JOYFULL NEWES FROM THE KING, Concerning his comming to London; And a Declaration of His proceedings with the Commissioners for an Agreement for Peace.
UPon Satterday last, severall papers were presented to our Commissioners by his Majesty, purporting his earnest Desires to come to London, and sit with his two Houses at Westminster, there to treat [...]pon the great and important affairs of the Kingdom; [...]ut this will not be assented to, untill further satisfaction [Page 2] be given to the four first Bills, contained in the Propositions.
The great businesse insisted on is, the proposition for setling Religion, which is like to take up some time, his Majesty gave in a paper to the Commissioners of the Reasons wherefore he could not condiscend to the taking away Bishops, and the Government by Bishops, the treaty hereupon hath held all the last week, and nothing yet concluded on, yet most are of opinion His Maj. will assent, and this proposition being over, there is lesse doubt the other in course will be agreed on.
His Maj. hath promised to deliver in his positive answer this present Munday; which if it be but satisfactory, no doubt but there will be a good conclusion of all to an happy peace.
Newport 9. Octob. 1648. New propositions presented, to his Majesty.
1 That your Maj. according to the laudable example of your Royall Father of happy memory, may be pleased to swear and sign the late Solemn League and Covenant; and that an act of Parl. be passed, for the injoyning the taking thereof by all the subjects of the Kingdom, &c.
2 That a Bill be passed for the utter abolishing and taking away of all Arch-bishops, Bishops, their Chancellors, and Commissaries, Deans and Sub-Deans, and all other Officers whatsoever, out of the Church of England and Dominion of Wales; and out of the Church of Ireland.
3 That the Ordinances concerning the calling and sitting of the Assembly of Divines, be confirmed by Act of parliament.
[Page 3]4 That Reformation of Religion according to the Covenant be setled by act of parliament, in such manner as both Houses have agreed, or shall agree upon after consultation had with the Assembly of Divines.
5 That for the more effectuall disabling Jesuits, priests, papists, and popish Recusants from disturbing the State, and deluding the Laws; and for the better discovering, and speedy conviction of popish Recusants, an Oath be established by act of parliament to be administred to them, wherein they abjure and renounce the popes Supremacy, the Doctrine of Transubstantiation, purgatory, worshipping of the Consecrated Hoast, Crucifixes and Images, and all popish Superstitions and Errors; and refusing the said Oath, being tendred in such manner as shall be appointed by the said Act, to be a sufficient Conviction of popish Recusants.
6 An Act or Acts of parliament for education of the children of papists by protestants, in the protestant Religion.
7 An Act for the true Leavy of the penalties against them, which penalties to be levied and disposed in such manner as both Houses shall agree on, wherein to be provided that his Majesty shall have no losse.
8 That an act be passed in parliament, whereby the practises of papists may be prevented, and a stricter course taken to prevent tht saying or hearing of Mass in the Court, or any other part of this Kingdom, or the Kingdom of Ireland.
To the four first, its said his Maj. makes some scruple at: to the latter, we hear, that He gave his Royall assent on Munday last.
The Propositions of Prince Charles to the Earl of Warwick, their Ingagement at Sea, and a dangerous Fight thereupon.
VPon the neer approach of our Fleet to the revolted ships, the Princes Mariners began to mutiny; His Highness caused a Councell to be called, & advised with his Officers of a speedy & facile way to unite the said ships; and it was agreed, that every chief Officer in the ships should declare, that His Highnesse had procured 6000. li. in Gold, which they should have amongst them, with many other promises and perswasions, that the treaty would end all differences, both by Sea and Land, and then they should come off with more honour, then accepting of an Act of Indempnity now; and finding that the Saylers were somwhat pacified for the present, the Prince sent a Message to the Lord Admirall, declaring his great dislike that his Lordship should endeavour any way to draw His servants from Him, requiring him to desist for the future to do the like, and come and joyn with Him; which doing, He would procure a pardon for him from the King His Royall Father.
The L. Admirall answered, that he takes it in dishonor that either in himself, or any others, there should be the least thought of his breaking the trust reposed in him; acquainting his Highnesse, that if he were exposed to the greatest extremity that is incident to man, he would neever dissert the Parliaments service; and being in a good [Page 5] condition at Sea, his advice to the Prince was, to come & joyn with the Parl. but its thought nothing will be effected till its known how the treaty goes, and we hear that Sir T. Lunsford hath bin lately dispatcht privately from the Brill for the Isle of VVight upon some Message to the King, or for some instructions or advice from those that attend his Mai. this treaty.
By other intelligence we likewise hear, that M. Murrey is gone for England, but upon what Design as yet. we cannot hear.
Some of our ships ride within two leagues of the revolted ships, with whom we would fain ingage, but as yet cannot; for the Hollander instead of securing those revolted ships of the parl. of England (a service which in some measure might well be expected at their hands) by holding a neutrality, say they will prevent acts of hostility neer unto their parts, though it were never so many for promoting the affaires of the Parliament. Some assistance of Volunteers is said to be expected from Denmarke which hath beene long spoken of and is still likely, to be as slowly performed for we hear of none that come to the revolted ships, but some few which fled out of England, who are like to have as good a match by comming over to join with them, that are like to mutiny among themselves as the Hollanders had by coveting and engrossing the new Gold that of late they got out of England, or as those which adventured 7000 li. Armes to recrute Duke Hambletons forces, which were taken the last week going for Scotland. Some action hath happened between the two Fleets, upon the Princes indeavour to sayl from Gory, and two of his ships in danger of sinking.
From aboard the George 7 Octob. 1648.
Letters from the Isle of Wight say, that the King hath lately received a message from France, which represent things there in a very sad condition, as to himself and friends, and that the Queen cannot b ing about her Design for England, the English quarrel beginning to be a la mode de France.
His Majesty is possest with the sad condition of the Scots, yet saith, that their Conquerors in the North are worthy of unparallel'd honour, whose further transactions and Declaration therein, he much expects and accordingly will make his Concessions in the main, which is not to be looked for till the 40 dayes are almost expired.
It is said that his Maj. hath given his positive answer to the second Bill, and hath also given his royall word to passe the same; and that He is very well satisfied in judgment, with the Aswer from the Divines, to his paper for Episcopacy, which was