lost so much bloud stood so fast in the libertie that God hath given them and would not be entangled with the yoke of bondage be now bewitch'd as it were into its own misery and utter undoing Shall the glory of your former fame be throwne in the dust your gallant resolutions and unparallel'd transactions be all buried in the grave of oblivion and at the last gasp as it were of our enemies hopes London should revive their fainting spirits and put life into their dying hearts Shall the whole Kingdome that was almost ready in all its quarters consulting of tokens of thankfulnesse to congratulate with London for all its love and care paines and purses and their generall safety through Gods blessings the fruit hereof throw by these thoughts and with sad hearts and pale faces wringing hands and running eyes tell their wives and children friends and neighbours Woe and alas London will ruine us London begins to decline the Parliament London begins to close with the King London is fild with the Malignants language London Remonstrates to the Parliaments prejudice Will not this prove the perpetuall language of succeeding ages that if London should now desert the Parliament and tyranny once get up in the throne by means hereof Londons Citie is Englands woe Fourthly You further acknowledge the particular assurance this honourable House hath again given the whole Land in their late Declaration to lay hold on the first opportunity of procuring a safe and well-grounded Peace in the three Kingdomes which you doubt not but this honourable House will pursue with all speedy dispatch of Propositions to His Majesty now whilst God doth so mercifully and miraculously goe along with your Armies in all the parts of the Kingdome That Declaration that gave you this assurance assured you likewise whence it was the thing was not done but suppose that providence quite altering the state of affaires the Parliament judge Propositions for Peace are not now so sutable so seasonable as then they were when they promised the same must not they judge what is most meet to be done in such a case Propositions for Peace are to be tendred to enemies not to friends doth his Majesty continue the Parliaments enemy if so his comming to our Quarters is evidently then a designe of mischiefe and not of peace and the truth is an enemy will doe more mischiefe in his adversaries quarters then in his own but if he be our enemy and yet in our hands such Propositions as before were tendred may not consist with wisdome and policie to tender now the case is altered the Market is fallen men will not give for the commoditie thereof as they would before now you see his Majesty is in our own quarters and God doth mercifully and miraculously goe along with our Armies in all the parts of the Kingdome Fifthly You minde the Parliament of our brethren of Scotland how they were first invited to engage with this Kingdome in Gods cause when yet they were at peace at home in what Covenant this Nation is mutually linked with them at what time in relation both to the weak condition of our Forces then and the season of the yeare they adventured upon an Enemy warmly lodged and well armed and prepared what they have since suffered for this Cause in their own Kingdome how succesfull ever since God hath made our Forces in suppressing the Common Enemies of both Nations and what present hopes wee have of a well-setled Peace while wee continue in this mutuall Amitie And then cannot but lament the many jealousies which the Enemies of our Peace Vnion and good Government doe now strive to beget between both Nations and tremble at the sad effects thereof if not timely prevented by the wisdome of the Parliament of both Kingdomes It is most true their love and kindnesse is never to be forgotten for although it is true First that both they and wee are embarqu'd in one and the selfe-same vessell and wee sinke and swim stand and fall together and Englands misery will be Scotlands woe so that what ever they have done for us it is virtually for themselves and although Secondly these miserable warres and bloudy blowes which fell upon us were first attempted for our Scotch brethren but Englands Parliament then in beeing would not consent to such unnaturall warres and by that means kept off the blows from our Scotch Brethren as all can witnesse and although Thirdly this Kingdome hath been likewise ready to helpe the Scots in a former case of their like necessitie against their enemies as is most apparent by authentick Histories and a forme of thanksgiving formerly appointed by the Church of Scotland for the good successe of their English ayde a Copie whereof is added at the end of this Book that wee may ever observe the due care both Kingdomes should have for the mutuall peace and prosperitie of both Kingdomes and although Lastly we must not look so much on our Brethrens successes as their good intentions measuring their love by their endeavours and not events yet let that mouth be for ever shut up and that hand wither which shall maliciously speak or write the least word to foment jealousies between both Kingdomes and confident I am that this heavie curse will fall upon none but that party who joyne issue with the old designe of promoting their personall Interests and base ends of Honour and greatnesse in the publick misery Sixthly you say you cannot but with reverence look upon this Honourable House as trusted with a great share of the supreme power of this Kingdome and as it is the representative of the whole Nation out of which and by whom the Members thereof are chosen doe fixe your hearts the more upon the same and doe by the mercy of God so long as this Kingdome doth adhere to our Covenant promise your selves now and in all future ages great blessings and assurances from the endeavours and labours of this Honourable House and in regard of this dignity of Trust you have and doe submit to all Priviledges of Parliament yet because it may now become a Tenure for life if this priviledge should be so made use of by such Members of Parliament as owe great summes of Money and protect divers under them as Servants Attendants Officers yea and their Servants if all these should be exempted from course of Law how many Citizens of London and other Subjects of this Kingdome may be undone you doe therefore with all Duty and Thankfulnesse put this Honourable House in minde that in a Remonstrance to the Kingdome 15. December 1642. you find this expression viz. That for the matter of Protections the Parliament is so sensibe of it that therein they intend to give whatsoever ease may stand with Honour and Justice and are in a way of passing a Bill to give satisfaction concerning the same Is it the great share this Honourable House hath of the supreme power of this Kingdome which makes you looke
conformitie with us then in such a case to conforme to them But Lastly It 's as cleare as the Sunne that the true intent of the solemne League and Covenant was a more plaine discovery of the Parliaments enemies and not for a snare to the Parliaments friends and as touching reformation in matters spirituall and ecclesiasticall to root out Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresie Schisme and prophanenesse and God forbid but that all these in a due and Christian way should be endeavoured against But are wee bound by this to ruine the Parliaments friends who loveth not their lives unto death in the Parliaments cause Men cordiall to the State conscientious in Religion yea holy godly learned and that by the testimony of their hottest adversaries and for no other reason but their non-resolution to sweare subjection to what they know not as if the tender conscience was the troubler of Israel when the want hereof is the onely plague of this wicked world the naming whereof is an evident offence yea no lesse then a provocation unto these angry Remonstrants who can hardly beare it even from the pen of the Parliament of England This is the second ground of our utter dislike of the narrative part of this Petition Thirdly You tell the people in print as well as the Parliament by your written Remonstrance what Vowes you have made in the Covenant as well as in former Protestations to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliament and the Liberties of the Kingdomes and to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties Person and Authority in the Preservation and Defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdomes that the world may beare witnesse with your Consciences of your Loyalty and that you have no thoughts or intentions to diminish His Majesties just power and greatnesse and doe humbly rest in the assurances you have received in the many former Declarations of both Houses concerning their intentions towards his Majesty his Royall Posteritie and the Peace of this Kingdome But to what end is all this is it to call for the popular testimony of your constant care you ever have had of the Parliaments Priviledges if it was meet for us to remember what the Parliament have forgotten to unvaile for detection what in love they have buried in oblivion you very well know what truth can say to this particular Is it to call for a popular observation of the Parliaments neglect of their obliged care not to diminish his Majesties just power and greatnesse As for the Parliament let envie her selfe disgorge her poyson and speake her worst nay in this case speak Malignants speak the Oxfordian Aulicus but first consider a word or two what an unnaturall warre hath been raised amongst us how managed on the Kings side how maintained how much innocent bloud split in the three Kingdomes what slanders have been cast upon the Parliament of England how they have been written remonstrated and declared again and again Traytors Rebells a pretended Parliament and what not how the * The Author of Truth it 's manifest positively affirmes that his Majestie himselfe sent a Commission from Scotland sealed with the Sâ—ots broad Seale unto the Irish Rebells to authorize them in that bloudy work Page the 20. Irish Scottish and English warres did rise what murtherings killing and slaughtering the poore subjects what tearings rendings and crippling the poor people what burning wasting and plundering mens estates how many poore distressed and afflicted fatherlesse and widows are made what wofull bitter and sad complaints and showers of teares are shed in corners and secret closets by many men whose former quality with the remembrance thereof makes them wipe their eyes and counterfeit cheerfulnesse in the sight of men What tamperings with forein Nations for the utter ruine and perpetuall enslaving of the three Kingdomes to an arbitrary power what evident plaine and palpable detections to the perfect discharge of all doubts and scruples from whom and whence all this hath been the relating whereof will fill volumes and will be the affecting subject of the Readers heart in another age and yet how tender hath the Parliament been still to maintaine his Majesties honour by charging all upon his evill Counsellors making him meerly passive and onely seduc'd as if altogether innocent notwithstanding all this almost to the very regret of charity it selfe And as for their care of his Majesties royall posterity bloud and family how carefull have they been for the princely education of his Majesties children within their quarters their bountifull provision and noble respects for and to his Majesties Sister and her royall family All this considered and many things more which may be asserted I challenge againe the desperatest Malignant in Citie or Kingdome on this side the grave to let his tongue articulate his Consciences thoughts and give an answer whether the Parliament hath not had a tender care to his Majesties honour his bloud and family Doe you rest in the assurance you have concerning the Parliaments intentions about the peace of the Kingdome why are they then interrupted in their worke are not they in the fairest way to a happy peace that ever they were in since the warres began and will you now obstruct them herein doth this course of yours promote in the least the publicke peace what now to discourage the Parliament now to presse them in all haste unto a suddaine enfeebling their strength by crushing a considerable party of as cordiall friends as ever they had since the warres began and that because they will not sweare a submission unto that Church Government which neither they nor your selves yet understand Presbyteriall Government the Modell whereof is yet unseen Is this your requitall for their winters worke have not you lived shall I say by the sweat of their browes nay by the expence of their blood is this in lieu of their promised arrears what have they been walls and Bulwarks to you and will you prove briers and thornes to them have they watch'd whilst you sleep hazarded danger for your peace undergone such separations from their wives and children friends and Families such hardships of hunger and thirst cold and nakednesse lived in the valley and shadow of death for yours and the Kingdomes sake and shall London be the unworthy pattern of inhumane unthankfulnesse to the whole Kingdome You rest satisfied in the assurance of the Parliaments respects to the King but doe you rest so satisfied in the like assurance of the Kings respects unto the Parliament Let your Consciences speak are you so satisfied if so what is the ground of this perswasion is it because of his late good words fair sweet and pleasant lines he hath written to his Parliament of England sitting at Westminster or to his right trusty and well beloved the Lord Major Aldermen and common-Counsell of London how can London be thus deluded is the word of a King now so taking in Londons thoughts If you have
stand or fall with you that they would never leave you till they had made you free and have they not been faithfull in their promise herein Is not their preservation your security their glory your Crowne their freedomes your Liberties As for your grievances we consider them as they lye First you complaine that the Letter sent you from the Parliament of Scotland should still be detained though petitioned for as if this Honourable House were doubtfull of your fidelity We suppose the House is not bound to be accountable to you though you are obleiged to account to them in this particular and whether they be doubtfull of your fidelity or no we cannot tell onely we wish they may have no cause Your next complaint is that in the last Propositions to his Majesty at Uxbridge the power of the Militia of this City was fully represented that it should now be reassumed and endeavoured to be altered to the endangering of this City and parts adjacent as if you now deserved lesse trust from this Honourable House then a twelvemoneth agoe We think it not safe to taxe the Parliaments wisdome in their ordering and disposing the power of the Militia of City or Kingdome as they shall see cause and it cannot be asserted that their reassuming the Militia of London into their owne hands is matter of danger to the City of London and parts adjacent without an unworthy aspersion upon that Honourable House such that will say so give just cause to think that they deserve lesse trust from that Honourable House then a twelvemoneth agoe when they were better affected then so to affirme Thirdly you complaine and remonstrate that some late Petitions of this Citie presented to this Honourable House should lie yet unanswered If the Parliament were bound to answer all your Petitions and that forthwith even in your owne time why did not you rather enjoyn then petition and if all your Petitions should be answered to your owne content we well perceive how the case would stand with this poore Kingdome the Parliaments love both to City and Kingdome may cause them to deny the Petitions of the City as the case may stand Your fourth complaint that Quarterman a notorious Sectary one whom the City not long since cast out for his misdemeanors should presume in the contempt of the priviledges and Government thereof to enter the City and to make Proclamation with Trumpet without acquainting the Lord Major therewith the like of which to our best knowledge in no age when the City was most neglected was ever so much as attempted What Quatermain doe you meane there are many in the Kingdome for all that we know but we presume you intend Roger Quatermain late Marshall to the City That this Quaterman is a Sectary lies upon you to prove and him to defend and herein you will befriend our intellects and helpe us to understand what you mean by your Sectaries against whom you so much stickle in this Remonstrance That the Citie cast him our viz. from his Marshallship for so wee presume your meaning is though you speake as disturbed that the Reader must study to finde out your meaning will be denied by one of the chiefe promoters of this Remonstrance except he hath changed his judgement in the Government of the Citie as sometimes it falls out men continue not their judgement especially in matters of government both civill and ecclesiasticall for it was neither the Citie representative or collective but the Lord Major and Court of Aldermen that put him out of the place and surely they are no more the Citie in that act except the Common Counsell gave them power herein as wee cannot understand they have then any other Citie Justices or Officers in the Citie are so As for his misdemeanors none were urged as the causes hereof except this was his crime that one Marshall should serve the Citie And though it is a crime circumstantiable to a great aggravation for one man to wrong a whole Citie yet it is more strange because lesse usuall that a representative Citie should wrong a poore man by taking away his good name and so his livelihood in his present employment As for his great transgression herein specified wee dare presume the poore man is ignorant of the Citie priviledges iâ— this be one that the Parliament of England cannot make Proclamation in the Citie of London with Trumpet or otherwise without licence given by the Lord Major of London If the case be thus well may you say that the Parliament of England is betrusted but with a share of the supreame power Custome is one thing priviledge another that it is a custome to acquaint the Lord Major in such cases is quickly granted and if he did willingly and wilfully in contempt of the Major or customes of the Citie performe that worke he is blame-worthy and not to he pleaded for but when such customes of single Corporations shall entrench upon the power of Parliaments and change their names and call them Priviledges it is high time to change those customes Many customes in former times had almost undone the Kingdome wee would not now meet with any that raze our foundation and strike at the Parliament And lastly You complain that after the present Lord Major had so faithfully behaved himself in his Office and with the testimony of the Citie so carefully discharged the same that yet he should be suspected and questioned upon generall informations which it may well be doubted might be designed to divide between the Parliament and the Citie If generall informations that doe greatly concerne the publique danger of the Citie or Kingdome should be so far neglected as not so much as to make an enquiry according thereto how could they to whom they doe come discharge their consciences and Covenant to God or the people The Lord Majors faithfulnesse can never hurt him and a faithfull man may lie under suspition but will take no offence at a through purgation as we heare his Lordship himselfe is sufficiently satisfied and if former faithfulnesse should for ever discharge all future jealousies though but generall informations be given of danger the two Hothams and many more might have now lived and by this time seen the Parliament and Citie weltering in their own bloud More you could adde but you have done enough if not too much of this nature and more I presume then was ever expected from this Citie You presently slide from your remonstrative part into the prayer or petitionary part and so shall wee and give you to understand wherein wee can and wherein we cannot joyn with you in your desires to the Parliament with the reasons thereof which is the second generall head of our present method you resolve your complaints into prayers 1. That some strict and speedy course may be taken for the suppressing all private and separate Congregations Wee know not your meaning by private and separate Congregations if your meaning be the