Arreares, both in the Citie and eswhere, may be by their endeavour collected for the speedy and necessary supply of the Army: And also, That the Treasurers, and the Commit­tee of Weavers-Hall, may be speedily called to Accompt, in what manner, and by what War­rant the two hundred & thirty thousand pounds, lately intrusted in their hands, have been in so short a time consumed.

3. That the Militia of the City of London, and the Committee of the same, may consist of such persons, & speedily be returned into those hands, who formerly during the worst of times, have therein given large Testimonies of their fidelity to the Parliament and Kingdome: which besides the reall security, will be to the Parliament and Kingdome in preventing of dangers repreparing towards a new warre, would conduce so much to the remooving of jealousies, and give such a ground of confidence to the Army, as that wee might the better dispose it to larger Quarters in severall parts, for the ease of the Countrey.

Reading 18. July 1647.
By the Appointment of the Commis­sioners for the Army.
William Clarke.

According to and in pursuance of the particular mentioned under the fifth Head of the Repre­sentation of the Army, wee doe earnestly desire:

THat all persons imprisoned in England, or Domi­nion of Wales, (not for Delinquency in relation to the late Warre, but for other pretended misde­meanors) and whose imprisonment is not by the Regulated Course of Law, but by Order from ei­ther Houses of Parliament, (or of Committees flowing from them) may be put into a speedy Regular and equi­table way of tryall, or (if the necessitie of setling the generall af­faires of the Kingdome admit not their present tryall) then they may have present liberty (upon reasonable security) for their ap­pearance at a certain day, to answer what shall be charged against them in a legall way. And that when they shall be tryed, if they appeare wrongfully, or unduly imprisoned, they may have repa­ration according to their sufferings.

In particular, wee desire this may be done in behalfe of Lievte­nant Colonell John Lilbourne, M r Musgrave, M r Overton, and o­thers (in their Condition) imprisoned in and about London.

Reading July 18. 1647.
By the Appointment of his Ex­cellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, and his Councell of Warre. Signed,
John Rushworth.

A Letter to the Lord Major, Court of Aldermen, and Common-Counsell, of the City of LONDON.

My Lord and Gentlemen;

IN the carying on of the great bu­sinesses of the Kingdom towards a generall and happy settlement, it hath been a fixed principle with us to make it our first endeavour with the Parliament, that all things which threaten an engagement of the King­dom in a second Warre, might be removed before we could have a confident expectation of a good issue; upon a Treaty with their Commissioners, which course of ours, although it might have some appear­ance of delay: yet by men that are zealous of the King­domes good (we hope) no endeavour will be judged unnecessary, that may secure the Kingdom from the danger of any new imbroylements.

Wee are now come thus far, that the most ma­teriall particulars which we have in preparation to propose, for the generall settlement of the affaries of the Kingdom, have bin communicated to the Parlia­ments Commissioners; and we hope they are satisfied, that they containe in them things tending to a generall good, and to lay an hopefull Foundation for common Right, and Freedom, to the people of this Land for future; and for a lasting peace amongst us. But be­fore we can securely intend and without interruption apply our selves, unto the proceedings and dispatch of the Treaty, there upon wee have delivered into [Page 7] the hands of their Comissioners, the Paper which consists of three particulars, in the last whereof (which is the Militia of the City) you being most im­mediately concerned, to the end you may see we would aske nothing which relates to you, without giving you a just account thereof, and all possible satisfaction therein; we have also given a Coppy thereof to your Commissioners, to be here with sent unto you. Wee should not desire this, or any thing else of that nature, were wee not perswaded, that what wee desire is sea­sonable, and for yours and the Kingdomes good and quiet. And wee should willingly have been silent (as to this:) but considering the just jealousies which lye against some persons, now authorized in the ex­ercise of that power amongst you, and those attempts which have bin made by some, who would have engaged your City, to a Warre, had not your Lordships and the Court of Aldermen and Common-Councell, by your wisdome prevented it, by geting those Votes which were passed by the Militia, made Null; Wee cannot in a case of this importance but deale freely with you, in desiring your concurrence with ours to the Parliament; that the Militia may be changed into those hands, out of which it was taken, of whose care and fidelity to the Publicke, there hath been so long and large experience, as few ages have paralell'd. And if the interest wee have so long sought for be still the same, let it not seeme strange that wee desire both of the Parliament and City, that those may be in places of such a Trust, who have given the best proofe of their courage and constancy in profecution of the same.

Having thus far declared our selves with all freedom and clearnesse to you, as we do not doubt of your good [Page 8] acceptance of our intention therein, so we desire your forwardnesse in a worke so much tending to mutuall confidence; and to prevent the designes of any who would beglad to put obstructions in the way to a hap­py conclusion, and envie nothing more then the con­tinuance of a right understanding between you and us.

Reading July 19. 1647.
By the appointment of his Excell. Sir Thomas Fair­fax and the Counsell of Warre.
Signed Jo: Rushworth Secret.
May it please your Lordship;

WEE made a dispatch unto you last night very late, by the Post, and gave you then a generall account of our proceedings.

And after the reading of the Proposals mentioned in that dispatch; had some papers brought unto us, by Sir Hardres Waller, and other officers, contai­ning some desires of the Army, in order to their present security: which papers, before they were transcribed, were sent for backe againe.

Wee expect the returne of them this day, and shall thereupon transmit them to your Lordship with all speed.

In the meane time, it was held fit to desire the L. Wharton to come up to you, for your more perfect knowledge in any thing that may relate to our former dispatches, and that nothing may be wanting on our parts in discharge of the trust reposed in us. Who are

Redding July 19. 1647.
Your Lordships humble servants NOTTINGHAM.

Since the writing of this Letter, these inclosed papers have been brought unto us by some of the Officers of the Army, which wee held our duty immediately to send to you.

FINIS.

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