THE WONDER, OR, PROPOSITIONS FOR A SAFE AND WELL-GROVNDED PEACE.

Proposed by a Parliament man, full of Honour, Honesty, and Satisfaction, And most worthy to be pursued, and Embraced by all Patriots and true-hearted Englishmen.

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LONDON. Printed in the Year, 1648.

The PREFACE.

HAving since the first beginning of this Parli­ament observed the differences therein, both in their breeding & continuance; the people holding themselves grieved with illegall pressures put upon them, both in the freedom of their Persons, the propriety of their Goods, and the liberty of their Consciences; and these wrought by particular men for sinister ends by their interests in Court, to the disturbance of the quiet and peace of the Kingdome, as it stood establish'd by Law: These occasioned a desire by most men, not only to prevent the like for the fu­ture, but also the punishing of such as were conceived to be Authors, Procurers, or Supporters thereof, thereby to deterre others from doing the like hereafter. And this trench't upon both Courtiers, Lawyers, and Divines. The meanes to reconcile and prevent which, as the times now are, hath incited me, being a Member of this present Parliament; and conceiving my self in duty bound to tender my best advice for the speedy ending of this most barbarous and unnaturall War that is now raging amongst us, which can produce no better effect, if not timely ended, then a generall destruction of the Nation, who are now become a Scorne and Contempt to all Neighbours, (who were before look't upon with great honour and respect, yea, not without envy.) Besides, the high wrath of Almighty God, by the courses held and obser­ved in the prosecution thereof: I professe by this advice, not to look upon my self, but meerly the good of my native [Page 2]Country; and that, which I conceive my self bound to, both by the Oath of Allegeance, Supremacy, and the Protestati­on which I took this Parliament. And this without respect of any party, futher then my judgement shall lead me to. And I shall likewise give this testimony of my own sincerity herein, that I being a Commoner of this Kingdome, and knowing no where else to live but in England, & here, under a peaceable and free Government. In all just things, shall adhere to the Common-wealth, and the liberties of the Sub­ject; yet no way hereby to detract from the King, what may justly be due to the Regall Power, and which it can no way be abridged of, whithout too much diminution: I have alwayes conceived, & still do, that the Regall Power ought to be limi­ted by the Law; And if it be debarr'd of its due course in the execution thereof, God defend, but the people upon generall complaints should have remedy therein, especially to prevent the like in succeeding times, considering the Government we live in is a mixt Government, by consent betweene the King and the People, as to my sense doth manifestly appear by the words of the Oath of Coronation; which being obser­ved, the people, as bound in Conscience, ought to yeild the King all due Honour and Obedience to His just Commands. Thus I have declared unto you, the opennesse of my heart, herein leaving the following advise to your best judge­ments, with my Prayers to God, to give such successe therein, as I, in the Integrity of my heart doe desire.

A Ready way, as is conceived, to Com­pose the present differences as the times now are.
By a Member of the House of Commons this present Parliament.

1. THat the King be immediately sent for to come to Hampton Court, without any conditions or guard whatsoever, but according to His Majesties own pleasure.

2. That the King, before His comming to Hampton, This is as much as the King can doe, or the peo­ple can require. doe Publish His Proclamation of free Pardon to all His Subjects of what quality or condition soever, and for all faults whatsoever, against Himself, His Crown and Dignity.

3. Without which He cannot ad­minister Iustice to His people. That the King be forthwith restored to all His just Revenues and Regall Power, which by Law is due to Him.

4. This in sub­stance, being but the same Oath as He takes at his Coronation, and iterated only to keep more fresh in memory: And being presiden­ted by Magna Charta which was confirm'd 30 times at least: the first out of every succeeding Parliament. That His Majesty take a Corporall Oath not to Governe any way but according to the known Lawes of the Kingdome. And whosoever Sub-minister of His shall do otherwise, to the prejudice of the Subject, ei­ther in point of liberty of their persons, or propriety of their goods, He will grant them no pardon, but leave them to the justice of the Law. And likewise to give His Royall Assent to an Act of Parliament for His Suc­cessours to take the like Oath, the beginning of every Parliament before both Houses, for the same.

5. That a Proclamation be published for the Disban­ding of all Souldiers within the Kingdome, and bring­ing in of their Armes within ten dayes after such Procla­mation upon paine of High Treason, against all Refusers and their Abettors.

6. That the Church-Government may stand as it is E­stablished by Law, having respect to tender Consciences untill such time as it shall be altered by due course of Law.

7. This being the motion of the Dutch Ambas­sadours, who came over to intercede a peace between the King and His people. That His Majesty will be pleased to promise the speedy convening of a Nationall Synod of forty Divines of His Majesties owne Subjects. And that the Refor­med Protestant Churches may be entreated to send some of their Divines, such as themselves shall make choice of to assist therein, for Establishing and Rectify­ing such an Unity and Conformity with all other Pro­testant Churches as shall be by consent agreed upon, whereby to preserve Unity with them, both in Doctrine and Discipline; which agreement His Majesty will Consent to have confirmed by Act of Parliament.

8. This is as much as can be requi­red for the peo­ples security both for the present and fu­ture. That His Majesty will be pleased to promise to give the Royall Assent to such Bils to be made Lawes, as shall be presented unto Him by both Houses, in a full, free, and Legall Parliament, which shall no way intrench upon His Majesties Legall Prerogative, Honour, or Pro­fit, but only such as tend to the better Government, and ease of the Subjects, for the future.

9. This is presi­dented by Mag­na Charta, when it was first granted. That His Majesty will be pleased to grant these for the present under His Hand. And which He will confirme at His first coming to Liberty to some House of His own.

10. And if these shall be refused to be done, either by King or Parliament, the blame may justly be imputed to lie there: And are very necessary to precede a Perso­nall Treaty, wherein all Interests may be taken into con­sideration.

FINIS.

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