I Received a Letter from your Lordship, in which the House is pleased to do me a very great Honour, farre above any desert of mine, and little expected by me▪ for my Lord, I well know my obedience tyes me to fulfill their Commands, and in that I have done, but my duty, and that which every honest man ought to doe, and oweth of right to the Parliament; and whoso­ever hath that principle in him, it will dictate to him as much, and keep him from other by-waies: And for my owne part, my heart ever was and shall ever be, both forward and ready to obey their Lordships command in all things, both with Inte­grity and industry, and Gods curse light upon him and his, that carries any other heart about him. My Lord, it is too mean a way for me to expresse my acknow­ledgement in paper, to the House, for this high favour which I have received by your Lordships Letter. I hope to make it appear by my actions that their Lorships see, I am not an ungratefull servant. It is a great incouragement to these parts, their Lord­ships Resolutions, in giving their Commands to have the rest of the Militia put in present execution; and truly, my Lord▪ it was out of that regard that I did intimate it to my Lord of Essex, as holding it a thing much conducing to the publicke good, and the only remedy to cure these distractions which the Kingdom is in, not out of any regard to my selfe; for I know, if I suffer in executing their Lordships com­mands, it must be against their wills, and when that day comes, I will not give a straw for all I have, were I but a looker on. My Lord, as I was this day at Lincoln where I appointed to begin to Muster, there came a Messenger from his Majesty, with this Letter, which I held it my duty to acquaint the House with, and likewise my answer, and am for Lin [...]olne, where, as in all other places, I shall be ready to serve your Lordship.

MY Lord, ere my Letter was sealed up, I could not but give your Lordship an accompt, in how good a Posture I found the trained Band of Lincoln, which was farre beyond my expectation considering the unhappinesse in the sicknesse, being dispersed in the Town, which hindred the appearance of some; But truly my Lord that was fully supplyed by a Company of Volunteers, equall in number and good­nesse of Arms to the Trained Bands.

Lincoln, 6. Iune. 1642.

RIght trusty and wel beloved We greet you well. Whereas We understand, That you have begun to assemble▪ Train and Muster the Trained Bands of our Cou [...] ­ty of Lincoln, under pretence of an ordinance of Parliament, whereto We have not given Our consent; Which is not only contrary to Law, but to Our Command and Pleasure signified by Our Proclamation sent to the high Sheriff of that Our County: Wherefore That you may not hereafter plead Ignorance of such our prohibition; We do▪ by these Our Letters, Command, and charge you, upon your Allegiance, to desist and forbear to Raise, Muster, Train, Exercise, or Assemble together any part of the Trained Bands of that Our County, either by your selfe. or by any others imployed under you▪ or by Warrant from you. And because you may, for what you have alrea­dy done, concerning the Militia of that Our County, plead, that you had not s [...] particu­lar a Command, We shall passe by what you have already done therein, So as pres [...]nt­ly [Page] upon your rec [...]ipt hereof, you shall desist and give over [...]dling any further with a­ny thing belonging to the Militia of that Our County; But if you shall not presently desist, and further medling therewith, We are resolved to call you to a strict Accompt for your Disobedience therein, after so many particular and legall Commands giv [...] you, upon your Allegiance to the contrary, and shall esteem and proceed against you [...] a disturber of the peace of Our Kingdom.

Given at our Count at York, the fourth of Iune. 1642.

AS there can be nothing of greater unhappinesse to me, then to receive a Com­mand from your Majestie, whereunto my endeavours cannot give so ready an obedience, as my affections: so I must confesse the difficulty at this time not a little, how to expresse that duty which I owe to your Majesties late Commands, and not falsifie that Trust reposed in me by your high Court of Parliament; through whose particular directions I am now come into this Countey to settle the Mil [...]tia, accor­ding to the Ordinance of Parliament which by the Votes of my Lord Littleton and others in the House of Peeres, better versed in the Laws then my self, passed as a Legall thing; and hath since been confirmed (if I mistake not) by his example, and your Majesties Chief Justice, Sir Iohn Banks, both in accepting their Ordinance, and nominating their Deputy Lieutenants; how much farther they proceeded, I know not.

But Sir, if the opinions of those great Lawyers drew me into an act unsuitable to your Majesties liking: I hope the want of years will excuse my want of judge­ment. And since the Command of the Parliament, I am now so far ingaged in their service as the s [...]ding out Warrants to summon the County to meet me this day at Lincoln, and afterwards in other places: I do most humbly beseech your Majesty not to impose that Command on me, which must needs render me false to those that relie on me, & so make me more unhappier then any other misery can fall upon me.

These things, Sir, I once more humbly beseech your Majestie may be taken into your gracious consideration, & that you would never be pleased to harbour any mis­conceit of me, or of this action, since nothing hath yet passed by my Commands here, or ever shall; but what shall tend to the honour and safety of your Kingdom, and to the content (I hope) of all your Majesties Subjects in these parts; amongst which I remain.

VVHereas it appeares that the King (seduced by wicked counsell) intends to make warre against his Parliament, and in pursuance thereof, un­der pretence of a guard for his Person, hath actually begun to levie forces both of Horse and Foote, and sent out summons throughout the County of Yorke, for the calling together of greater numbers, and some ill af­fected persons have been imploy'd in other parts to rai▪ Troops under the colour of his Majesties service, making large offers of reward and preferment to such as will come in; And that his Majestie doth with a high and forcible hand, protect and keepe away Delinquents, not permitting them to make their appearance to answer such affronts and injuries as have beene by them offered unto the Parliament, and [Page] those Messengers which have beene sent from the Houses for then have beene abu­sed, beaten and imprisoned, so as the Orders of Parliament, which is the highest Court of Justice in this Realme, are not obeyed, and the authority of it is altoge­ther scorned and vilified, and such persons as stand well affected to it, and declare themselves sensible of these publike calamites, and of the violations of the Priviled­ges of Parliament and common liberty of the subject are baffled and injured by se­verall sorts of malignant men who are about the King, some whereof, under the name of Caviliers, without having respect to the Lawes of the Land, or any feare ei­ther of God or man are ready to commit all manner of outrage and violence, which must needes tend to the dissolution of this Governement, the destroying of our Re­ligion, Lawes, liberty and propriety; all which will be exposed to the malice and violence of such desperate persons as must be imployed in so horred and vnnaturall an act as the ove [...]throwing of a Parliament by force, which is the support and preservation of them; All which being d [...]ely considered by the Lords and Commons, and how great an obligation lies upon them, in Honour, Conscience and Duty, according to the high trust reposed in them, to use all possible meanes in such cases for the timely prevention of so great and irrecoverable evills, they have thought fit to pulish their sence and apprehention of this imminent dan­ger, thereby to excite all well affected persons to contribute their best assistance, ac­cording to their solemne Vow and Protestation, to the preparations necessary for the opposing and suppressing of the trayterous attempts of these Wicked and Ma­lignant Councellors, who seeke to engage the King in so dangerous and destructive an enterprize, and the whole Kingdome in a civill War, and destroy, the priviled­ges and being [...]f Parliaments: This recourse to the good affections of those that tender their Religion and just Liberties, and the injoyment of the blessed fruits of this present Parliament, which were ready almost to be reaped, and are now as rea­dy to be ruined by those wicked hands, being the onely remedy left them under God, and without which they are no longer able to preserve themselves or those by whom they are intrusted.

1. They the said Lords and Commons doe declare, that whosoever shall bring in any proportion of ready Mony or Plate, or shall underwrite to furnish and main­taine any number of Horse, Horse-men and Armes for the preservation of the pub­lke peace, and for the defence of the King and both Houses of Parliament from force and violence, and to uphold the power and priviledges of the Parliament ac­cording to his Protestation shall be held a good and acceptable Service to the Com­mon-wealth, and a testimony of his good Affections of the Protestant Religion, the Lawes liberties and peace of this Kingdome, and to the Parliament and privi­ledges thereof.

And because a considerable ayde cannot be raised by few hands, and the condi­tion of all mens Easttes and occasions is not alwaies proportionable to their Affecti­on, The Lords and Commons doe declare, that no mans affections shall be measu­red according to the proportion of his offer, so that he expresse his good will to this Service in any proposition whatsoever.

2. And it is further declared by the Lords and Commond in Parliament, that whosoever shall bring in any mony or plate, or shall furnish and maintaine any horse, horse-men and Armes for the puposes aforesaid, shall have their Mony re­payed with the interest according to 8. pound per cent. and the full value of their Plate, with Consideration for the fashion, not exceeding one shilling by the ounce, [Page] and shall have full recompence for all their charge, in finding, furnishing and main­taining of horse, horse-men and Armes, and for this both Houses of Parliament do [...] engage the publik faith.

3. And it is ordained that Sir Iohn Wallaston Knight and Alderman, Alderman Towes, Alderman warner, and Alderman Andrewes shall bee Treasurers to receive all such money and plate as shall be brought in for the purposes aforesaid, and the acquittances of them or any two of them for the receipt of the same shall be a suffi­cient ground for the party so lending Money or plate to demand the same againe with the Interest, and likewise consideration for the fashion of the Plate.

4. It is Ordered, That there bee Commissaries to value the Horse and Arms that shall be furnished for this service; and that a signification under the hands of them, or any two of them of such values of the Horse and Arms, and of the time when they were first brought in shall be a Warrant to demand satisfaction according to the said values▪ and they shall keep an account of the time, from the first Inrolment of any such Horse and Horse-men, That such as find and maintain them, may be re-paid according to the rate of 2 s. 6 d. per diem, for so long time as they have maintained them in this service; And the Commissaries are to attend at Guild-hall, for the receiving and inrolling of such numbers of Horse as shall be brought in.

5. It is Ordered, That whosoever shall bring in Money, or Plate, or shall pro­vide and maintain Horse, Horsemen, and Arms for this service, shall do according to their duty therein And the Lords and Commons do ingage the Power, and Au­thority of Parliament, to save them harmelesse from all prejudice and inconvenience that may befall them by occasion thereof.

6. It is Ordered, That the Members of either House who are present, shall be desired to Declare in their Houses respectively, what Money, or plate they will bring in, or what Horse, Horsemen and Arms they will finde and maintain.

7. It is desired, That all such as have their residence in or about London, or within 80 miles will bring in their Money, plate, or Horse, within a fortnight af­ter notice, and they that dwell farther off, within three weekes.

8. And because every person may not be provided with present Money, or with Horse, or not have his plate with him, which he meanes to bring in, and yet resolves to contribute his part within the time limited, and that it is necessary it should be presently known what the provision will be for the effecting of this great and im­portant service; It is ordered, that the Committees of either House appointed for that purpose respectively, shall receive the subscriptions of such Members of each House as have not declared themselves in the House, or are absent upon the pub­like service, or for their private occasions. 2. That the Committee of London in­trusted with the Militia, shall receive the subscriptions in London and Middlesex.

3. That some persons nominated by the Knights and Burgesses of each Countie, and approved by both Houses, shall be appointed to receive the subscriptions in the severall Counties.

9. And lastly, it is Declared, That whatsoever is brought in, shall not at all be imployed upon any other occasion, then to the purposes aforesaid; which are to maintain the Protestant Religion, the Kings Authority, and His Person, in His Roy­all Dignity, the free course of Justice, the Laws of the Land, the peace of the Kingdom, and the Priviledge of Parliament, against any force which shall oppose them. And this by the direction of both Houses of Parliament.