THE ARTICLES OF CESSATION OF THE LORDS and COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT, Presented to HIS MAJESTY upon consideration of the former Articles, with the Alterations and Additions offered by HIS MAJESTY.
AND HIS MAIESTIES Gratious Answer thereunto. March 22. 1642.
Printed by His MAJESTIES Command AT OXFORD, March 25. By LEONARD LICHFIELD, Printer to the Vniversity. 1643.
THe Lords and Commons in Parliament, being still carried on with a vehement desire of Peace, that so the Kingdom may speedily be freed from the Desolation and Destruction wherewith it is like to be overwhelmed, if the warre should continue, Have with as much expedition as they could, considered of the Articles of Cessation, with those Alterations and Additions offered by His Majesty; unto which they are ready to agree, in such manner as is exprest in these ensuing Articles. viz.
1. THat all manner of Armes, Ammunition, Victualls, Mony, Bullion, and all other Commodities passing without a safe Conduct from the Generalls of both Armies, as well of His Majesties as of the Armies raised by [Page 2] the Parliament, may be stayed and seazed on, as if no such Cessation were agreed on at all.
2. That all manner of Persons passing without such a safe Conduct, as is mentioned in the Article next going before, shall be apprehended and detained, as if no such Cessation were agreed on at all.
3. That His Majesties forces in Oxford-shire, shall advance no nearer to Windsor then Wheatly; & in Buckingham-shire no neerer to Aylesbury then Brill; And that in Berk-shire the forces respectively shall not advance neerer the one to the other, then they shall be at the day to be agreed for the Cessation to begin; And that the Forces of the other Army raised by the Parliament, shall advance no neerer to Oxford, then Henly, And those in Buckingham-shire no neerer to Oxford then Aylesbury; And that the Forces of neither Army shall advance their Quarters neerer to each other then they shall be upon the day agreed on for the Cessation to begin.
4. That the Forces of either Army in Glocester-shire, Wilts, and Wales, as likewise in the Cities of Glocester and Bristoll, and the Castle and Towne of Berkely, shall be guided by the Rule exprest in the later part of the precedent Article.
5. That in case it be pretended on either side, That the Cessation is violated, no Act of Hostility is immediatly to follow; But first the party complaining is to acquaint the Lord Generall on the other side, and to allow three daies after notice given for satisfaction, and in case satisfaction be not given, or accepted, then five daies notice to be given before Hostility begin; And the like to be observed in the remoter Armies by the Commanders in Chiefe.
6. That all other Forces in the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales, not before mentioned, shall remaine in [Page 3] the same Quarters and Places as they are at the time of the publishing of this Cessation; And under the same conditions, as are mentioned in the Articles before, And that this Cessation shall not extend to restraine the setting forth or employing of any Ships for the defence of His Majesties Dominions.
7. That as soon as His Majesty shall be pleased to disband the Armies, (which both Houses earnestly desire may be speedily effected) and to disarme the Papists according to Law; The Subjects may then enjoy the benefit of Peace, and the Liberty of their Persons, goods and freedome of Trade; In the mean time the Generalls and Commanders of the Armies of both sides shall be enjoyned to keep the Souldiers from plundring, which the two Houses of Parliament have ever disliked and forbidden.
And for the speedy setling of this so much desired Peace, they have thought good to send their Committees with instructions, That if His Majesty be pleased to consent to a Cessation so limited, and qualified, They may forthwith proceed to treat upon the Propositions; And because the time is so farre elapsed in these preparations, They desire the Cessation may begin the five and twentieth of this instant March, or sooner if it may be, And in the mean time notice to be given to all the Forces in the severall and remote parts, And the Commanders, Officers and Souldiers enjoyned to observe this Cessation accordingly; To which they hope and pray, That God will give such a Blessing, as may produce and confirme Peace, Safety and Happinesse to His Majesty, and all His People.
HIS MAJESTIES ANSWER TO THE AFORESAID ARTICLES.
HIS MAJESTY hath immediatly upon their arrivall admitted the Committee sent to Him from both Houses of Parliament (as the Messengers of Peace) to His Royall presence, and received the Articles of Cessation brought by them, which are in effect the same His MAJESTY formerly excepted to, though their Expression in the preface to these [Page 5] Articles of their readinesse to agree to those alterations and additions offered by His Majesty in such manner as is expressed, made him Expect to have found at least some of the reall alterations and additions made by Him admitted, which He doth not discover.
1. His Majesty desired that provision might be made, and licence given to his good Subjects, for their Freedom of Trade, Traffique, and Commerce, (though in matters which concerned Himselfe more immediatly, as in Armes, Ammunition, Money, Bullion and Victuall for the use of His Army, and the Passage of all Officers and Souldiers of His Army, He was contented the restraint should be in such manner as was proposed) of which his Majesty is so tender, that as he hath provided for the same by His gratious Proclamations, so he doth dayly release and discharge such Merchandize and Commodities as are contrary to those Proclamations stayed by any of His Majesties Forces.
To this freedome and liberty of His good Subjects there is not the least Admission given by these Articles, so that they have not any ease or benefit by this Cessation, which His Majesty desires both Houses to consider of, and whether if his Majesty should [Page 6] take the same Course to stop & interrupt the Trade of the Kingdom, as the other Army doth, a generall losse and Calamity would not seiz upon His good Subjects.
2. His Majesty to the end that a full Cessation might be as well at Sea as at land, and He might be secured that the Ships proposed to be set forth for the defence of His Majesties Dominions, should be employed [...] only to that end and purpose, desired that they might be put under the command of Persons to be approved of by His Majesty, which is not consented to by these Articles, but their former, to which His Majesty Excepted, strictly and entirely insisted on, by which (besides that part of hostility remaines) the conveying of any number of Forces from any part to any other by that meanes remaine free to them.
3. For the prevention of any inconveniences which might arise upon reall differences or mistakes upon the latitude of Expressions (as if His Majesty should now consent to these Articles proposed in the tearms proposed, He must confesse the Army of which He complaines to be raised by the Parliament, and either Himselfe to be no part of the Parliament, or himselfe to have raised that Army) [Page 7] and for prevention of that delay, which he foresaw could not otherwise be avoyded, if upon every difference the Questions must be remitted to London, His Majesty desired, that the committee (for whom He then sent a safe Conduct) might have liberty to debate any such differences and expressions, and reconcile the same, that all possible expedition might be used to the main Treaty.
In this poynt of so high concernment no Power is given in these Articles, and the Committee confessed to His Majesty they have no power given, but are strictly and precisely bound to the very words of the Articles now sent, and that before these are consented to by His Majesty, they cannot enter into any Treaty concerning the other Propositions.
4. His Majesty desired that, during the Cessation, none of his good Subjects might be imprisoned, otherwise then according to the known lawes of the Land.
This is in no degree consented to, but the Priviledge and liberty (to which they were borne) reserved from them till the disbanding of both Armies, (though they are no part of either Army) and so have no benefit by this Cessation.
5. His Majesty desired that, during this Cessation [Page 8] there should be no Plundering or Violence offered to any of His Subjects.
In the Answer to which, His desire against Violence is not at all taken notice of, nor is his desire against Plundering any waies satisfied, His Majesty not only intending by it the robbing of the Subject by the unrulines of the uncommanded Souldier (which their clause of requiring the Generall and Officers to keep them from it seemes to imply, and the assertion that the two Houses of Parliament had ever disliked and forbidden it, declares plainly to be their only meaning) but particularly the violence and Plundering used to His Subjects, by forcibly taking away their goods, for not submitting to Impositions and Taxes required from them, by Orders or Ordinances of one or both Houses of Parliament, which are contrary to the known Lawes of the Land.
6. Besides, that there is no consent given to those alterations and additions offered by His Majesty (whatever is pretended) so, where an absolute consent may be supposed, because the very words of His Majesties Article are wholly preserved, yet by reason of the relation to somewhat going before, that is varied by them, the sense of those [Page 9] words is wholly varied too, as in the fourth Article, that part of the third Article, to which that did referre, being wholly left out. So that upon the matter all the Propositions made by His Majesty (which did not in termes agree with those presented to Him) are utterly rejected.
For these Reasons, and that this entrance towards a blessed Peace and Accommodation (which hath already filled the hearts of the Kingdom with joy and hope) may be improved to the wished end, His Majesty desires that the Committee now sent may speedily have liberty to Treat, debate, and agree upon the Articles of Cessation, in which they, and all the World shall find, That His Majesty is lesse sollicitous for His own dignity and greatnesse, then for His Subjects ease and liberty. And He doubts not upon such a debate, all differences concerning the Cessation will be easily and speedily agreed upon, and the benefit of a Cessation be continued and confirmed to His People, by a speedy disbanding of both Armies, and a sudden and firme Peace, which His Majesty aboue all things desires.
If this so reasonable, equall, and just desire of His Majesty shall not be yeelded unto, but the same [Page 10] Articles still insisted upon, though His Majesty next to Peace desires a Cessation, yet that the not agreeing upon the one may not destroy the Hopes of, nor so much as delay the other, He is willing however to Treat (even without a Cessation, if that be not granted) upon the Propositions themselves in that order as is agreed upon, (and desires the Committee here may be enabled to that effect.) In which Treaty He shall give all His Subjects that satisfaction, that if any security to enjoy all the Rights, Priviledges and Liberties due to them by the Law, or that happinesse in Church and State, which the best times have seen, with such farther Acts of Grace as may agree with His Honour, Iustice and Duty to His Crown, & as may not render Him lesse able to protect His Subjects, according to His Oath, will satisfy them, He is confident in the Mercy of God, that no more pretious Blood of this Nation will be thus miserably spent.