VVE the Commons in Parliament assembled, well remembring that in the beginning of this War, divers Protestations, Declarations and Suggestions were spred abroad by the King, and those that did adhere unto him, where­by our sincere Intentions for the publike good were misrepresented, and the mindes of many posses­sed with a beleef, that our Resolutions and proceedings were grounded upon needlesse fears and jealousies, and that there was no necessary and just cause of the present War; the un­truth and deceitfulnesse whereof, by the good hand of God miraculously discovering the secrets of our Enemies, dis­posing and blessing our Affairs, time and experience have since fully manifested, to the undeceiving of those that were seduced thereby; which mistakes of the people by this artifice and cunning of the Enemy, for some time much blemished the Justice of this Cause, and not onely prolong­ed the War, but hazarded the successe thereof: And if the Enemy by these means had prevailed, how dangerous the Consequences would have been is most apparent.

And now observing, that when it hath pleased God so to blesse our Endeavours, and the Actions of our Forces and Armies, as that the Enemy is in dispair to accomplish his designes by War; and we are brought into good hopes of attaining and enjoying that which with so much expence of blood and treasure we have contended for: There are still the same spirits stirring, and humors working as in the begin­ning, though under other disguises, and upon other grounds▪ putting false constructions as well upon what hath already [Page 4] passed the Houses, as upon the things under present debate, and misrepresenting our Intentions in the use we desire to make of this great successe which God hath given us, and the happy opportunity to setle Peace and Truth in the three Kingdoms, not ceasing, as well in Print as otherwise, to beget a beleef that we now desire to exceed or swerve from our first Ayms and Principles i [...] the undertaking this War, and to recede from the solemn League and Covenant, and Treaties between the two Kingdoms; and that we would prolong these uncomfortable troubles and bleeding distra­ctions, in order to alter the Fundamental Constitution and Frame of this Kingdom, to leave all Government in the Church loose and unsetled, and our selves to exercise the same Arbitrary power over the persons and estates of the Subjects, which this present Parliament hath thought fit to abolish, by taking away the Star▪Chamber, High Commission, and other Arbitrary Courts, and the Exorbitant Power of the Councel Table.

All which being seriously considered by us, although our Actions and Proceedings from time to time, since the beginning of this Parliament, and particularly in the man­aging this great Cause, are the best Demonstrations of our sincerity and faithfulnesse to the Publique; yet foreseeing, that if credit be given to such dangerous insinuations and false surmises, the same will not onely continue the present calamities, and involve us into new and unexpected imbroil­ments; but likewise, inevitably endanger the happy issue and successe of our Endeavours, which by Gods blessing we may otherwise hope for.

We do Declare, That our true and real Intentions are, and our Endeavours shall be to setle Religion in the Purity thereof, according to the Covenant, to maintain the ancient and fundamental Government of this Kingdom, to preserve the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, to lay hold on the first opportunity of procuring a safe and well grounded [Page 5] Peace in the three Kingdoms, and to keep a good under­standing between the two Kingdoms of England and Scot­land, according to the grounds expressed in the solemn League and Covenant and Treaties; which we desire may be inviolably observed on both parts.

And, least these generals should not give a sufficient satis­faction, we have thought fit, to the end men may be no longer abused into a misbeleef of our Intentions, or a mis­understanding of our Actions, to make this further enlarge­ment upon the particulars

And first concerning Church-Government, we having so fully declared for a Presbyterial Government, having spent so much time, taken so much pains for the setling of it, passed most of the particulars brought to us from the Assembly of Divines (called onely to Advise of such things as shall be required of them by both or either of the Houses of Parlia­ment) without any material alteration, saving in the point of Commissioners; and having published several Ordinances for putting the same in execution, because we cannot consent to the granting of an Arbitrary and unlimited Power and Ju­risdiction to near Ten thousand Judicatories to be erected within this Kingdom, and this demanded in such a way as is not consistent with the Fundamental Laws and Government of the same, and by necessary consequence excluding the Power of the Parliament of England in the exercise of that Jurisdiction, and whereof we have received no satisfaction in point of Conscience or Prudence; nor have we yet resol­ved how a due regard may be had, that tender Consciences, which differ not in any Fundamentals of Religion, may be so provided for, as may stand with the Word of God, and the Peace of the Kingdom.

It must therefore seem very strange to us, if any sober and modest man should entertain a thought, that we should settle no Government in the Church, when our unwillingnesse to subject our selves and the people of this Land to this vast [Page 6] Power, hath been a great cause that the Government hath not been long since established: And we desire it may be observed, that we have had the more reason, by no means to part with this Power out of the hands of the Civil Magi­strate, since the experience of all Ages will manifest, That the Reformation and purity of Religion, and the preserva­tion and protection of the people of God in this Kingdom, hath, under God, been by the Parliaments and their exercise of this Power: And our full Resolutions still are, sincerely, really and constantly, through the grace of God, to endea­vour the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of Eng­land and Ireland, in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and Govern­ment, according to the Word of God, and the Example of the best Reformed Churches, and according to our Covenant.

Whence it may appear to all men, That those Rumours and Aspersions whereby the mindes of men are so disturbed for want of the present setling of Church-Government, are to be applyed to those, who (having a sufficient Power and Direction from the Houses on that behalf) have not as yet put the same in execution.

And whereas a safe and good Peace is the right end of a just War, there is nothing we have more earnestly desired, nor more constantly laboured after, and to that purpose, both Houses of Parliament have framed several Propositions to be sent to the King, such as they hold necessary for the present and future safety and good of this Kingdom; some of which are transmit­ted from both Houses, to our Brethren of Scotland, where they now remain; Whose consent, that they may speedily be sent to the King, we shall not doubt to obtain, since the Parliament of England is and ought to be sole and proper Judge of what may be for the good of this Kingdom: The same liberty having been alwayes by us admitted to the Kingdom of Scotland in all things that concern that Kingdom; wherein we are so far from altering the fundamental Constitution and Government of this Kingdom, by King, Lords and Commons, that we have onely [Page 7] desired, that with the consent of the King such powers may be setled in the two Houses, without which we can have no assurance, but that the like or greater mischiefs then these which God hath hitherto delivered us from, may break out again, and engage us in a second and more destructive War.

Whereby it plainly appears, our intentions are not to change the ancient frame of Government within this King­dom, but to obtain the end of the Primitive Institution of all Government, the safety and weal of the people, not judging it wise or safe, after so bitter experience of the bloody con­sequences of a pretended Power of the Militia in the King, to leave any colourable Authority in the same for the future attempts of introducing an Arbitrary Government over this Nation, and protecting Delinquents, Enemies of our Religion and Liberties, by force from the Justice of Parlia­ment, the first and chiefest grounds of the Parliaments ta­king up Arms in this Cause.

And although the necessity of War hath given some di­sturbance to Legal proceedings, stopped the usual course of Iustice, enforced the Parliament, for the preservation of this State, to impose and require many great and unusual pay­ments from the good Subjects of this Kingdom, and to take extraordinary wayes for procuring of Moneys for their many pressing occasions; It having pleased God to reduce our Affairs into a more hopeful condition then heretofore: We do Declare, That we will not, nor any by colour of any Authority derived from us, shall interrupt the ordi­nary course of Justice in the several Courts and Judica­tories of this Kingdom, nor i [...]ermeddle in cases of pri­vate Interest otherwhere determinable, unlesse it be in case of Male-Administration of Justice, wherein we shall see and provide, that right be done, and punishment inflicted as there shall be occasion, according to the Laws of the Kingdom, and the trust reposed in us. And as both Houses have already, for the case and benefit of the people, [Page 8] taken away the Court of Wards and Liveries, with all Tenures in Capite, and by Knight Service, so we will take especial care, that as speedy and as great ease may be had in future levies of Money, by reducing of Garrisons, and otherwayes, as the pressing occasions of the Kingdom can possibly admit, and will provide by bringing Delinquents to due punishment (who have unnaturally fomented and maintained this present War against the Parliament and Kingdom) That there may be a fair possibility of satisfying the disbursements, clearing the engagements, and repairing the losses of those who have faithfully and cheerfully laid out themselves, and suffered for the Publike Service, unlesse by too great cre­dulity, given to false Suggestions, we shall be disabled from effecting what we desire.

Lastly, whereas both Nations have entred into a Solemn League and Covenant, and Treaties have been made and concluded between the two Kingdoms of England and Scot­land, we have had an especial regard of the Treaties, and have not (to our best judgements) failed of the performance of any thing which was on our part to be performed. And for the Covenant, we have been and ever shall be very care­ful duly to observe the same, that as nothing hath been done, so nothing shall be done by us, repugnant to the true mean­ing and intention thereof, and do presume, no interpretation of it (so far as it shall concern the Kingdom of England) shall by any be endeavoured to be imposed on us, other then we our selves do know to be sutable to the first just ends for which it was agreed; and we do expect, That the people of England should not receive impressions of any forced con­structions of that Covenant, which in case of any doubt arising, is onely to be expounded by them by whose Au­thority it was Established in this Kingdom, who will not depart from those grounds and principles upon which it was framed and founded.