Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	kingdom_n	majesty_n	parliament_n	4,862	5	6.6563	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81180	A Cunning plot to divide and destroy, the Parliament and the city of London. Made knowne (at a common hall) by the Earle of Northumberland, Master Solliciter, and Sir Henry Vane. The design is fully discovered in the severall examinations and confessions, of Master Riley. Several examinations and confessions, of Sir Basill Brook. Severall examinations and confessions, of Master Violet. Proclamations from his Majesty. Letters from his Majesty. Letters from the Lord Digby. Letters from Colonell Read.	Northumberland, Algernon Percy, Earl of, 1602-1668.; Vane, Henry, Sir, 1612?-1662.; England and Wales. Sovereign (1625-1649 : Charles I). Proclamation for the removing of the Courts of Kings-Bench and of the Exchequer from Westminster to Oxford.	1644 (1644)	Wing C7586; Thomason E29_3; ESTC R11898	34,816	59

to Master Rily by the name of the Man in the Moone assures him The businesse goes on well at Oxford Promises of reward are made to Ryley and Violet Peace being the pretence Therefore Propositions are framed and agreed on fix in number by Read Sir Basil Brooke Ryley and Violet and seene by others and afterwards sent to Oxford A Petition for Peace being intended the better to induce that It was agreed that his Majestie must write a powerfull and promising letter to the Lord Major and Citizens to be read at a Common Hall and fit Instruments thought upon to be imployed to prepare my Lord Major before hand The Letter was written and agreed uponhere by Sir Basil Brook Master Ryley and Violet and sent to Oxford Violet a prisoner by Master Ryleys means was procured to be exchanged that he might from Oxford bring the letter and advises for the carrying on of the businesse At Oxford the businesse was so diligently sollicited by Read that at Violets coming all things were ready and after three houres discourse in his Majesties presence with the Queene the Dutches of Buckingham the Lord Digby Violet the same day being the Munday before the discovery dispatched from Oxford with his Majesties Letter altered in nothing save the Title and with another Letter from the Lord Digby to Sir Basil Brooke whereby the whole managing of the businesse is intrusted to Sir Basil Brook and it is wholly left to his Wisdom and Discretion whither the letter to the City shall be delivered or not Violet brought both the Letters to Sir Basil Brooke the Wednesday after and one Wood having formerly brought a Letter from Oxford to the City the same in matter with this that Violet brought which will be read unto you Sir Basil Brook delivered the Letter that came last from Oxford to Wood to be delivered to my Lord Major the next day after which was Thursday and with direction That it should have been published on the Fryday The delivery of it to my Lord Major by the discovery of it the same day was prevented and Sir Basil Brooke Ryley and Violet that night were examined Before the Reading of the Examinations Letters and Propositions unto you at large That the main designe to be made out by them as they are conjoyned and have relation to the precedent narrative may be the better understood I shall in brief touch upon the matter of them as likewise upon such Conclusions as may necessarily be deduced from them As first That no Peace was really intended appears throughout the whole transaction The propositions which upon the Supposition that this is no Parliament if anything were to have been the ground-work foundation of it which upon the reading you will finde so flight and frivolous that no man can conceive that our Peace could have been built upon such a foundation Nothing so much as spoken of concerning Ireland or the disengaging of of our ●elves from the Articles of Agreement with our Brethren of Scotland No provision for Reformation of Religion or preservation of that we have or of our Lawes and Liberties But in stead thereof there are quaedam iniqua the Excise must be continued beyond the war that out of it the King might have a benefit and the debts of the Enemies to the Parliament repayed and the City immediatly to be Treated with That no Peace was intended appeares further from the L Digbies Letter written within a day or two of that to the City to the Ki Agent at Brussels who writes that the French Treaty was at an end because the Parliament must not be acknowledged to be a Parliament that as the King for a long time had taken that for a ground so he held the same resolution still being thereunto advised by all his Lords at Oxford and by his resolution of holding a Great Counsell in the nature of a Parliament at Oxford the 22. of this Moneth And when his Majesties Letter shall be read you will finde no particulars whereupon a Peace should have been built save only kinde words in generalls This further appeares from the persons who were the first Designers and Contrivers and were to have been the chief managers from first to last of the businesse Read and Sir Basil Brook known Iesuited Papists and alwaies active in promoting Popish practizes This Peace must have been such as these persons shall contrive The prayer for our deliverance from the Gun powder Treason agreed upon in Parliament saith That the Faith of such Papists is faction Their practises the murdering of the soules and bodies of men Read he hath been a Contriver and prosecuter of the bloody Tragedies of the Protestants in Ireland the other not without suspicion to have had his hand in it what is said concerning the Queen in that particular is set forth by the Declaration of both or one of the Houses and the Articles of her Impeachment the Countesse of Buckingham beside that her husband hath appeared visibly in that Rebession is not free of other cause of suspition These as was said before assisted with the Lord Digby must be the Instruments of this Peace which as it is set forth in his Majesties Letter must be such as that whereby the true Protestant Religion the Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdome must be maintained These Papists you see who had done so good service for the Protestant Religion in Ireland must lay the foundation for the preservation of it here Sir Basil Brook and Read well knew that the Pope and and Popery have been banished this Kingdome by the Parliaments of England and that the succeeding Parliaments to this time have alwaies endeavored the suppression of popery and therefore Degenerating from their Predecessors who in the Gun-powder Treason endeavoured for that cause to have blown up the parliament They must now endeavour the Preservation of the Parliament and the Lawes and the Liberties of the Kingdome The things which from this briefe Narrative the reading of the Examinations Propositions and Letters will appeare to have been designed are these First the dividing the Parliament from the City and the Parliament and the City within themselves First in respect that this Treaty of Peace was to have been immediately between the King and the City and that whereupon the Peace of the whole Kingdome should have been setled as appeares by his Majesties Letter what wide rents such a Treaty must have produced between the City and Parliament is obvious Again for the prosecution of the Treaty when entertained by the City safe conducts were to have been granted not only to those of the City but to such of the Members of either House as would have repaired to Oxford for that purpose Every man sees by this what division and confusion would have followed both in City and Parliament The Projectors were well acquainted with Machivels maxime divide impera The second was no lesse then the utter destruction the nulling and making voyd

of this present Parliament as will appeare by the Lord Digbyes letter to De vic and the summoning of the great Councell or Parliament at Oxford compared with the third of these Propositions By the letter to De vic this Parliament as the resolution then was at Oxford must not be acknowledged and by this third Proposition for that very cause the Parliament must be waved and the Treaty must be immediatly between the King and City The consequence whereof had been no lesse then the rendring of the Kingdome for ever uncapable of having any more Parliaments This Parliament It was called and continued according to the knowne Lawes and Usages of the Kingdome was afterwards by an Act of Parliament assented unto by his Majestie so acknowledged and made indissolvable without its own consent a greater Testimony of the validity of this Parliament then I think was ever given to any If neither the Common Lawes and usages of this Kingdome nor the concurrent Authority of an Act Parliament be able to support this Parliament when his Majestie shall declare the contrary I shall without more words leave to your judgements whether this doctrin doth not at once blow up the fundamentalls of all Parliaments Lawes of the Kingdome Libertie of the Subjects and of the whole pollicie and Government of this Kingdome which being destroyed what security you could have devised for the maintaining of the Religion Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdome as is promised you in his Majesties letter I know not 3. The third was not onely the preventing of the assistance of our Brethren in Scotland But that which is worse and must have necessarily followed thereupon the embroiling of both the Nations in divisions in all likelihood fat all unto both this will appeare by putting together what hath beene done by the Parliament those at Oxford and the transactions in this designe The Parliament long since have invited that Nation to our assistance in this common cause upon weighty considerations As first conceiving that by this meanes through Gods blessing this great cause which concernes our Religion Lawes Liberties and all we have would be assured and the event of the War otherwise doubtfull made more certaine 2. Secondly that by their assistance the war might be the sooner ended and so by consequence the calamities which of necessity must accompany it their assistance adding so considerable a strength to our party besides the reputation which the concurrence of a whole Nation with us will adde to the justnesse of the cause 3. And thirdly that as in likelihood by their joynt concurrence a better Peace for present might be procured so in all probability what shall be agreed upon would be the more lasting and durable both Nations being equally interested in what should be agreed upon Besides the Covenant maturely sworn and agreed upon by both Nations for the maintenance and defence of Religion and of the mutuall Lawes and Liberties of each Kingdome a solemne league and Treaty hath likewise beene mutually agreed upon between the Parliament here and that Kingdome concerning the manner of their assistance and great sums of money have been thereupon sent unto them In which Treaty one Article is That neither Nation shall entertaine any Treaty of Peace without the advice and consent of the other This in briefe containes the transactions between that Nation and the Parliament At Oxford by papers in the forme of Proclamations they have stiled this assistance an Invasion of the Kingdome and one end of the calling of that great Councell or Parliament is for opposing of the same In the carriage of the present designe by one of Reads letters to Ryley he saith That a dore is open by the comming in of the Scots for the destruction of this Kingdome That therefore this Peace must presently be concluded That all is lost unlesse it be done speedily The maine intent of the letter is for the speeding of it to that end The Lord Digbyes letter to Sir Basil Brooke referring the delivering of his Majesties letter to my Lord Mayor to his discretion he forthwith delivers it to Wood to be the next day delivered to my Lord Mayor and he next day after the delivery to be by him published He saw it necessary and so resolved at Oxford That we must speedily breake with the Scots Their assistance how necessary and by Gods blessing how beneficiall it is like to be unto us I think you see but this must be prevented The honour and publike faith of Nations how Sacred it is and from the rules of Religion and common policie how tenderly to be preserved each man knowes But this designe must violate and staine our honour in the highest For contrary to the Article before mentioned this Treaty must presently be set on foot without them such violations are alwayes deeply resented by the parties injured how dangerous therefore the consequence must needs have beene he that runnes may reade This was the Designe It was too Ugly It was too Black Bare fac'd to have been presented to your view and therefore it must be masqu't This hook must be baited with the sweet word Peace It hath been long since observed from the Ecclesiasticall proceedings of the Romish Church That in nomine Domini Incipit omne malum The Holy Name of God must bear out all their Spirituall wickednesses The end of all Civil Policie is the preserving of just and Honourable Peace and therefore these men when Divisions Violence and what is most contrary to Peace is intended yet for the compassing of these ends Peace must be pretended So was it by many of them about this time twelve moneth Designed in their Petition to the Parliament for a Peace and so was it in the bloodie plot upon the Citie and diverse Members of both Houses discovered the last Summer For upon the examinations of diverse of them It appeared that the ground of that plot was laid in the first Petition and that the second was to have been guilded over with a Petition for Peace These men I speak of these designes they cry Peace Peace that destruction might have come upon you as an armed man You shal now hear the examinations and other things read at large unto you SIR HENRY VANE JUNIOR His Introduction to the Reading the severall Examinations taken in this businesse Together with severall Observations delivered by him upon occasion thereof GENTLEMEN YOU have heard very fully the State of this bu sines by what the Persons that have already spoken have opened to you in generall that which you are now in the next place to have communicated to you are the Examinations as they proceeded from the mouthes of the Parties themselves that you may see the Design in its lively colours and that as you have had it summarily presented to you from this Noble Lord and worthy Gentleman you may now hear the parties themselves speak The first Examination that was taken was the 4. of Jan. 1643. and

destruction of this Kingdome if there be not a peace which I pray God almighty to send speedily you must expect armies of strangers from severall places who are now preparing who certainly at their comming in will overrun the whole Kingdom and when it is past remedy you wil see your own errors and therefore to prevent more misery then I am able to express to this deplorable Kingdom and the effusion of the blood of millions of men women and children which must inevitably be this summer apply your selves in a humble and submissive way to his Majesty whom I know you will find ready with arms cutstretched to receive you to favour and mercy and grant you favours even beyond your expectation defer no time for Gods sake and what you will do do it speedily I say again doe it speedily and lose no time for reasons I may not write The direction of the letter by the same hand that it is written within is for the man in the Moone without date Upon the falling downe of this note to the ground we examined Master Riley upon it who did protest to us clearly hee did not know hee had this note about him who did thereupon declare as you shall heare that the note directed upon the backside to this examinant to the man in the Moone he confesseth to be sent him a fortnight since from Colonell Read that he received another to this effect before which is also here shall be read unto you The inscription upon the back of this letter is for the man in the Moon Sir I Assure you I have not bin wanting to further your good desires and if it be not your own faults I make doubt but things wil have a happy issue for I find those that are most concerned in it forward enough reflect now upon the misery of the times upon the groans and sufferings of those you see not which yet have bin nothing to what they will be if not speedily prevented by a Peace which to obtain I beseech you let it not only be your own care but the care of all those you love or have power with otherwise be confident of a generall ruine which certainly will be inevitable both to your selves and posterity and therefore take it into your serious consideration and let not causeles●e jealousies hinder you to apply your selves in a humble submissive manner to his Majesty who I am sure will yet look upon you with a gracious eye lose no time for the longer you delay it may prove more difficult no doubt TThe former of these letters in this examination which is sign dwith his own hand he doth acknowledge this letter which hath bin first read we shall read you his other examination wherein he likewise acknowledgeth this letter which hath bin since read and you may observe upon these letters that this Gentleman Colonell Read who as was told you is a famous lesuit hath bin the Ring-leader in the rebellion of Ireland O how tender hearted he is now to the Peace and liberty of this Kingdom he hath there in Ireland kindled a flame rais'd a rebellion to hinder the good indeavours of this Parliament which if it had not bin you might have injoyed your liberties without this war and blood that hath bin since spilt and now he returns a preacher here to exhort Mr. Riley for feare of this ruine which himselfe hath caused for to come to a Peace now upon Propositions of his owne contriving which are nothing else but a delivering your selves up to the designes of these Jesuites and Papist who would in the same manner bring our Protestant blood to be spilt here in England which with out mercy they have already done in Ireland I only tell you this by way of Observation Gent. This paper which was first read to you confest by Mr. Riley to be sent him from Col. Read falling thus strangely into our hands who knew nothing of it nor knew nothing at all of this conspiracy we did thereupon tell M. Rily that he could not but take notice of the finger of God that would bring the same to light and though from our tendernes and respect to him before we would not examine him of his papers that were about him wee now did desire he would pull out his papers from his pocket to let us see what he had beside having done so here is another paper directed like wise to M Theophitus Riley and it is but of four lines but that which did like wise discover another person that we knew not of to be interested in the businesse and that is Sir Bafil Brook It is directed for M Riley and it runs thus Good Mr. Riley these are to let you know that I am returned from Oxford with good sirccesse in my businesse and perceiving that you have appointed to meet B. B. at 9. of the Clock I pray without fail be here at the Eyon in South work before 8. of the clock to morrow morning It is subscribed T. V. that is Tho. Violet and dated Wednesday 3. Jan. 1643. which was the day Mr. Violet returned from Oxford was this good successe as he wrote here in the note and the next morning it seems Mr. Riley and Sir Basil Brooke appointed to meet at 9. of the Clock and he desired him to meet an houre before and M. Riley upon the examination coufest this B. B. was Sir Basil Brooke The further Examination of Theophilus Riley 4. Ianuar. 1643. This Examinant being further demanded concerning a Letter directed for Master Theophilus Riley and subscribed T. V. which was the Letter last read to you confesseth the said Letter was written to himselfe from Thomas Violet and sent to him this morning that B. B. mentioned in the Letter is Sir Basil Brooke as he conceives that he hath twice had conference with Sir Basil Brooke at the three Cranes in the Vintrey which time the said Thomas Violet was also there this Examinant being brought thither by the said Violet where they had discourse about the Treaty to be transacted by Colonell Read that Sir Basil Brooke sent for this Examinant on Tuseday last to the three Cranes where he told this Examinant a Letter of grace and favour would be sent from the King to the Lord Major that his Majesty would be willing to receive a Petition from the City Then Sir Basil Brooke shewed to this Exaninant a copy of the Kings letter which was to this effect as he remembers That whereas this City had been famous for their loyaltie to the King and that they had of late been disobedient yet if they would petition to him he would lovingly receive them and protested how hee had ever endevoured to maintaine the true Protestant Religion Priviledges of Parliament and liberties of the Subject that there was a Messenger come already about this businesse that Violet would returne within three of foure dayes and upon that appointed another meeting upon Friday

grace and favour of the King to be communicated in his gracious Letter that this grace and favour was of the coutrivement of Sir B. B. or M. Ryley and M. Violet here in this City before hand and that they gave reasons and arguments to the Court afterward why they should send it And in it Sir David Watkins that is named in this is a party it is true he was acquainted with this businesse but did discover it in part ten dayes before it came to light to some Members of the house of Commons and did freely come himselfe before he was sent for to the Committee and desired that it might be found out and searched This is the last Examination we shall read in this businesse after which you shall heare the Letters themselves of the Lord Digby and his Majesty the 7 of Ianuary 1643. The further Examination of Sir Bazill Brooke That George Wood mentioned in his former Examination is called Iohn Wood who was an Apprentice to a Merchant in the City and recommended by Read to this Examinat as a fit man to be trusted to carry Letters betweene Oxford and this placo in this businesse That Violet with the advice of of M. Ryley as this Examinat beleeveth framed some Propositions about 12 or 14 in number which were brought to this Examinat by Violet which mended the English of them which Propositions were reduced afterward to six by Violet Ryley or both and afterward was with the approbation of this Examinat That this Examinat at the three Cranes in the Vintry did meet with M. Ryley and Violet to confer upon the said Propositions and to consider of the probability of them to please this City and Parliament which afterward were carried to Oxford by the said Wood to Colonell Read who returned an answer that he thought the King would approve of them upon a Treaty which might be betweene the City and some Parliament men joyned with them That Wood also when he dwelt with his Master neere the Stocks and was imployed about taking up the exchange of monies and since that time the Examinat saith the said Wood told him he served in the wars particularly he served in the Battel at Newbury and being asked whether he knew the usuall abode of the said Wood or how to find him out upon occasion he saith he doth not know That the Propositions formerly mentioned this Examinat remembreth to be these or to this effect 1. That the City might be satisfied that the King would settle the Protestant Religion for without that neither the Parliament nor City would admit any Treaty 2. That the debts contracted upon the Publike Faith on either side by King or Parliament should be satisfied and the most likeliest way for the doing thereof was to settle the Excise for those purposes 3. That it was conceived that in respect of the Kings Declaration that the Parliament was no Parliament and that therefore the King could not Treat with them any more this Treaty was to be immediately betweene the King and the City and the City was to be the medium betweene the King and Parliament And this Examinat further saith That the said Wood told the Examinat that if any Parliament men would joyne with the City in this Treaty they also might come with them to Oxford under the safe conduct granted to the City though it were not exprest in the Kings Letter and that the said Wood received directions at Oxford for this Examinat to declare so much to whom he should thinke fit 4. That there must be an Act of oblivion for all parties and Delinquents whatsoever and a generall pardon that no Cessation should be expected during the Treaty if there had beene any That no mention was made in all these Propositions either of Scotland or Ireland That this Examinat doth remember That M. Alderman Gibs and M. Ryley were thought upon as fit men to be sent to Oxford about the Treaty as being persons inclined to the furtherance of Peace That VVood told this Examinat that it was wished from Oxford that the said parties might be imployed in this Treaty that Read being to procure his release first made a Petition to the Militia by the Name of Iohn Read Gent. to secure his quality as Colonell under pretence that he was a poore man and had children in great want in which businesse the said Read made use of some Citizens to promote this Petition That M. Ryley told the said Read when his release was obtained that he might perceive notwithstanding he might have beene h●ndred from his inlargement but that he said he knew no opposition and therefore he wished him to labour to requite this curtesie by endeavouring a peace betweene the King and City when he came to Oxford which he said he would doe Bazill Brooke Upon this examination you may observe that which will give you most light in this designe it was made so plausible not onely under the name of Peace but it must be that which must answer all mens expectations and that which most pinched which was that the debts of the Publike Faith should be paid by these propositions by the setling of the Excise when all things should be established that very thing which the Parliament in their wisedome and care would prevent that when your lawes have their freedome and when you injoy your liberties you should have no such extraordinary courses now on foot only for this extraordinary occasion this must be the way and the meanes when your liberties are setled to bring you under the greatest slavery that is to bring thosethings upon you that when you have said all that must not only pay you that have borne the brunt here but satisfie all the Delinquents on the Kings side also And secondly you may observe clcerely that now the Parliament must sit under a cloude by his treaty it must be by the King and the City the Parliament must be wholy obscured and waved The Kings Proclamation which is but a Paper and forme of a Proclamation must have anthority to abolish a Parliament setled by an Act of Parliament and that is the end that while you had a bait laid you for your liberties and peace to be setled you might have made such a president as never to have recovered a Parliament againe but in stead of that Act of Oblivion you might have made an Act for to have buried all Parliaments in Oblivion this was the right state of this Designe This Letter Gentlemen was directed to Sir Bazill Brooke in an outward Cover The Letter here which is for Sir Bazill Brooke it is under my Lord Digbies owne hand it is the Letter which Wood brought to Towne on Monday night last Oxford 29. Decemb 1643. Your affectionate Servant George Digby SIR THe King and Queene have both commanded me to give you thanks in their Name for your care and diligence in their service and His Majesty hath so much

therby to delude simple people if it were possible that might take place to subvert the Lawes of this Kingdome and subject al our liberties to an arbitrary power under pretence of Law to the worst of all evils By this you may easily understand the drift of the Councels that are at Oxford and this use we ought to make of it to unite our selves with more strong resolutions and unwearied affections then ever with our purses lives and estates to labour to redeeme our selves from this misery and thraldome that is threatned us and now appearing in more cleare Demonstrations than ever yet it hath You shall now heare the Proclamation it selfe read this Paper that is now to be read to you is that which commeth in the forme of a Proclamation for as you well know the great Seale of England is now with the Parliament and the other great Seal by the Ordinance is made voide and such is the confidence they have of this good doctrine of theirs and to set up another Parliament in the roome of it and to proceede upon these principles and grounds they think it necessary to send it beyond sea hoping hereby to unite all Popish Princes upon this point who know very well the true Protestant Religion must inevitably be rooted out if this Protestant Parliament be made no Parliament or destroyed in which all our other Lawes at the same time and upon the same grounds are no Lawes but must perish also By the King A Proclamation for the Assembling the Members of both Houses at Oxford upon occasion of the Invasion by the Scots VVhereas we did by Our Proclamation hearing date the twentieth day of June last upon due consideration of the miseries of this kingdom and the true cause thereof warn all Our good Subjects no longer to be missed by the Notes Divers and pretended Ordinances of One or Both Houses by reason the Members do not enjoy the freedom and Liberty of Parliament which appears by severall instances of Force and Violence and by the course of their proceedings mentioned in Our said Proclamation and severall of Our Declarations since which time Our Subjects of Scotland have made great and Warlike preparations to enter and inhave this Kingdom with an Army and have already actually invaded the same by possessing themselves by force of Armes of Our Town of Barwick upon presence that they are invited thereunto by the desires of the two houses the which as we doubt not all Our good Subjects of this kingdom will look upon as the most insolent Act of ingratitude and dissoyalty and to the apparent breach of the late Act of Pacification so solemnly made between the Kingdoms and is indeed no other then a designe of Conquest and so impose new Lawes upon this Nation they not so much as pretending the least probecation or violation from this Kingdom so We are most assured that the Major part of both Houses of Parliament do from their souls abhorre the least thought of introducing that for raigne Power to encrease and make desperate the mile ries of their unhappy Country And therefore that it may appear to all the world how far the Maior part of both Houses is from such Actions of Treason and disloyalty and how grossely those few Members remaining at Westminster have and do impose upon Our People We do Will and require such of the Members of both Houses as well those who have been by the faction of the Malignant Party expelled for performing their duty to Us and into whose roomes no Persons have been since chosen by their Country as the rest who have been driven thence and all those who being conscious of their want of freedom now shall be willing to withdraw from that Rebellious City to assemble themselves together at Our City of Oxford on Munday the twenty second day of January where care shall be taken for their severall Accomodations and fit places appointed for their meeting and where all Our good Sujects shall see how willing We are to receive Advice for the preservation of the Religion Lawes and safety of the kingdom and as far as in Us lies to restore it to its former Peace and Security Our chief and only end from those whom they have trusted though We cannot receive it in the place where We appointed And for the better encouragement of those Members of either House to resort to us who may be conscious to themselves of having justly incurred Our displeasure by submitting to or concurring in unlawfull actions And that all the World may see how willing and desirous We are to forget the Injuries and Indignities offered to Us and by an Union of English hearts to prevent the lasting miseries which this forraigne Invasion must bring upon this kingdom We do offer a free and Generall Pardon to all the Members of either House who shall at or before the said twenty second day of January appear at Our City of Oxford and desire the same without Exceptions which considering the manifest Treasons committed against Us and the condition We are now in improved by Gods wonderfull blessing to a better degree then We have injoyed at any time since these Distractions is the greatest instance of Princely and fatherly Care of Our People that can be expressed and which Malice it self cannot suggest to proceed from any other ground And therefore We hope and are confident that all such who upon this Our gratious Invitation will not return to their duty and Allegiance shall be no more thought Promoters of the Religion Lawes and Liberty of the Kingdom which this way may be without doubt setled and secured but Persons engaged from the beginning out of their own Pride Malice and Ambition to bring confusion and desolation upon their Country and to that purpose having long once contrived the Designe to invite and joyne with a forraigne Nation to ruine and extinguish their own and shall according be pursued as the most desperate and malitious Enemies of the kingdom And Our Pleasure is That this Our proclamation be read in all Churches and Chappell 's within this Our kingdom and Dominion of Wales Given at Our Court at Oxford the 22th day of December in the Nineteenth yeer of Our Reigne 1643. God save the King GENTLEMEN I believe upon the reading of this Paper which is put forth in the forme of a Proclamation you cannot but discerne a great affinity in it to this present businesse that is now before you which is to occasion division between the City and the Parliament to raise factions in both and to say open as much as possible may be to the power and malice of their enemies howsoever they cover themselves under these fair and specious expressions which you have heard before This Proclamation doth very ill agred with his Majesties Letter here it is called the disobedient and Rebellious City in this Proclamation and here the Parliament is indeavoured to be brought from you though before you are the