NEW PROPOSITIONS From His Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, AGREED Upon by the Generall, Lieutenant-Generall, Colenels Lieutenant-Colenels, Majors, and Captaines, under his Excellencies Command at a late Councell of Warre.
CONCERNING, The Brotherly Meetings of Independents, and divers other well-affected People of this Kingdome. With their Desires to both Houses of Parliament concerning the same.
ALSO, Some particulars concerning the Booke of Common-Prayer. And the last Propositions from the Souldiery to his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, concerning a great Member of this Kingdome.
Published for generall satisfaction.
Imprinted at London for T: Deane, Anno 1647.
THE COPY OF A LETTER FROM Wooburn Lodge in Bedfordshire, concerning the Kings Majesty, &c.
THe particulars which I have to represent unto you at this present, are things very remarkable and of great consequence, being of ripenesse and maturity, both for the view of your Metropolis, and the whole Kingdome also: Therefore, for satisfaction [Page]of your selves, and the rest of your Fellow Commoners, I shall here communicate unto you, a Copy of some further Proposals, agreed upon by the Generall, and his Councell of War, concerning all such persons as are imprisoned under pretence of Conventicles, as likewise touching the book of Common-Prayer, together with severall other papers here enclosed; all wdich, I shall here give you in order, as followeth.
I
WHereas divers persons really affected to the weale and peace of this Kingdom, are now imprisoned & grievously vexed, by force or pretence of severall Statutes (especially intended) against all those who repaire not to some Church or Chappell to heare the Booke of Common-prayer, or against those who are popish Recusants, and by their not going to Church might be discovered: and against these who should hold any Conventicles of Meetings, to plot and conspire some mischiefe to the State. Now forasmuch as the Parliament hath declared against the Booke of Common-prayer, and that the said Act against [Page]the Conventicles was not intended against people meeting only for Religious Exercises: it is therefore desired, That all persons proceeded against upon any Statute or Act whatsoever may bee forthwith discharged from their imprisonments, indictments, or any other molestation whatsoever, by vertue of the fore-mentioned Statutes, unlesse such persons shall be proved either popish Recusants (and that by some other way then by their not coming to Church) or to have in such private Meetings as aforesaid some perjurious design, conspiracy, and practice against the State. Therefore, for a more effectuall course herein, it is desired, That the Parliament would bee pleased to give Orders for the acquitting of all persons as aforesaid, by vertue, or under pretence of the said Statutes, otherwise then as before excepted.
Assented to by the Generall, and the rest of the Officers under his Excellencies command.
A Copy of the Propositions and Desires of the Souldiery, concerning Col. Gen. Poyntz presented to his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax.
1. That your Excellency would be pleased seriously to ponder the sadnesse of our conditioq in beins destitute of a Commander in chief, of known integrity, and that accordily your Excellency would be pleased to helpe us in this our great necessitp
2. That your Excellency would be pleased to further whatsoever may couduce to our future safety, for we conceive our selves very neer to destruction, when the Enemies of our well-being have the command over us, and would willingly make us accessary to out owu thraldome.
3. That your Excellency would be pleased to cause this cdarge to be prosecuted against him by a Councell of Warre of Army more immediatly under your Excellencies command, many officers here being accsseary with him in the same undertaking.
4. These things being performed, we humbly desire your Excellencies seriously to consider our former engagements with you in former service, and to take such couse for our future supply with pay as we may not lye languishing, when our Enemies are in prosperity.
This is a perfect Copy of the four Heads or Propositions presented to his Excellency from the Northern Party,
Another Paper from his Excellency to the Lord Mayor and Common-Councel of the City of London.
IN the carrying on of the great businesses of the Kingdome 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 Kingdome in a second Warre, might be removed before we could have a confident expectation of a good issue; which 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 Kingdoms good (we hope) no endeavour will be judged unnecessary, that may secure the Kingdome from the danger of any new imbroylements.
We are now come thus far, that the most materiall particulars which we have in preparation to propose, for the generall settlement of the affaires of the Kingdome, have been communicated to the Parliaments Commissioners; and we hope they are satisfied, that they contain in them thing; 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, thereupon we have delivered into the hands of their Commissioners, the Paper which consists of three particulars, in the last whereof (which is the Militia of the City) you being most immediatly concerned, to the end you may see wee would ask nothing which relates to you, without giving you a just account thereof, and all possible satisfaction therein; we have also given a Copy thereof to your Commissioners, to be here with sent unto you. We should not desire this, ort any thing else of that nature, were we not perswaded, thas what we desire is seasonable, and for yours and the Kingdome good and quiet. And we should willingly have been silen- (as to this:) but considering the just jealousies which lye at [Page]gainst some persons, now authorized in the exercise of th [...] power amongst you, and those attempts which have beene made by some, who would have engaged your City, to [...] Warre, had not your Lordships and the Court of Aldermen and Common-Councell, by your wisdome prevented it, by getting those Votes which were passed by the Militia, made Null; We 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 Publick, there hath been so long and large Experience as few ages have paralell'd. And if the interest we have so long fought for be still the same, let it not seem strange that we 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 prosecution of the same.
Having thus far declared our selves with all freedome and clearnesse to you, as we do not your good acceptance of your intention therein, so we desire your forwa dnesse in a work so much tending to mu uall confidence; and to prevent the designes of any who would be glad to put obstructions in the way to a happy conclusion, and envy nothing more then the continuance of a right understanding betweene you and us.