it selfe First The Title His Maiesty hath graciously considered this Petition and returnes this Answer Surely it was no more graciously considered then graciously answered and truly we have no more reason to believe this Answer his Maiesties then gracious for surely his Maiesties personall Protestations of a desire for peace did promise an answer as gracious in the Answer it selfe as in the Title Secondly We are to consider the Answer it self and therein 3. things 1. His Maiesties acknowledgement of his respects unto the City in generall by way of introduction 2. His Maiesties present implicit recenting the Petition with the grounds and reasons thereof 3. His Maiesties conditionall condecention unto the Petition with his tearmes and conditions tendred First in the introduction there is a foure-fold acknowledgement viz. 1. Of his Majesties right apprehension of the love and loyalty of the City And surely would his Maiesty please to look back upon all former experiences and could his Maiesty looke into our present affections his Maiesty should have little reason to judge otherwayes of us 2. We have an acknowledgement of his love unto the City and of his desire to make it his chiefe place of residence and to continue and renue many markes of his favour to it Surely we hope his Maiesty is in as good earnest in the profession of his love unto us as we are in the profession of our love and loyalty unto him though that wicked Counsell about his Maiesty have prevailed with him to keep him so long from us and to accompany them in their bloody attempt almost to our doores even so far as Brainford to murther and plunder us For though his Maiesty would not have us believe any such intent in him towards us as God forbid we should yet his Maiesty can plead but for himselfe and not for his Army for truly if he should wee should scarce believe the word of a King for it 3. We have an acknowledgement of the innocency of the City in those tumults Which forced his Majesty as he saith to leave the City for his safety We hope his Majesty will hereafter remember that he hath now acquitted the City of this charge his Majesty saith indeed that they were contrived and encouraged by some principall members of this City but we know them not he saith they are out of the reach of Justice a paradox unto us Well however he acquits the Inhabitants of the City he lookes upon his good subiects there as persons groaning under the same burthen which doth oppresse his Maiesty by which we conceive he meanes the distractions of the Kingdome but he lookes upon us as awed by the same persons who begat those tumults and the same Army which gave battle to his Maiesty but surely his Maiesty is much mistaken if hee lookes upon London as awed by any thing but the Laws of the Land and the lawfull power and exercise thereof which his Majesty hath over them much lesse by any promoters and chiefe causers of unlawfull tumults especially raised against his Maiesty and if by the Army Which he saith gave Him Battle be meant the Parliaments Army which gave the Cavaliers battle who goe about to destroy the Lawes Liberty and Religion of the Kingdome His Maiesty cannot but know that the City is so farre from being awed by them and in feare of them as that under God we looke upon them as meanes to defend us from that cruell popish and Atheisticall Army which detaines his Maiesty from his Parliament and therefore we both have and will to the last peny in our purses and blood in our bodies maintain and assist them in so good and iust a cause 4. We have an acknowledgement of his Maiesties desire to establish the particular peace and prosperity of the City truly could we see his Maiesty return to his Parliament and desert his popish and treacherous Counsell and Army we should believe the reality of affections a thousand times more then we can his present protestations Thus we see the first part of his Maiesties Reply viz. His Maiesties acknowledgements of his respects in generall by way of introduction Secondly The second part is his Maiesties present recenting or implicite deniall of the Petition with his grounds and reasons His generall ground is his feare of security in the City upon 5. speciall Reasons First The despising and trampling under foot the Laws of the Land in this City Surely this charge is very criminall and were London guilty of it they should deserve rather strict severity then his Maiesties lenity but sure we are if London bee guilty of this then is the adverse Army 7. fold more guilty and we suppose that all the Cities Townes Villages and Counties where ever they have been will attest the same we shall need to say no more to that seeing their owne daily actions and the whole Kingdomes complaints do ring this in the ears of heaven and earth but for our selves we know not what Laws are thus despised and trampled under foote 2. A second reason of his Maiesties feares of his safety in this City Is the submitting the Government of this City to the arbitrary power of a few desperate persons of no reputation It is hard to say whether we are accused more in the former charge of wickednesse or in this of weaknesse Surely to trample under-foot our Laws and Liberties and to submit our selves so the arbitrary government of a few desperate persons of no reputation is an argument as of sordid impiety so of sottish stupidity but surely though London hath been guilty of this slavish folly and foolish slavery in former times as it is too well knowne to its shame yet repentance and resolution hath I hope wiped that guilt of and made London now at least innocent in that charge and it is to be doubted if the truth was knowne that it is not Londons aptnesse to be made slaves but rather the incorrigeablenesse and stiffenesse of her neck to the yoke of slavery which hath made London so obnoxious unto these present distractions and displeasures from the higher powers we know not these parties our hard task-masters as yet but we shall by and by A third ground of his Majesties feares as saith this answer of his security in the City is that there Armes are taken up not only without but against his consent and expresse commands and collections publikely made and contributions avowed for the maintenance of the Army that gave him Battle therin used all possible means treason malice could suggest to them to have taken his life from him and to have destroyed his Royall issue Surely we utterly deny that here are any Armes taken against his Maiesty though we confesse here are Armes taken up against his consent and expresse command and as we will never iustifie the one so will live and die in the iâ—â—â—â—â—cation of the other as the case of the Kingdome stands for if so be a company â—â—known
Malignants and Traytors to the Religion and peace of the Kin◠〈…〉 gather head and get his Maiesty to ioyne with them and countenance them 〈…〉 proceedings and endeavours of destroying the Kingdome to make 〈…〉 and vassals for ever His Maiesty must give us leave and that with in any impeaâ—hment of our loyalty to him and love to his royall posterity espeâ—â—◠〈…〉 and power of a Parliament to raise up an Army for our defence 〈…〉 collections and contributions to the maintainance thereof 〈…〉 not only without his consent but against his expresse command and surely if his Maiesty will not evidence his love to his people by giving his consent and assistance for the safety of his Kingdom in such a case his Maiesty must give us leave to evidence our love to our selves and whole Kingdome to endeavour our owne safety or else we are forced to do it without his consent and if the Army raised up in London gave the Army that is raised up against the Kingdome a battle and his Maiesties life was in danger therein I know none that are to be blamed therein but either himself in hazarding his royall person or those that did advise him to such a desperate designe as for the imputation of Malice and Treason in the Parliaments Army and utmost indeavours to take away his owne life and destroy his royall issue his Maiesty may as soone prove this Treason and malice in the bullets that were shot as in the parties that shot them and if his Maiesty will so much forget both himselfe and his Kingdome as to protect an Army and goe with them in the field that fight against his Kingdome with supposition that we will not strike for feare of hurting him and so the Army encouraged to destroy us though his Maiesty will not value his own life and issue but expose all to hazzard yet we ought to value the life of our Religion Laws Liberties and whole Kingdome at a higher rate then to sacrifice all to such a dangerous and unadvised action and surely his person would be in more security and lesse danger in his royall Throne with his Parliament then in the midst of such an Army at Keinton Battle A fourth ground of his Maiesties feare of â—ecurity as saith the Contriver in the City is the revilings iniuries and murthers that are committed and that even by the Magistrates of this City upon his Maiesties subiects who out of duty and affection to his Majestie and compassion of their bleeding countrey have laboured for Peace Surely if these revilings iniuries and murthers were committed and that by the Magistrates of this City upon the Kings foresaid subjects or any other they were committed in their closets and we wonder his Maiestie should here therof at Oxford before we could here of any such thing in London but if so be these be his dutifull and affectionate subiects who laboured for Peace as the Author calls it by endeavouring to make insurrections and mutenies in the City giving out many expressures of their resolutions of malignity against both the City and Parliament it selfe the like affronts scarce ever knowne given against publike authority if those be the persons his Maiesty meanes and if upon the legall and iust proofe of these mens malignity and breach of the knowne Lawes of the Land the committing of these persons to safe custody to prevent their intended malicious designes against the City and Kingdome be to revile iujure and murther his good subiects then are the Magistrates of London guilty of this charge and if so what then is the guilt and where shall the blood of that poore fellow that was hanged and quartered for a pretended treason in Southwarke be required And where shall the blood of that innocent plaine hearted man Mr. Boise that was hanged at Redding a most bloody act for no man knowes what be required As for any revilings of them though we have heard of calling men of good ranke Parliament Dogges and Parliament Rogues at Oxford yet we know no such revilings of any of the other party here in London Fiftly and lastly The Contriver demands what hope of safety he can have whilst Alderman Pennington their pretended Lord Maior the principall Author of those calamities Which so neerely threaten the ruine of that famous City Ven Foulke and Manwairing all persons notoriously guilty of Schisme and high Treason commit such outrages in oppressing and imprisoning according to their discretion all such his Maiesties good subiects whom they are pleased to suspect but for wishing Well to his Maiestie Truely if so be a free and faire election of Alderman Pennington by the chiefe Citizens of London is sufficient to make him our lawfull Lord Maior then is hee no pretended Lord Maior and if so be no man must be Lord Maior but whom his Maiesties evill Counsell will please to suggest for we know no other exception then do not we know our Charter we have not the liberty which the meanest Incorporation in the Kingdome have well howsoever this Contriver will please to call him our Pretended Lord Maior we know him to be our true proper and lawfull Lord Maior and will honour and obey him accordingly well what is affirmed of him why that he is the principall Author of those calamities which so neerely threaten the ruine of this famous City surely my Lord Maior is better knowne to the City of London then unto this Contriver otherwise the City would never have chosen him twice to be one of their Burgesses in Parliament and twice Lord Maior wee can heare of no treason committed by him and we have so good an opinion of his loyalty and love to King and Kingdome that we could wish that all his Maiesties subiects were such traytors surely for this twelve moneths space those that have beene called the worst Traitors have been His best subiects and indeed the whole Kingdome excepting such as have taken part with Traitors against the Kingdome are proclaimed Traitors and the rest His loving subiects and for my part let me rather live and die such a Traitor then such a loving subiect I desird that men may take heed how they make use of such an expression of His Maiesty in calling my Lord Maior our pretended Lord Maior because His Maiesty hath not confirmed him for surely if men cease to be Officers in a Common-wealth when all things doe not concurre according to the originall and constitution of that Office although we know no such thing here it is to be questioned whether men will not make use of such a conclusion to the extirpation of the highest and chiefest Officer in the Kingdome well my Lord Maior is a reall Traitor but a pretended Lord Maior I should say a reall Lord Maior but a pretended Traitor but he is not alone he hath Foulk Ven and Mainwairing to beare him company all notoriously guilty of Schisme and high Treason saith the Contriver but all notoriously known to be honest
swear and lye and prophane the Lords day if in a word by these be meant all such as desire to be Protestants in life and conversation as well as in meere profession then to countenance and cherish such Brownists Anabaptists and all manner of such Sectaries is the way to maintain the true reformed reformed Protestant Religion and we know no others countenanced and cherished but such as these 2. Query A second querie is whether to comply with and assist persons who have actually attempted to kill his Maiesty and to allow and favour Libeirs Pasquils and seditious Sermons against his Maiesty be to defending Royall person and honour according to their duty and allegiance Ans Surely no but to comply with and assist persons that fight against those who have actually attempted to destroy the Laws of the Land the Liberty of the Subiect the life of the Parliament Religion and Kingdome is to defend his royall person and honour according to our duty and allegiance but surely to allow and favour Libels Pasquils and seditious Sermons against his Maiesty or his Parliament is not to defend his royall person and honour according to their duty and allegiance and therefore such Preachers as these that sow sedition between his Maiesty and Parliament are no godly learned and painfull preachers and I know none but such as those that are discountenanced by any Magistrates in this City 3. A third Query is whether to imprison mens persons and to plunder their houses because they will not rebell against his Maiesty nor assist those that doe whether to destroy their property by taking away the twentieth part of their Estates from them and by the same arbitrary power to refer to foure standers by of their own faction to iudge what that twentieth part is be to defend the lawfull rights and libertâ—â—t of the subjects Ans Surely no This is not to defend the lawfull rights and liberties of the subiects And therefore we hope His Maiestie will be very willing to let Justice have its free course upon my Lord of Newcastle and others which do assesse men to pay not the twentieth part of their estates but what he pleaseth and to compell them to pay it by an Army on foot in the North and elsewhere That he will at last ioyn with his Parliament to bring all those Robbers Plunderers and Spoylers of His Kingdom and good People whereof there are so many Complaints of poor Carriers and People in all the Villages Towns and Cities where the Army raised up against the Parliament hath been to iust and condign punishment and this will be to defend the lawfull Right and Liberties of the Subiects But for the Parliament into whose hands we have committed our Estates and trust of the whole Kingdom to demand the twentieth part of our Estates for the defence of the Kingdom against a Malignant Army of Papists Delinquents and Traytors raised up to destroy the Religion and Laws of the Kingdom and to compell them to pay it by an Ordinance of Parliament 〈◊〉 save our Laws Religion Liberties and Lives and to appoint four honest sufficient indifferent well affected men to iudge what that twentieth part is the best course that can be taken in such a case and farre better then the course taken by my Lord of Newcastle and others in their wicked and trayterous tyranny is to defend the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subiects 4. Query A fourth Query is If we think these Actions to be instances of either Whether we do not know these Persons before named to be guiltie of them all Answ We suppose these Actions are not instances of either and we do not know those Persons before named guilty of any one of them 5. Query A fifth Query is Whether we can think it possible that Almighty God can blesse this Citie and preserve it from distruction whilest Persons of such known guilt are defended and justified among them against the power of that Law by which they can only subsist Answ Were this Citie guilty of the aforesaid Crimes Doubtlesse we could not think that Almighty God could blesse this City and preserve it from destruction But for as much as we know the Cities innocency in them all especially the innocency of the Governours of this Citie where chiefly the charge is laid we think it not only possible But certain that Almighty God will blesse this City and preserve it from destruction notwithstanding the malice power policy plots and proiects of all the enemies thereof as blessed be his holy Name he hath hitherto done And surely We cannot think that God can blesse leaving to himself the liberty of his free and rich grace that party of Papists Athaists and prophane Wretches That under prerences of fighting for the true Protestant Reformed Religion Law of the Land and Liberty of Subiect Shall go about to undermine kill and destroy the Religion Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom And although such may prosper sometimes in iudgement and not in mercy yet God will finde a time for an accompt hereof to their terrour For if men will most Hypocritically make God iustifie their wickednesse by pretending his cause and approbation God will most seasonably iustifie himself and his righteousnesse by their ruine and destruction But the good God give repentance unto conversion and not iudgement unto confusion And this is the greatest mischief that we wish them We shall say no more to the second part of His Maiesties reply Viz. His recenting the Petition for the present with His Maiesties Reasons thereof and the severall Queries hereabout The last part of His Maiesties reply Is His conditionall condescention unto the Petition with the tearms thereof tendred and propounded Wherein we may observe First His conditionall condiscention with tearms propounded Secondly A threatning of those that will not yeeld to the same First His conditionall condiscention Here we must remember the Prayer of the Petition that is twofold For His Maiesties return unto His Parliament with His Royall and not His Martiall Guard c. Secondly That a Peace may be concluded upon as may be for the glory of God the honour and happinesse of His Maiesty and posterity and the safety and welfare of all His loving Subiects This His Maiesty doth promise upon these conditions as saith this Author His Maiesty having profest His good opinion of the greater and better part of this City and that He doth not lay the former charge in that measure at least upon them Though they are not altogether without some blame to suffer those foresaid ill men so farre to prevail with them as that He hath had little use of their Affections Yet notwithstanding He professeth His desire is to be with them and to protect them that the Trade Wealth and glory thereof may again be the envy of all forraign Nations c. And Hee doth offer a generall pardon to all the Inhabit ants of that His City of London the Suburbs and City
Surely this City doth call to minde and for ever will the acts of our Predecessors their duty affection loyalty and merit towards their Princes the renowne they have had with all posterity for and the blessings of heaven which hath alwayes accompanyed these vertues and will and do consider the scorne and infamy which unavoidably will follow us and our children if infinitely the meaner part in quality and the lesser part in number shall notwithstanding the assistance of all the Cavaliers in the Army raised up against the Parliament and all the Papists and Atheists in the City or Kingdom to help them be able to alter the Government so admirably established Destroy the trade so excellently setled and to waste the wealth so industriously gotten of this flourishing Citie as the Cavaliers have in many flourishing Cities and Towues where they have been And therefore we will gather courage and resolution to joyne with His Majesty and Parliament in the defence of that Religion Law and Liberty which stands in opposition to popery and slavery and can only make our selves His Majesty and His Kingdom happy And notwithstanding with reference to the Common-wealth his Maiesty may have concurrence with his Parliament at this distance is well as at White Hall yet we should thinke our selves infinitely ingaged unto his Maiestie if he will be pleased to come to his Parliament and we think the whole Kingdom will reioyce at it and though his Maiesty hath concurred with their advise beyond the example of his Predccessors in passing of such Bills by which he willingly parted with many of his known Rights for the benefit of his subiects which the fundamentall constitutions of this Kingdome did not oblige him unto for which we are heartily thankefnll yet would his Maiesty be pleased to leave that wicked Counsell about him who adviseth him to ioyne with them against his Parliament beyond the example of his Predecessors and to take such courses whereby These Acts of Grace in passing Bills for the good of the Subjects shall be voyde and of no use but even the Parliament it self and all our Lawes Religion and Liberty are in danger to bee utterly lost and destroyed we should surely then be easily perswaded of his Majesties cordiall love and respects unto us and we know not what to doe but still to apply our selves unto his Majesty as we have done unto his Parliament that such just peaceable and Honourable Propositions may bee mutually tendred that may beget a sweet and happy concurrence betweene his Majesty and Parliament We have seene the Petition who would not subscribe it wee have seene the supposed answer if true who could have expected it shall we be any longer deceived then let us be for ever undon it is no Religion but Popery no Liberty but slavery which shall be our portion doe not thinke that were it not for a few Brownists and Anabaptists c. all would be well that these are the disturbers of our Peace I am no friend to such as these but let me live and die such an one as those that are falsely so called no no such Brownists and Anabaptists as were the causes of the Irish Rebellion as all men may see are the incendiaries of our troubles Popery and slavery hath a long time threatned this Nation When absolute prerogative gets upon the Throne and the Pope upon the Church what Subjects then but slaves what Christians but Papists shall we be cozened of our Religion and Liberty by lies and hypocrisie no peace is to be had but either we must fight for it in hope of victory or purchase it by perpetuall slavery Warre is bitter God give us peace Hell is hot God give us truth if we love our soules let us fight for our Religion if we love our posterity let us fight for their Liberty amongst others these motives doth captivate my resolutions first the consideration of the cause it is for God it is for the Kingdome if I fight for God I shall have God though I loose all and that will make up all if I decline God though I enjoy all I shall loose God and then all will make up nothing it is for Iesus Christ who would not help him to his glory He hath fought with divine justice with the curse of the Law with the Divell with sinne with death for us shall we not fight with man for him we were his enemies when he did thus for us hee is our Redeemer what is now to deare for him hee left Heaven to fetch us from Hell what can we doe in requitall therefore he is our Generall mighty in battaile who would not fight under his Standard if ever now is Christs cause on foot to affirme the contrary is shamelesse impudency which to beleeve is sottish credulity if Popery be piety then are we deceived in this controversie can English ingenuity be deceived with such Romish falacy It is for the Gospell who is so blind as once to doubt it Life by it hath bin brought to light shall we now lose it it s a dore to glory shall we let it be shut It s a vision of Heaven shall we let it passe pitty pitty your poore posterity no Gospell no Christ no Christ no Glory if so woe woe that ever they were borne beleive it It is not Queene Elizabeths reformation but Queene Maries Religion that will give content put it to question doth the Rebells in Ireland the Papists in England the Catholique Army in the North the popish in the South aime at and fight for Queene Elizabeths Reformation It cannot but vexe an ingenious man to thinke that men should bee such fooles as to be thus cheated Secondly It is the Kingdomes cause the peace the plenty the security of the Kingdome lies a bleeding England hitherto the envie is like to be made the pitie of Nations we may reade our dismall quality in Irelands misery instead of beauty we shall have baldnesse and of garments a rent farwell the bleating of sheepe the lowing of Oxen the Calves of our stall and the heards of our flockes instead of our musick shall ring in our eares the pittifull cries of dearest wives with wringing hands and 〈◊〉 eyes dearest husbands bread bread can pitifull mothers endure the cries of tender babes with blubber'd cheekes and bleared eyes mother mother bread bread what a harsh and unusuall discourse will this bee amongst our delicate women Let us eat your childe to day and you shall have mine to morrow how will all faces gather blacknesse and all hearts sadnesse when death climes up at our windowes and there is nothing but lamentations in the houses and cries in the street when our young men shall fall and our old men faint and no man knowes how long doe we not see many from Ireland whose clothing was lately rich and food delicious now clothd in raggs glad of your crusts and thankfull for your old shooes doth not the same blood of the Irish Rebellion run in the veines of distracted England and hath it not wrought the same bloudy effects up and downe throughout the Kingdome what dismall groanings of murthered men screiching women and crying children will fill our eares in every house in a word did we know the effects of Warre we would study Peace pray for peace petition for peace and if wee could not prevaile we would give out our selves to all that we have to fight for our peace against the enemies thereof that some suddaine end might be put to the Warre Thirdly consider the example of our Adversaries how do they joyne together as one man against us who would have thought such a war so expensive should be carried on in Ireland and now in England by voluntary contributions amongst the Papists as we see it is shall the Pope have greater interest in Papists than Christ in Christians shall hee call for the assistance of Papists and they run and ride travell beyond Seas flie into Holland France Germany Denmarke every where for help and shall we doe nothing doe Papists forget all their interests in wives children Countries dwellings Estates gather into Armies venture their lives for the Pope and shall Christ call for help and shall we sit still hath the Pope done more for Papists than Christ for Christians hath the Pope shed his bloud for them suffered wrath for them adopted them unto God pluckt them out of the snares of death hath not Christ don all this for us hath the power of the Masse-Booke prevailed more with Papists in the cause of their Lord God the Pope then the Bible with Christians to doe for their Lord Iesus Christ can the Pope protect in Battells succeed Battells prosper battells like unto Christ can the Pope reward our labours make up breaches repay losses looke to widdowes and fatherthelesse crowne with Glory like Iesus Christ let us be ashamd of our pretended Christianity if Christs cause hath in us no greater efficacy In short let us take what speedy course we can to redeeme all or wee loose all pray for the peace of Ierusalem and the ruine of Babylon study the peace of Ierusalem and the ruine of Babylon fight for the peace of Ierusalem and the ruine of Babylon Christ and his Gospell Religion Lawes Liberties Estates Trades Wives Children all accommodations of soule and body calls and cries begs and intreats if wee have any bowels of love and compassion we would not give back but now give out our helpe and thinke upon some suddaine certaine continued course by some generall asistant that the burthen being put upon many shoulders every man might beare with ease and delight whereby we may both prosecute and purchase our peace peace is our quarrell peace is our prayer let peace bee our study and endeavours and Peace shall bee our reward FJNJS
A MODERATE REPLY TO HIS MAJESTIES Answer to the Cities last Petition presented at OXFORD WHICH ANSWER VVas read in Guildhall before the Commons of the said City January 13. 1643. By a well-minded Petitioner for Peace and Truth London printed Jan. 13. Ann. Dom. 1643. The Convinc'd PETITIONER IT is a great controversie with many in these times whether is to bee preferr'd an unjust Peace or a most just Warre much may be said on each side Policy and Divinity may spin out a long controversie here about sure I am that it is divine policy and politicke Divinity though not to preferre an unjust Peace yet to compound a most just Warre for doubtlesse when a just Peace is to be had no Warre can be just let the cause be what it will it is Solomons note of an evill man to diâ— up evill and of a froward man to sow contention Proverb 5. v. 22. and warres proceed from lusts James 4.1 and truly he that pretends piety and delights in cruelty doth little understand the law of charity nor his own hypocrisie for surely to take pleasure in fighting is the property of Curres and not of Christians and they little know the power of godlinesse what ever their profession may be who delight in blood for the fruit of the spirit is peace love joy c. but warre and strife c. are fruits of the flesh Gal. 5.21 22. doubtlesse these together with the sad considerations of the dismall effects of civill warres in our own Countrey were the true and reall causes however many would not beleeve it of the strong cries and Petitions for Peace if it could be attained and accommodations between the King and Parliament what malignity did lie hid in the hearts of some of the chiefe movers in that former Petition whose pretence was for Peace and their intentions to make devision in the City I know not but let me speak for my self and for many more whom I have cause to iudge as upright as my selfe therein that our hearts did and doe abhorre such desperate dissimulation and it shall appeare so to all the world by our dissenting from any such councel from what hand soever given to the stopping of the mouthes of any censorious person whatsoever it did much satisfie us to see the Lord Major Aldermen Common Counsell of this City in that humble loyall loving dutifull manner to Petition His Majesty for Peace in the name of the whole City we could not but taking notice of His Majesties Protestations of a desire for Peace promise to our selves a blessed and happy answer to the refreshing the hearts of the whole Kingdome but now the cloudes are returned after the raine and we are as full of present despaire by this answer if His Majesties as we were of former hopes and for mine owne part I cannot but judge that those that are now to seeke in their resolutions to ioyne with the Parliament against the common adversaries of the Kingdome are either to seeke for their wits or their respects to the Kingdome and I shall for ever judge them to be more then sufficiently acquainted with the art of hypocrisie and dissmulation in their pretences for Peace that will not give out their assistance in joyning with the Parliament against the common adversary the only way now left to attaine a Peace An account of this mine opinion I offer to all those that were as ingenuous â—s my selfe in subscribing the late Petition for Peace so much withstood by many who did iudge more evilly of us then we did deserve and that is the serious taking notice First of the nature of the Petition Secondly of the nature of this Answer 1 In the Petition we are to consider 1 Title 2 Preamble 3 Prayer thereof First In the Title they Petitioned to the Kings most Excellent Maiestie in whose hands there was power and we did hope in whose heart there had been a will to make us happy by a gracious reply and surely as it had been the high way to our felicity so had it been greatly for his glory and as it had fild our mouthes with ioy so had muzled the mouthes of those who did premise no better issue of it then now we see Secondly we are to consider the Petitioners The humble Petition of the Maior Aldermen and Commons of the City of London An Act of the ioynt body of the whole City and therefore we did hope most likely to prevaile with His Majesty Thus for the Title Secondly for the Preamble and therein is contained the Petitioners grievances as the ground of their prayers and they are three First the divisions betweene His Maiesty and Parliament Secondly the sad effects thereof both here and in Ireland Thirdly the mis-apprehension conceived in His Maiestie of the Petitioners love and loyalty And from hence they promise His Maiesty and professe that as they are for the present so they will alwayes continue his loyall obedient and loving subiects promising according to their Protestation and vow made before Almighty God that they will defend the true Protestant Religion and their Allegiance His Royall Maiesty honour and estate as well as the power and priviledge of Parliament and the lawfull rights and liberties of the subiects and whereas His Maiesty hath taken offence at tumults from the City they engage themselves their estates and all they have to their utmost power to defend and preserve His Maiesty and both Houses of Parliament from all tumults affronts and violence with as much loyalty love and duty as ever Citizens exprest towards His Maiesty or any of His Royall Progenitors in their greatest glory This is the preamble of the Petition Thirdly in the prayers we may note 1. The meanes of it and that is the most humble submissive manner as it is possible for them to doe The Petitioners therefore upon their bended knees doe most humbly beseech your Maiesty c. 2. The matter of the Petition and that is two-fold First That his Maiesty would be pleased to returne to his Parliament with his Royall and not his Martiall attendants Secondly That such a peace may be concluded upon as may be for the glory of God the honour and happinesse of his Maiesty and his posterity the safety and Welfare of all his loyall Subiects Thus we see the nature of the Petition wherein for persons manner and matter envy it selfe cannot suggest the very least miscarriage who could have otherwayes thought but that we should have had such an Answer to such a Petition so mannaged as might at least have caused our peace and happinesse after our dismall distractions as the Spring after Winter to have budded in our hearts but alas this unexpected answer if it be the true answer to the petition hath like a nipping frost killed our hopes in the very bud and it cannot be otherwayes if we consider the nature of this Answer wherein we are to observe First the Title Secondly the Answer