WEe are very well assured this our whole Kingdome is in a muse and expectation what will be the successe of the Petition, which the Agents of Our capitall City of London presented Vs with, in the name and behalfe of the Mayor, Alder­men, Common Councell, and the inha­bitants in generall of Our said City: who with willing and obedient hearts desire Us in all humility, that a faire Ac­commodation of peace may be betweene Our Parliament and Us suddenly fixt that by that means all those disorders which grow up by the licenciousnesse and misdemeanors of this Civill war, may be utterly abrogated and taken away from the face of the English earth, that the purity of Gods true Religion may be setled, and so re-flourish in Our De­minions, free from all the spots and deformities of schisme and heresie, (which surely is the readiest way to avert the heavie wrath of the Almighty from this Kingdome and peo­ple; and finally, that all distensions by a happy union may be abolished, and the sound of war bee no more heard in our [Page 4]borders. Propositions as just and honest they be, as full of advantage and utility to Our selfe, and to you (my Lords) as to all this Kingdome; and therefore seriously to be consi­dered, and with mature judgment. We are sorry that over­ruled by the perswasions of some, We have rendred them an answer more full of rigour and sharpnesse then might be suitable to their expectation and hopes, which We beleeve fed them with a certainty, that We would not decline any propositions for peace with Our high Court of Parliament; and since We have had a mighty conflict within Our selfe, for not satisfying them in all their just demands, without re­servation or fixing upon the nomination of severall persons of the most signall Citizens. For when We rightly weigh what ill blood this may breed in the whole City, (the most rich and powerfull of all Our Kingdomes) and not onely in that, but in the rest of Our Cities and Townes, when they shall heare the chiefe City of Our kingdome petitioning Us for peace, was received with no better entertainment or countenance from Us, then the proscription as it were of some of their ablest and most usefull members, as men liable to guilt and delinquency. What expectation can other Ci­ties and Corporations of meaner consequence have, that We will receive any supplications or entreaties for peace from them, when they are certainly advertised that the City of London sped so ill in their suit which truly was very modest and full of loyalty.

Some of you perhaps carried away with the heat of pas­sion and zeale to Our honour, will be apt to answer, that it would derogate from the Majesty of a King as We are, to receive as it were lawes from Our subjects and yeeld to such propositions as they have laid before Us, for an Accom­modation of peace betwixt Our selfe and Our high Court of Parliament: that We may, securely confiding on the num­ber and abilities of Our Army, and the good affections of such of Our subjects as adhere to Us, assume the property to [Page 5]Our selfe of setting downe such Articles of Peace to them as they shall necessarily embrace, as it were by compulsion, from Us. Flatter your selves none of you with this opinion, which is both repugnant to Our reason and the inbred pro­pension We have to the welfare of all Our subjects, especi­ally to Our good City of London nay, to Our interest in the hearts and affections of Our people, which are the best and truest Prerogative that can be inherent in any Soveraigne.

Wee know Our high Court of Parliament to be the su­preme Councell of Our Kingdome, the strongest and fir­mest pillar on which Our Ancestors have alwayes relyed and trusted in; and that trust hath seldome or never ei­ther abused or deceived: Wee see Our City of London, the maine nerve that knits together the strength of this Realme, wholly at their devotion and service, freely exposing their unexhausted wealth, nay, their lives and persons to the defence of their undertakings, out of a setled and confirmed opinion, derivative from their fore­fathers, that the Parliament will doe nothing prejudici­all to Our Prerogative, or the trust reposed in them (by the Votes of the whole Common-wealth;) and this inna­ted inclination to Our high Court of Parliament not to be in them onely, but in the generall heart of all Our Subjects, who as farre as in their abilities, in many, espe­cially the adjacent Counties to Our said City, doe with free consent follow the Londoners examples, contributing liberally out of their Estates, and offering their persons willingly to serve them in their warres, which they doe confidently believe are undertaken for the preservation of the fundamentall Lawes of this Kingdome, the perfecti­on of their Franchises and Liberties, causes which are so powerfull and prevalent over all mens minds and inten­tions, as they will rather indure all hazards that can hap­pen to their lives and estates, then any way recede from them as long as these tumults and domestique troubles shall continue.

Besides, We have daily sad experience of the ill suc­cesse of Our owne, and happy event of the Parliaments undertakings, which are mighty motives to confirme and strengthen men in their opinion of the Justice of the Par­liaments proceedings; Our forces under my Lord of New­castle receiving the worst in the North from the Lord Fairefax: and which is more of consequence because it is neerer to Our City of London, and so the truth of it more perspicuous, Our good City of Chichester, the chiefe of Our County of Sussex, which was well manned and fortified for Us, taken away in an instant from Us by the Parliaments forces under the command of Sir William Waller (who had the like successe before at Portsmouth against Colonell Goring) without any siege at all; so that hee may in respect of that victory, use Cesars Adage, of veni vidi vict; and that the like event will happen to the other townes Wee have fortified, will be absolutely be­lieved by the successe of this, in the losse whereof the whole County of Sussex (which for its vicinity to Our Citie of London, and the number of its Inhabitants, had beene very materiall for Us) is fallen from Our party: Nor are these halfe the strengths attendent on Our Par­liament; they have an able and well ordered Army in these parts at their devotion, and running forces in eve­ry place neere Us under their severall Colonells and Com­manders; so that their running Armies are continually ready to take in any towne that shall stand for Us. The Navie is at their dispose, and now at Sea strongly man­ned, to prevent and impeach (if any such were comming towards Us) their arrivall here, or intercept them in their passage, which is a maine and huge advantage to their proceedings: And which to them is most materiall of all, they have the peoples hearts, who believe all the inju­ries and oppressions that have befalne them in these late civill warres, to be derivatives from Us, because Wee [Page 7]have refused so many and faire. Propositions so often and humbly tendered Us by Our Parliament, and now by Our City of London, for a speedy Accommodation of peace.

Then if Wee joyne to these considerations of their strengths and advantages the knowne and certaine notice of Our weaknesse, We shall be esteemed very improvi­dent and carelesse as well of Our owne good, as the welfare of Our Subjects, if We doe not instantly imbrace their Propositions of Peace.

Tis true, Wee have an Army of brave and valiant men, but the other surpasseth Ours in number, and per­haps equalls them in bravery, as the late successes they have had amply testifies. We want, and so are likely to doe, moneys to defray the charge, Our Army is neither well furnished with Armes nor ammunition, benefits which they may justly boast of, even to superfluity, having the City of London and Our Magazine at the Tower there at their command, the Countrey thereabouts being utterly unable to maintaine Our Army any long time with pro­visions, and to depart hence into any other remoter Counties, is to very little purpose, they having already tasted the extremities of this warre, and by it left bare and naked of any more plenty of provisions then will suffice their owne Inhabitants.

These two considerations judiciously weighed and con­joyn'd with the intreaties of our good Subjects, who have too long beene oppressed with the hostility and rapine of the Armies, the glory of God, and the anvancement of his due worship added to all these former motives, We with Our selves set downe this determinate resolution, concerning the late Petition of Our Citie of London to Us for an Accommodation of peace betweene Our selfe and Perliament, that since the answer before given to the said Petitioners reflective on the persons of some prin­cipall men of the City, which may breed a distaste and [Page 8]dislike in the whole City, considering the interests those persons have in the same, that We will hearken to the said Propsitions of Our City, vowing, and utterly decli­ning the said persons afore nominated in that Our An­swer, that so there may be a sudden Accommodation be­twixt Us and Our high Court of Parliament, and so re­turne with honour and safety to Our owne Palace at London; that all distractions and differences may be ta­ken away, and peace propagated and promoted through Our whole Dominions, to Our owne comfort, and the joy of all Our Subjects, which certainly should be all your wishes as well as Ours, none of you being able to boast of his gettings by these so lamentable and unnatu­rall warres, which We shall indeavour to conclude with a happy union betweene Our selfe and Parliament, for the satisfaction of all Our good Subjects, especially Our late Petitioners of Our City of London.