His Majesties PROPOSALS Touching the ARMY AND His Remodstrance concerning the Citizens of London, His Son Charles Prince of VVales, and all other Christian Princes throughont Europe, in case He be not speedily inthroned.
- FIrst, That no Law can judge a King, or make him rightly to suffer death by any power.
- 2 That though He suffers under them by restraint, yet his Irish Subjects will come in their time and rescue Him.
- 3 That all men when they find that great decay of trade, which will be, if the Kingdome be not setled by him, they will rescue [Page 2]him.
- 4 That He knowes what an influence is from the people upon him; That, that if he be not restored, they will not be satisfied.
- 5 That the kingdome is generally well pleased with what he condescended to, as very great on his part, at the Treaty with the Parliament.
- 6 That the City of London are of great power both in purse and strength, and will oppose any that shall seek to destroy him.
- 7 That reliefe will come to him from severall parts of Christendome.
- 8 That his Sonne Prince Charles is able to raise a good strength in France and Holland.
These Proposals are said to be written and dictated by his Majesty, to divers Officers of the Army, who returned this Answer.
- 1 That there is not only example hereof in other parts, but in Scotland, yea, and England also, of the 35 last Kings, above twenty were imposed and deposed by power.
- 2 That nothing will ruine his Majesty more, than joyning with the Irish against his Protestant Subjects.
- 3 That there will be a sudden course taken for setling of trade, and inriching the kingdome.
- 4 That Law and Justice being executed, it will render great satisfaction to the people.
- 5 That the kingdom cannot be satisfied with Ormonds negotiation with the Rebels in Ireland.
- 6 That the City of London will bee new modelled, and begins to be framed to a pretty good order, and temper, since the putting of Malignants out of power and authority.
- 7 That forreign forces cannot daunt the spirits of the Souldiery of England.
- 8 That the French have troubles enough at home, by the present distractions in the City of Paris, and that the Prince wants money for facilitating his design in Holland.
Prince Charles His Message.
THe Prince of Wales, with his Councel, hath had some consultation touching the affaits of England, and the present state and condition of the King, and are resolved to make ready the Fleet, to put to Sea, having taken an oath & protestation, to hazard life and fortune for the rescuing of his Royall Father (the King) from the power of the Army. Most of the Brasse Guns that were in the revolted ships are taken out and sold, all but such as were fit for the field, and put iron ones in their roome, which ships are to be commanded by Prince Rupert, the Prince is to return to his Mother, the Duke goes to a University, this Fleet of ships are to go first for Garnsey, Garsey, and Silly, and settle those Islands, then to Ireland, to settle the Marq. of Ormond, for reducing that Kingdome to the obedience of his Majesty, and then comes an Army over into Wales, and so for England, That such prizes as shall be taken, or other kind of Marchandizing Trade given, Agents are dispersed to the severall Princes and States of Christendom, for freedom, as formerly with his Majesty of England. This Message is said to be sent from the Prince to the aforesaid kingdoms.
For augmentation of this Fleet, and to make it more formidable against the English, all undone, deeayed, and discontented Gentlemen, are invited to joyn and provide ships, which is in part done, divers being gone out of the West parts already to Silly and Ireland.
There goes with Prince Rupert 1000. Souldiers, besides Saylors, also very many Gentlemen or Reformadoes, whose purses are emptied in Holland: the Inhabitants of the Island of Garnsey its said, must be moulded into Regiments, and employed by Sea or Land, as being like to prove more advantageous then there livelyhood here: besides, other notable designs on foot, for the raising of new Forces against the English Army.
A Remonstrance from the Prince of Wales.
HIs Highnesse the Prince of Wales, having received severall informations & complaints from the English Marchants, of their great losses which they have lately sustaind at Sea, by a pretended Fleet for the King under the conduct of Sir William Mucknell, who (with a with a Squadron of Irish ships (consisting of about 11 in number) lies hovering up and down the narrow Seas, seizing on divers Marchants ships, and others, to the great retarding and obstructing of the Trade and Commerce at Sea: In consideration whereof, his Highnesse forthwith called a Councel, aboard the Reformation, and after some consultation, came to these results, and resolved.
That a Message should be forthwith sent to the Marchants of London, and others, purporting, That his Highnesse would take a speedy course▪ for prevention of future injuries, and that he had sent an expresse command to the said Vice Admirall Mucknell, to desist from acting any thing whatsoever, that may tend to the obstructing or hindering of Commerce at Sea, protesting, That he is so far from harboring the least thought of violence or oppression, either to the Citizens of London, or any other of his Majesties liege people of England, that he would rather sacrifice his life then be guilty of the least action of tyranny. And therefore desires, that these his resentments may be communicated to the Citizens of London, and all others whom it may concern; to the end, that traffique and commerce both by Sea and Land may be maintained and preserved throughout all his Majesties Realms and Dominions.
But notwithstanding all their faire pretences whatsoever, none are more active and inveterate against the peace of England, [Page 5]than those who are in highest esteem with the Prince, Divers forces are raising in several parts of these Provinces, another Army in Denmark, and great provision making for War; but what their Design is, we cannot as yet discover, but it is supposed for England.
The Officers and Souldiers in Dover Castle have humbly declared their sense and resolution to his Excellency the Lord Gen. Fairfax, desiring that his Excellency would bee pleased to proceed in what is justly proposed, that the Kingdom may not bee beguiled with the specious pretences of our subtile adversaries, but that Delinquents may be punished, our liberties confirmed, and the Kingdom setled, to the glory of God and for his people; for the effecting of which without respect to our private interests, we shall willingly with our lives in our hands, encounter with the great difficulties, which really ingage in what may manifest our selves,
A new Remonstrance to his Excellency.
1 We do seriously profess, that though your former procedings against that Generation were exceedingly prospered, beyond the parallell of former ages, and had engraven upon them the kindnesse of God to a distressed people; yet they had but served to make us more exquisitly miserable, if your former Conquests should have acquiesced in the actions of that House; who were bringing your conquered prisoner with honour and safety to sit upon his Throne of power, Majesty, and Greatnesse, without satisfaction for the bloud that hath been spilt both by Sea and Land, or sufficient provision made for the security of the liberties of England.
2 We were filled with sorrow when we saw the abominable Apostacy, and degenerated actings of the majority of [Page 6]the House of Commons, who after we had bought their security with our most precious bloud and treasure, should by treating with the King, so cruelly sell us into the bloud and revenge of him, and his confederats, so contrary to their first principles and Declarations; the consideration whereof, as it filled us with amazement, so it drew from us thereof a mutual Remonstrance, to live and dy, and stand and fall with your Excellency, for the establishing of peace and righteousnesse, in our native, bleeding, and languishing King dome.
Letters from Windsor Decem. 27. intimates, that his Majesty is very pleasant and merry, since his comming thither, and takes much delight in disputing the case of the army: further purporting, that his Maj. is determined to draw up a Message to be sent to the Lord Gen. Fairfax, by way of gratulation, for his present accommodation, and that He may be admitted to London, to confer with his Excellency about some things of weighty importance, in relation to the unanimous establishing of his bleeding Kingdoms, protesting to make future provision for the Souldiery, and to give all due and lawfull satisfaction in all things desired by the Army.