THE DECLARATION OF THE ARMIE CONCERNING The Kings Majesty, and the Treaty; and their resolution to execute justice upon all those Lords and Commons, Aldermen, and Common-councell-men of the City of London, who invited Duke Hambleton and his Army into this Kingdome.
ALSO, Their Letter to the Citizens of London, who presented the late and large Petition to the Parliament, against a Personall Treaty with the King; And their Protestation to live and die with them against all opposers whatsoever.
PResented to His Excellency the Lord Generall Fairfax, in the Name of the Officers and Soldiery of the Army, and commanded to be printed and published [...] Subscribed, PAUL HOBSON.
Whereunto is annexed, New Propositions from the King, His Declaration concerning the Presbyterian Government, and a Journall of the proceedings of the Treaty.
Die 9. Octob. 1648.
Printed for C. VV. and are to be sole neer the Royall Exchange in Cornhill.
Exceeding joyfull NEWES FROM THE TREATY Being an exact Journall of the proceedings of the Kings Majesty, and the Commissioners for PEACE.
ON Munday last the King and the Commissi [...] oners met again in the Treaty Chamber, ant debated the Bill for Church-Governmen, and after several Argument laid down by the Counceil on each side, touching Episcopacy, and Lay-Presbyterians, His Majesty declared, That he was [Page 2]reasonable well satisfied touching that particular, in proving of Lay-Presbyterians to be Jure Divino, and therefore desired them to proceed on to the rest of the Propositions.
That which most induced his Majesty to give his Royall assent therein, is said to be, the excellent Arguments laid down by Mr. Seamer, to the King, proving that Lay-Presbyterians are Jure Devino: His excellency therein, touching the clearing of this point, appeared in its full splendor and purity and gave a glorious glimpse throughout the whole Treaty Chamber. After which, his Majesty rose up out of the Chair of State, saying, That He did (in part) approve of the said Arguments, and were well satisfied therewith, desiring a Conference with the said Mr. Seamer, which was assented to, where his Majesty declared himself very learnedly and said, That nothing should be wanting in him, for the setling of a firm and lasting peace.
Tuesday Octob. 3. His Majesty delivered severall Papers to the Commissioners, touching Bishops, 1. That His Majesty cannot consent to the abolishing of Episcopacy, because it is his judgment, that they are nearest to Agostolicall institution. 2 That He is not satisfied how He can in Conscience do it, in regard to his Coronation Oath. But after another Conference with the Ministers and Lawyers, his Majesty dissented, and changed his resolution.
Newport Octob. 6. 1648.
The Declaration of the Army concerning the Treaty. presented to the Lord Generall Fairfax.
WE make bold being prest in spirit, to represent to you, as the ground of our fears, so the matter of our desires. It hath pleased God after much plottings & endeavours of the old and new malignants to crown the Army with great success; and although that calls for Justice, little or none is done, and lesse is like to be done, unlesse your Excellency presently appears to do somthing, and the Army with you, to be a leading cause to us; we wait for it. Instead of Justice, behold a Treaty with them for Peace, that God speaks no peace to: and instead of owning just Petitions, they are laid aside, and not countenanced; some imployed in the Treaty not long since voted the Army Rebels; what that prognosticates in the future, when they have power, we leave to your Excellency to judge. So hoping you will so far honour us, as to stand by the Kingdom and the Army in their just rights and priviledge, We subscribe in behalf of the Officers and Soldiery,
Lieu. Col. Paul Hobson, Capt. Clark,
The Army hath further declared to his Excellency, That it is not the sence of the Army, to have a personall Treaty with the King, but desire Iustice to be execued upon those Lords and Commons, Aldermen, and Common-councel men of London, who invited the Scots into this Nation; as also against those Common councel men of London, that durst joyn with the Prince (while in arms against the Parliament and people) in his Desires, concluding that all these wickednesses must be salved up with a personall treaty, &c.
Ioyfull Newes from the Kings Navy at Sea.
VVE have and shall endeavour to give satisfaction to the whole Kingdom of England, in the grounds of our present proceedings. But we thinke fit notwithstanding, to make a particular addresse to you, being extreamly desirous that the City of London should be fully satisfied that our intentions are just and honorable, for the peace and happinesse of all his Majesties subjects.
And we cannot despair of gaining a belief and confidence with you, when it shall appear that Our actions and proceedings are conformable to our professions, and in order to those publique ends, and that happy settlement of the Kingdom, which we have proposed as the chief end of all our endeavours.
And we further think fit to assure you, that we are so far from intending violence to the persons or goods of any of Our Fathers Subjects of England, or any other particular advantage therein, that our only aym and end is to procure a subsistance for the Navy at Sea under Our Command, that thereby we may be inabled to protect the Ships, Vessels and Goods, and to secure the Trade, not only of the City of London, but of all other his Majesties good subjects.
And being for the present utterly unable to provide for so great a charge, as having been for some yeeres [Page 5]deprived as well of our own estate, as of the supplies We might have drawn from the bounty of the King Our Royall Father.
We think fit to have recourse to you, desiring you to supply Us with such necessaries and subsistance, as may tend to the supportment of the Navy now under Our Command.
And being thus furnished by you in this necessity, We shall immediatly discharge all ships of Marchandize which have been stayed by Our Fleet, and shall carefully hereafter use Our utmost endeavours for protecting the Ships and Goods, and secure the Trade and Commerce of the said City, and other his Majesties Cities, Cinque-ports, and Town, which we conceive to be the only, proper, and naturall imployments of his Majesties Navy; and for which, as for other reasons, it hath alwayes been maintained out of the Customs paid to his Majesty, out of which, as soon as it shall be in Our power, We shall take care to have the said sum or sums repaid you. And so desiring a present supply, the pressing necessities of the Fleet admitting no delay, We bid you heartily farewell.
By Letters from the Hague in Holland it is advertized, That the Prince of Wales, and his councel, hath had some consultation touching the Earl of VVarnicks anchoring neer the Fleet Royall, & hearing of his Lordships great proffers to the Fleet, viz. Indempnity and [Page] Money, His Highnesse posted towards Goree, came aboard the Fleet, and expressed himself in severall declaratory speeches to the Sea-men.
GEntlemen, and Fellow-Commoners. As we all languish apd groan under the insuportable weight of the publike oppression of the Land, so it is our duty to struggle and strive joyntly together for the relief of each other, for to our Neighbour we are bound as to our selves; and we are all the sons of one Nation and brethren by Nature, whose severall Weale and woe is included and wrapt up in the fold of one Common-wealth; that we must even stand or fall together. We though we have our swords in our hands, cannot be without you, nor you without us, in this day of publike calamity, as we with you so you with us are sufficiently sensible, which to all conscientious and judicious men may be sufficient to tye us firmly together in one Common bond of unity against all our oppressours, and opposers offreedome whatsoever, but in this we give you the preheminence, for though we are with you in hear [...] and affection, for the principles of Common Right and freedom to the Laud, yet we must give you the right hand of fellowship in appearing and going before us therein. For to the great refreshments of our spirits we find, that God hath provided yet thousands for us, that have not bowed their knee to Baal, and are yet firm and untaynted with the poysonus principles of oppression and Tyrany, as by your two late Petions appeareth. And as you have bin an encouragement unto us, to raise up your spirits, & put us upon action, so let us be an encouragement unto you to pursue you with the uttermost vigour and might in those happy begining of yours, & we shal by Gods assistance second you with our most power against all opposers whatsoever.