Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	king_n	kingdom_n	parliament_n	5,178	5	6.3666	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A82141	A declaration of the engagements, remonstrances, representations, proposals, desires and resolutions from His Excellency Sir Tho: Fairfax, and the generall councel of the Army. For setling of His Majesty in His just rights, the Parliament in their just priviledges, and the subjects in their liberties and freedomes. With papers of overtures, of the army with the Kings Majesty, the Parliament, the citie, and with the souldiery amongst themselves. Also representations of the grievances of the Kingdome, and remedies propounded, for removing the present pressures whereby the subjects are burthened. And the resolution of the army; for the establishment of a firme and lasting peace in Church and Kingdome. Die Lunæ, 27. Septembris, 1647. Whereas Math: Simmons hath beene at great charges in printing the Declarations and Papers from the Army in one volume. It is ordered by the Lords in Parliament assembled, that the said Math: Simmons shall have the printing and publishing thereof for the space of one whole yeare from the date hereof. And that none other shall re-print the same during that time. John Brown, Cler. Parliamentorum.	Fairfax, Thomas Fairfax, Baron, 1612-1671.	1647 (1647)	Wing D664; Thomason E409_25; ESTC R204445	144,071	176

being duly setled we shall be as ready also to assure unto the King his just Rights and authority as any that pretend it never so much for the better upholding of an ill cause and the countenance of tumultuous violence against the Parliament the which our honest just and necessary undertakings as we are resolved to pursue with the utmost hazzard of our lives and fortunes so wee doubt not but we shall find Gods accustomed goodnesse and assistance with as therein till wee have brought them to a good and happy conclusion for this poore distracted and languishing Kingdome A REMONSTRANCE From his Excellency S ir THO FAIRFAX And the Army under his Command WHen by the blessing of God upon the endeavours of this Army and other forces of the Parliament the adverse forces and Garrisons within this Kingdome were dissipated and reduced a present quiet and freedome of Trade and all Commerce and businesse restored to all parts of the Kingdome and an hopefull way made for setling of a sound lasting Peace on good termes for the Interest of the Kingdome instead of the hoped fruit of our labours and hazzards and of the Kingdomes vast expence in the dispensing of Justice and Righteousnesse and the setling and upholding of common Right and freedome to the Subjects of this Nation we found immediately the crosse-workings of a strong and prevalent Partie in the Parliament and Kingdome who walking under the maske of the Parliaments friends but being in truth men of corrupt and private ends and Interests different from and destructive to the reall and common Interest of the Kingdome made use of their power to obstruct and pervert Justice to injure oppresse and crush the peaceable and well-affected people of the Kingdome to abridge and overthrow all just freedome and libertie and drive on designes to set up a Party and faction in the Parliament and Kingdome and by the advantage of a perpetuall Parliament to domineere over and inslave the Kingdome to posteritie And for that end to make such a Peace with the King if any as without any just provision for the common and true Interest of the people and the securitie thereof for future would serve onely to make up and establish their own greatnesse and the affected domination of themselves and their Partie over all others To all which ends as before this Parliament the ignominious names of Puritan and Non-conformist and the specious pretences for setling of Order Decencie and Uniformity in Religion were made use of to the prejudice trouble and suppressing of all that appeared either for the Truth and power of Religion or for the Rights and Liberties of the Kingdome and towards the advancing at once both of an Ecclesiasticall and Civill tyranny So this generation of men in the application of the Parliaments Power succeeding the former in the exercise of the Kings have made use of the odious names of Brownists Anabaptists Independents Hereticks Schismaticks or Sectari●s of one sort or other to blast such men in whom the Truth and power of Religion or a just sense of the common Interest of the Kingdome hath appeared and have held forth the pretences of Reformation and Uniformity to colour and countenance their Designes of setting up their owne irreligious or pharisaicall domineering faction to the oppression of all other people And herein they have had a great advantage to further their aforesaid Designes by reason of the jealousies which many Conscientious men of the Presbyterian Judgement have enterrained concerning this Army and concerning divers other eminent and worthy Instruments of the Kingdomes good who being in places of publick trust and power were supposed to be of the Independent way In pursuance of their aforesaid designe● they endeavoured and by their power and influence upon the Parliament and the advantage of such pretences as aforesaid very much prevailed to put out of all places of power or publick trust the most sob●● and co●sciencious men and such as had approved themselves faithfull to the publick interest throughout all the late troubles and to put in debauched and dissolute men or such as would for advantage serve their prevate interests and for that end in cases where they could not otherwise prevaile procured such Garrisons to be slighted and such powers to be recalled though more necessary to have been continued which they found in the hands of persons of the former sort and such to be continued though lesse necessary as they found in the hands of the later And the better to strengthen themselves in their designes closing with a very po●●●●ul party in the Citie of London they first with much activitie endeavoured and prevailed to new modell the Common-Councell and forme the same to their own party and then stirred them up to Petition amongst other things concurrent to their ends for the alteration of the City Militia who by their continuall violent and pressing Importunitie at the Parliaments doores wrung from the Parliament an Ordinance for that purpose whereby they procured the power of that Militia the speciall influence whereof upon the Citie and Kingdome and upon the Parliament it selfe being the onely guard they had for their safe sitting is evident to all men to be taken out of those hands in which it had been continued without out prejudice and with great and known security and advantage both co the Parliament City and Kingdome throughout the late troubles and this without any exception either then or since made against them and to be put into the hands of such others as were at best of doubtfull affections to the interest of the Parliament and Kingdome but indeed men given up and ingaged to the private interests and designes of the said factious party as hath since too evidently appeared and as in the late Declaration of the Army concerning the grounds of our advance towards London is more fully remonstrated And finding this Army not for their turnes they made it their maine worke to dis-band or breake it in pieces even before the reliefe of Ireland were provided for or the peace of this Kingdome setled And though all this went under the pretence of easing the present burthen● of the Kingdome yet at the same time they designed and went about to put the Kingdome to the expence and trouble of raising and forming a new force under pretence as for the service of Ireland but evidently designed and so framed as to serve their own ends and purposes aforesaid in England And being many of them filled and acted with personall envy and others with malignity of principles and interests against this Army and the worke of God by it It would not serve their turne to breake or dis-band it but it must be with all possible dishonour injury oppression and provocation that they could put upon it And it was too evident that their endeavour was not onely to put it off without the honour or satisfaction due to it for the service it had done but to

Sir to prevent any such mischiefe as it is my own most earnest and humble desire so I finde it to be the unanimous desire and study of the Army that a firme peace in this Kingdome may be setled and the Liberties of the people cleared and secured accordingly to the many Declarations by which we were invited and induced to ingage in the late War and the Parliaments effectuall and speedy application to these two things I finde would conduce more fully and surely to a chearefull and unanimous disbanding And yet what ever may be suggested or suspected I doe certainly finde and dare assure you you may depend upon it That the sense of the Army is most cleare from any purpose or inclination to oppose the setling of Presbytery or to have the Independent Government set up or to uphold a licentiousnesse in Religion or to meddle with any such thing to the advancement of any particular party or interest whatsoever but to leave all such particular matters to the wisdome of the Parliament I shall by the next send you a full Account of the proceeding and unanimous resolutions of the Army at the late Rendezvouze being not at present prepared so fully as is fit The letter from both Houses I have received but this night the Quarters of the Army being lately altered before will make the Heath neere New market lesse convenient for a Randezvouze yet I shall take order according to the desire of the Houses to have a Randezvouze either there or not farre of on Wednesday next I remain Your most humble and faithfull Servant FAIRFAX Cambridge June 6. 1647. Postscript I shall according to my duty and the desires of the Houses doe my utmost to keep the Army in good order to which I finde it absolutely necessary that there be some pay presently sent down For the Honourable William Lenthall Esq Speaker of the Honourable House of Commons Mr. Speaker In my last I promised to send you by the next an Account of the Army at the late Randezvouze I have sent you the same in two Papers unanimously agreed upon there by both Officers and Souldiers I finde in one of them divers things which your later proceedings since the Resolution of disbanding may have given satisfaction unto But the Army having then no knowledge thereof it was thus passed and delivered to me and I cannot but send it to them you may then see what they then did remaine unsatisfied in Understanding that his Majesty and your Commissioners were much straitened and disaccommodated in the House of Childerley I went thither yesterday to advise with your Commissioners about the disposall of his Majesty for more conveniency to himselfe and them then that place did afford The Commissioners were pleased wholly to refuse giving of any advise or opinion at all in the businesse and therefore the King declaring his Resolution not to goe back to Holdenby unlesse he were forced yet complaining much of the inconveniency he suffered where he was and pressing for a remove to New-Market and your Commissioners not judging it inconvenient for him to be there I ordered Col. Whalley this day to attend his Majesty and the Commissioners thither with a trusty and sufficient Guard of two Regiaments of Horse which accordingly was this day done and his Majesty with the Commissioners gone to New Market but not through Cambridge This businesse taking up the whole time yesterday and it being necessary his Majesty should be disposed of before the place of Rendezvouze could well bee resolved on this morning at a Councell of Warre it was judged inconvenient and scarce possible to draw to a Rendezvouze to morrow early enough to dispatch any thing Therefore it is appointed on Thursday morning at nine of the Clocke and in regard of his Majesties going to New-Market it was thought fit by the Councell of Warre that the place of Rendezvouze might bee altered from New-Market-Heath to Triploe-Heath five miles from this Towne I shall take care that your Commissioners if they come to New-Market may have notice of this alteration from the former appointment I remaine Your most humble Servant T. FAIRFAX Cambridge July 8. 1647. For the Honourable William Lenthall Esquire Speaker of the Honourable House of Commons A Solemne Engagement of the ARMY under the Command of his Excellency Sir Tho. Fairfax Read assented unto and subscribed by all Officers and Souldiers of the severall Regiments at the generall Randezvous near New-market on June 5. 1647. WHereas upon the Petition intended and agreed upon in the Army in March last to have been presented to the Generall for the obtaining of our due and necessary concernments as Souldiers the Honourable House of Commons being unseasonably prepossessed with a Copie thereof and as by the sequell we suppose with some strange misrepresentations of the carriage and intentions of the same was induced to send down an Order for suppressing the Petition and within two or three dayes after upon further misinformation and scandalous suggestions of the like or worse nature and by the indirect practise of some malicious and mischeivous persons as we suppose surprizing or otherwise abusing the Parliament A Declaration was published in the name of both Houses highly censuring the said Petition and declaring the Petitioners if they should proceed thereupon no lesse then enemies to the State and disturbers of the publick peace And whereas at the same time and since divers eminent Officers of the Army have been brought into question and trouble about the said Petition whereby both they and the rest of the Officers were disabled or discouraged for the time from further acting or appearing therein on the souldiers behalfe And whereas by the aforesaid proceedings and the effects thereof the souldiers of this Army finding themselves so stop't in their due and regular way of making knowne their just greivances and desires too and by their Officers were enforced to an unusuall but in that case necessary way of correspondence and agreement amongst themselves to chuse our of th● severall Troops and Companies severall men and those out of their whole number to chuse two or more for each Regiment to act in the name and behalfe of the whole souldiery of the respective Regiments Troops and Companies in the prosecution of their rights and desires in the said Petition as also of their just vindication and writing in reference to the aforesaid proceedings upon and against the same who have accordingly acted and done many things to those ends all which the souldiers did then approve as their owne Acts And whereas afterwards upon the sending downe of Field-Martiall Skippon and those other Officers of the Army that were Members of the House of Commons to quiet distempers in the Army fresh hopes being conceived of having our desires again admitted to be made known and considered in a regular way and without such misrepresentations as formerly the Officers and souldiers of the Army except some few dissenting Officers did againe joyne

in a representation of their common grievances and the Officers except as before did agree upon a Narrative accompt of the grounds rise and growth of the discontents in the Army and their proceedings in relation thereunto with an overture of the best expedients to remove or satisfie the same both which were presented to the same Members of the House and by them reported to the House and whereas the Parliament having thereupon voted and ordered some particulars only towards satisfaction of our grievances hath since proceeded to certaine resolutions of suddaine disbanding the Army by pieces which resolutions being taken and to be executed before full or equall satisfaction given to the whole Army in any of the grievances before effectuall performance of that satisfaction in part which the preceding Votes seemed to promise as to some of the grievances and before any consideration at all of some others most materiall as by the result of a generall Counsel of Warre on Saturday May 29. was in general declared and is now more fully demonstrated in particular by a representation thereupon agreed unto by us we all cannot but looke upon the same resolutions of disbanding us in such manner as proceeding from the same malicious and mischie●●●● Principles and in●●ntions and from the like indirect Practises of the same Persons abusing the Parliament and is as the former proceedings against us before mentioned did and not without carnall and bloudy purposts for some of them have not stuck to declare or intimate after the body of the Army should be disbanded or the souldiers divided from their Officers then to question proceed against and execute their malicious intentions upon all such particular Officers and souldiers in the Army as had appeared to act in the Premises in the behalfe of the Army and whereas upon a late Petition to the Generall from the Agitants in behalfe of the ●●uldiers gro●●d●d upon the preceding consider a●●●●● relating to the same resolutions of disbanding the same generall Counsell of warre to prevent the danger and inconveniences of those disturbings or tumultuous actings or con●●●ences which the dissatisfaction and Jealousie thereupon also grounded were like fuddainely to have produced in the Army to advise the Generall first to contract the Quarters of the Army and then to draw the same to an orderly Randezvous for satisfaction of all and that his Excellencie would immediately send up to move and desire the Parliament to suspend any present proceeding upon the said Resolution of disbanding to resume the Consideration of the grievances and desires sent up from the Army and not to disband it in pieces before just and equall satisfaction given to the whole And where 's some of the Regiments appointed for disbanding upon notice thereof withdrawing themselves from the Quarters adjacent to the appointed Randezvous and drawing towards the Head Quarters and the contracting their Quarters according to the said advice of the Counsell of Warre Wee the Officers and Souldiers of severall Regiments hereafter named are now met at a generall Randezvous and the Regiments appointed as aforesaid to be disbanded have not appeared not can appear but are resolved not to appear at the severall and respective Randezvous appointed as aforesaid for their disbanding and divers other things hath been done by severall other parties or Members of the Army necessarily relating to the good and concernment of the whole in these affaires Now for as much as we know not how far the malice Injustice and Tiranical Principles of our enemies that have already prevailed so farre to abuse the Parliament and the Army as is afore mentioned in the past proceedings against the Army may further prevaile to the danger and prejudice of our selves or any Officers or Souldiers of the Army or other persons that have appeared to act any thing in behalfe of the Army or how far the same may further prevaile to the danger or prejudice of the Kingdome in raising a new warre or otherwise Therefore for the better prevention of all such dangers prejudices or other inconveniences that may ensue and withall for better satisfaction to the Parliament and Kingdome concerning our desires of conferring to the Authority of the one and providing the good and quiet of the other in the present affairs of disbanding and for a more assured way whereby that affaites may come to a certaine issue to which purpose we herein humbly implore the present and continued assistance of God the Righteous Judge of all we the officers and soudliers of the Army subscribing hereunto do hereby declare agree and promise to and with each other and to and with the Parliament and Kingdome as followeth 1. That wee shall chearfully and readily disband when thereunto required by the Parliament or else shall many of us be willing if desired to ingage in further services either in England or Ireland having first such satisfaction to the Army in relation to our Grievances and desires heretofore presented and such security That we of our selves when disbanded and in the condition of private men or other the free-borne people of England to whom the consequence of our Case doth equally extend shall not remaine subject to the like oppression in jury or abuse as in the Premisses hath been attempeed and put upon us while an Army by the same mens continuance in the same credit power especially if as our Judges who have in these past proceedings against the Army so far prevailed to abuse the Parliament and us and to endanger the Kingdom and also such security that we our selves or any Member of this Army or others who have appeared to act any thing in behalfe of the Army in relation to the premises before recited shall not after disbanding be any way questioned prosecuted troubled or prejudiced for any thing so acted or for the entring into or necessary prosecution of this necessary agreement we say having first such satisfaction and security in these things as shall be agreed unto by a Counsell to consist of those generall Officers of the Army who have concurred with the Army in the Premises with two Commission Officers and two Souldiers to be chosen for each Regiment who have concurred and shall concurre with us in the Premises and in this agreement And by the major part of such of them who shal meet in Counsell for that purpose when they shall be thereunto called by the Generall 2. That without such satisfaction and security as aforesaid we shall not willingly disband nor divide nor suffer our selves to be disbanded or divided And whereas we find many strange things suggested or suspected to our great prejudice concerning dangerous Principles interests and designes in this Army as to the overthrow of Magistracy the suppression or hindering of Presbytery the establishment of Independent government or upholding of a generall licentiousnesse in Religion under pretence of Liberty of Conscience and many such things we shall very shortly tender to the Parliament a Vindication of the

claim unto Nor is that supreme end the glory of God wanting in these cases to set a price upon all such proceedings of righteousnesse and justice it being one witnesse of God in the world to carry on a Testimony against the injustice and unrighteousnesse of men and against the miscarriage of Governments when corrupted or declining from their Primitive and Originall glory These things we mention but to compare proceedings and to show that we are so much the more justifiable and warranted in what we do by how much we come short of that height and measure of proceedings which the people in free Kingdomes and Nations have formerly practised Now having thus farre cleared our way in this businesse we shall proceed to propound such things as we do humbly desire for the setling and securing of our owne and the Kingdomes common right freedome peace and safety as followeth 1. That the Houses may be speedily purged of such Members as for their delinquency or for Corruptions or abuse to the State or undue Elections ought not to sit there whereof the late Elections in Cornwall Wales and other parts of the Kingdome afford too many examples to the great prejudice of the peoples freedome in the said Elections 2. That those persons who have in the late unjust and high proceedings against the Army appeared to have the wil the confidence credit and power to abuse the Parliament and the Army and endanger the Kingdome in carrying on such things against us while an Army may be some way speedily disabled from doing the like or worse to us when disbanded and disperst and in the condition of private men or to other the free-born people of England in the same condition with us and that for that purpose the same persons may not continue in the same power especially as our and the Kingdome Judges in the highest trust but may be made incapable thereof for the future And if it be questioned who these are we thought not fit particularly to name them in this our Representation to you but shall very speedily give in their names and before long shall offer what we have to say against them to your Commissioners wherein we hope so to carry our selves as that the World shall see we aime at nothing of private revenge and animosities but that justice may have a free course and the Kingdome be eased and secured by dismabling such men at least from places of Judicature who desiring to advantage and set up themselves and their party in a generall confusion have endeavoured to put the Kingdome into a new flame of war then which nothing is more abhorrent to us But because neither the granting of this alone would be sufficient to secure our own and the Kingdoms rights liberties and safety either for the present age or posterity nor would our Proposals of this singly be free from the scandall and appearance of faction or designes only to weaken one Party under the notion of unjust or oppressive that we may advance another which may be imagined more our own We therefore declare That indeed we cannot but wish that such men and such onely might be preferred to the great power and trust of the Common-wealth as are approved at least for morall righteousnesse and of such we cannot but in our wishes preferre those that appeare acted thereunto by a principle of Conscience and Religion in them And accordingly we doe and ever shall blesse God for those many such Worthies who through his providence have been chosen into this Parliament And to such mens endeavours under God we cannot but attribute that Vindication in part of the peoples Rights and Liberties and those beginnings of a just Reformation which the first proceedings of this Parliam appeared to have driven at and tended to though of late obstructed or rather diverted to other ends and interest by the prevailing of other persons of other principles and conditions But yet we are so far from designing or complying to have an absolute or Arbitrary power fixed or setled for continuance in any persons whatsoever as that if we might be sure to obtain it we canot wish to have it so in the persons of any whom we could most confide in or who should appear most of our own opinions and principles or whom we might have most personall assurance of or interest in but we doe and shall much rather wish that the Authority of this Kingdome in Parliaments rightly constituted that is freely equally and successively chosen according to its originall intention may ever stand and have its course And therefore we shall apply our desires chiefly to such things as by having Parliaments setled in such a right Constitution may give most ho●es of Justice and Righteousnesse to flow downe equally to all in that its ancient Channell without any Overtures tending either to overthrow that foundation of Order and Government in this Kingdome or to ingrosse that power for perpetuity into the hands of any particular persons or party whatoever And for that purpose though as we have found it doubted by many men minding sincerely the publick good but not weighing so fully all consequences of things it may and is not unlike to prove that upon the ending of this Parliament and the Election of New the Constitution of succeeding Parliaments as to the persons Elected may prove for the worse many wayes yet since neither in the present purging of this Parliament nor in the Election of New we cannot promise to our selves or the Kingdome an assurance of Justice or other positive good from the hands of men but those who for present appeare most righteous and most for common good having an unlimited power fixed in them during life or pleasure in time may become corrupt or settle into parties or factions or on the other side in case of new Elections those that should so succeed may prove as bad or worse then the former We therefore humbly conceive that of two inconveniences the lesse being to be chosen the maine thing to be intended in this case and beyond which humane providence cannot reach as to any assurance of positive good seemes to be this viz. to provide that however unjust or corrupt the persons of Parliament-men in present or future may prove or whatever ill they may do to particular parties or to the whole in particular things during their respective terms or periods yet they shall not have the temptation or advantage of an unlimited power fixt in them during their owne pleasures whereby to perpetuate injustice and oppression upon any without end or remedy or to advance and uphold any one particular party faction or interest whatsoever to the oppression or prejudice of the Communitie and the enslaving of the Kingdome unto all posterity but that the people may have an equall hope or possibility if they have made an ill choice at one time to mend it in another and the members of the House themselves may be in a capacity

we intreat you to give the Parliament a full representation of these things which that you may do we have sent you the Papers together with such informations as may give them an oportunity to discover the bottom of this business we were marching from London when wee received this information in obedience to the Parliament and to give the City more content and to stop the mouths of slanderers But if such Designs so destructive to the Parliament the work in hand be suffered to goe on or that the Parliament be interrupted in the freedom of their debates and proceedings as we hear within these few daies they were by those that are invited to partake in this confederacy We beg it of the Parliament as they tender their own safety the peace of the Kingdom and preventing of a second Warre as they would not have the Kingdome lose the fruit and benefit of all the bloud and treasure that hath been spent in this cause that they would not suffer their freedome and liberty to be endangered by such designs as these they having an Army which by the blessing of God in spight of all that theirs and the Kingdomes enemies can do will stand and fall with them and be found faithfull and obedient to them in all things and as ready to relieve Ireland when the Peace and rights of this Kingdome are setled We write not this to desire the Parliament to invite us to march up to them wee care not how great a a distance we are from London if it be the Parliaments pleasure and consists with their security and the breaking of those combinations which are hatcht in the bowels of the City wee are hastening our Proposalls which are for the generall settlement and which we are confident will satisfie all that love truth and peace but wee see plainly wee need more to intend security then have cause to expect to bring things to an happy issue by Treaty while such designs are on foote Wee pray you therefore that the Parliament would speedily and throughly enquire into and break these designes wherein as in all things else we shall be ready to serve them as they shall judge it needfull and when they shall command us By the appointment of his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax and his Councell of Warre Signed John Rushworth Secr. Alisbury July 23. 1647. BY a printed paper come to our hands this day a Copie whereof you receive herewith we still find and clearly and evidently perceive that some evill spirits within the City of London maliciously dis-affected to the peace of this Kingdom doe secretly and wickedly endeavour to bring about that mischief upon the Kingdom which we have so much feared and by all our severall addresses unto you sought to prevent which indeed are of that dangerous consequence as we can expect no other issue from then the unavoydable engaging the Kingdom in a second Warre if not timely and effectually prevented by your wisedome and diligence Wee must further observe unto you that whatsoever designes intended in the fore-said paper is contrary to the authority of Parliament and indirect opposition to the proceedings of the army which the two Houses have owned as theirs and approved of their fidelity by committing the forces of the Kingdome of England Dominion of Wales and Islands of Garnsey and Jersey under the Generalls care and command and therefore cannot be effected but by force of armes against the Parliament and their Armies which in probability may involve the whole Kingdome in bloud but must necessarily begin within your own bowels and draw the Seate and misery of war upon you and your City Also we desire you would consider whether wee have not just cause to suspect that an evill party lurkes within the City ready to distemper it and the whole Kingdom upon every occasion and whether it be probable such persons desire a happy close between the King and the Parliament at least such as will be for the Kingdoms good when they take upon them the boldnesse to make new offers to his Majesty with solemne engagements to make good the same during the time that this Parl. had given us leave to make tender of and treate with their Commissioners about those things which tend to a general settlement And therfore we cannot but desire that you would take a speedy course timely to suppresse this great evill and to prevent all of this nature for the future and by making some of those examples who have been active to carry on this businesse wee have not had time to enquire into particulars but shall give you only one instance of a meeting at Skinners Hall concerning this businesse where some persons have been very active the names of some of whom we have given to your Commissioners and also the names of other Citizens who will testifie their carriage there Lastly we cannot but desire you to concur with us in our desires to the Parliament to put the Militia into the hands of those that had it before without which wee can have no assurance that the City will be free from designs of this nature nor can we expect to see a happy Close By the appointment of his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax and his Councell of Warre Signed John Rushworth Alisbury July 23. 1647. To the Right Honourable the Lord Major the right Worshipfull the Aldermen and Commons of the City of London in the Common or Guild-hall of the City of London assembled The humble Petition of the Citizens Commanders Officers and Souldiers of the Trained Bands and Auxiliaties the young men and Apprentices of the Cities of London and Westminster Sea-Commanders Sea-men and Watermen together with with divers other Commanders Officers and Souldiers within the Line of Communication and Parishes mentioned in the Weekely Bill of Mortality SHEWETH THat your Petitioners taking into serious consideration how Religion his Majesties Honour safety the priviledges of Parliament liberties of the Subjects are at present greatly endangered and like to be destroyed and also sadly weighing with our selves what meanes might likely prove the most effectuall to procure a firme and lasting Peace without a further effusion of Christian English bloud have therefore entred into a solemne engagement which is hereunto annexed and do humbly and earnestly desire that this whole City may joyne together by all lawfull and possible meanes as one man in hearty endeavours for his Majesties present comming up to his two Houses of Parliament with Honour safety and freedome and that without the neerer approach of the Army there to confirme such things as he hath granted in his Message of the twelfth of May last in answer to the Propositions of both Kingdomes and that by a Personall Treaty with His two Houses of Parliament and the Commissioners of the Kingdome of Scotland such things as yet are in difference may be speedily setled and a firme and lasting Peace established All which we desire may be presented to both