His Majesties DECLARATION To all His loving SUBJECTS; CONCERNING The Remonstrance of the ARMY. Delivered to the Commissioners on Wednesday last; And brought by the Post on Thursday Novemb. 23. to be forthwith printed and published.
Together with His Majesties Letter to the Lord Generall Fairfax; And His Protestation and Proposals to all the Officers and Souldiers in the Army, Who acts contrary to the will of His Majesty, or the desire of his two Houses of Parliament.
Likewise, the Declaration of Col. Hamond, concerning the King. And his Letter to the House of Peers.
Read and debated in Parliament, Novemb. 23. 1648.
London, Printed for Richard Brysons, 1648.
His Majesties DECLARATION Concerning the ARMY, AND His Resolution touching their late Remonstrance, to proceed by the way of Charge against His Royall person.
HIs Majesty having received a Copy of the chief Heads and Representation of the Remonstrance of the Army, upon reading the same, declared a great dislike thereof, and uttered many sad and solentary [Page 2] expressions, in reference to the same; who after reading thereof, desired a conference with the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Salisbury, and the rest of the Clergy attending his Royall person, which being assented to, his Majesty remonstrated and declared the grievances of his oppressed and afflicted heart, which followeth in these words.
VVHereas divine providence hath beene my sole protector, and his Almighty power the chiefe Anchor whereon my hopes and confidence did and shall depend; I shall therefore in this dismall and distracted Age remonstrate unto you, before my departure hence, the sad and heavy contemplations of my opressed and grieved hart, occasioned t [...]e by voice and sentence of the Army against Our Royall person and Family, and their resolution to proceed against us, by the way of Charge: However, I shall say with the blessed Psalmist, and the patient Sufferer, Thy will bee done, O Lord, and not mine, and shall indeavour to submit my will unto the will of the Lord, that so I may be able to beare and undergoe the crosse and type of Christ in all adversity, tribulation, and affliction whatsoever.
His Majesty having thus graciously and compassionately declared his present apprehensions of the feares and jealousies arising within his Royall Breast, arising from the late Councels and consultations of the Army; the Bishop of London, and the Bishop of Salisbury [Page 3] made each of them a speech, tending to the supporting of his Majesties troubled spirits in these dangerous and perilous times of adversity.
The Duke of Richmond, and the rest of the Nobility at Court, have declared their sense and resolution to his Majesty, and have moved the parliaments Commissioners to write to both Houses, concerning the Armies Demonstration for the executing of Justice on the person of the King.
These things, upon serious debate and consultation, hath caused the Royall party to propose severall particulars to his Majesty for expediting of the Treaty, & putting a small end to his Concessions; but (as yet) they have taken little effect: for his Majesty declares a great unwillingnesse to passe any thing against the Marquis of Ormond, untill the Treaty be wholly ended: but hath promised upon his Royall word, that he will not depart this Island for 20 dayes to come, beginning the 19. instant, and therefore desireth liberty and freedom; which the better to effect, his Majesty hath sent a Letter to the Lord Gen. Fairfax, desiring his admission and Grant for performance of the same. As for his consenting to the abolishing of Episcopacy, and the sale of Bishops Lands, though so much conducing in the opinion of all his Restoration: yet its generally conceiv'd he will not yeild therein: and the rather, because whats like to happen by way of difference.
Dated from His Majesties Court at Newport, Novemb. 22. 1648.
The Proposals of the parliament touching the Demands of the Army.
THe Honourable Court of Parliament having received a Remonstrance, or Declaration, from the Army, containing divers Proposals exceeding high and of great consequence; and upon debate thereof, divers of the dis-assenting Members declared a great dislike thereof, and his Majesties moderate friends desired it might be laid aside for some certain dayes, others moved that it might be ejected; and in the conclusion, after they had sufficiently declared their full sense touching the Desires of the Army, they resolved to lay it aside till Munday next.
After reading the said Remonstrance, Mr. Pryn made a very learned Speech, concerning the Demands of the Army, his expressions tending much to the dishonour of them, who argued very stifly against the unlawfulnesse of their Demands.
Divers other Members seconded him, and desired to insist no further thereon, but to wave their Proposals for a time.
Yet notwithstanding the said Arguments and Desires, the well-affected party declared a great unwillingnesse to dispense with any time, but to insist thereon immediatly, and to endeavour to give all speedy & possible satisfaction to them in all things by them desired.
The Declaration of the Citizens of London, concerning the Demands of the Army.
WHereas we have lately received a Paper intituled the Remonstrance or Declaration of the Army, touching the King, We do unanimously declare, That Wee [Page 5] shall willingly and freely comply with them therein, for the executing exemplary Justice upon all capitall Offenders, and endeavour the restitution of the Freeborn people of England to their common Rights, Liberties, and Freedoms, protesting to live and dye with them therein, for obtaining, effecting, and making future provision for the same.
These mutuall expressions are said to proceed from those Citizens, who are known and distinguished by the Badge of Independency; But it is said, that the Presbyterian party, and others, are resolved to thwart them in their Engagement, and to declare against some particular Demands of the Army, whom they conceive to be too high and unreasonable.
But concur with them in their Proposition for the executing of Justice upon the visible enemies of peace provided a favourable construction may be had on his Majesties former actions and proceedings, and that they may bee weighed in the Ballance of Equity and Compassion.
Novemb. 22. Letters from the Isle of Wight say, That his Majesty begins to grow exceeding discontented and melancholy, and feareth much the present Overtures of the Army, touching their seizing on his Royall person, which hath occasioned many sundry contemplative expressions from his Majesty, who saith, that if they execute their wills on Him, by spilling of his Royall bloud, He feareth divers more will follow. These dismall Representations causeth much sadnesse and mourning throughout [Page 6] severall corners of the Nation. But it is thought that some new addresses will be made from the severall Counties, to the Parliament and Army, in behalf of their dread Soveraign the King.
Other Letters from the Isle of Wight say, that his Majesty hath solicited Col. Hamond (Governor therof) that none may have the power and protection of his person but himself, and those who were intrusted formerly by his two Houses; but the said Colonell hath declared to the contrary, being weary of so great a charge, and hath sent a Letter to the House of Peers (which was this day read) humbly desiring their Lordships to take off from him the care of the Kings person, and to make such provision for him; as they in their wisdoms shall think fit, to the end that he may be discharged of the said trust or imployment.
And the said Letters further make mention, that his Maiesty hath againe debated the heads of the Armies Remonstrance, and doth declare a very ill sense thereof, protesting that he had formerly a good opinion of them, and little thought that they would have ever acted so contrary to his expectation, and their former promises; and therefore desireth the omnipotent God of Heaven (to whom vengeance doth belong) to repay them according to their own deserts, and to act by them▪ as they intend to deal by Him.
VIVAT REX.