Long live KING CHARLES The SECOND: Or the Order of the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen, for taking down the [...]tates Arms, and setting up of His Royal Majesties.
IN the dayes of Queen Elizabeth and King James, this Kingdom was in a peaceable posture both in Church and State, being then sound within her self, so that she was able, by the Powerful Hand of God, to goe out in Battel and foyle all her enemies; the secret practices that then were on foot against her, returned on the Heads of the Contrivers; so that then she was a terror to all the Nations round about her, no one daring to lift up his hand to disturb her peace and settlement: Thus did she continue till the Martyr Charles was cut off by the Butchering hand of his own Subjects, but by the Papistical instigation, that was the last night of Englands lustre, ever since which time, she hath been covered with a black and thick dark Cloud, nothing [Page 4] but gloomy Chances, Changes, Revolutions, and Turnings, which have tormented her like a Weather-beaten Shipwrackt Vessel, hurried and tossed upon the Regions of Neptune by the enmity and competion between him and the Porcan puffs; first here, then there, never grounded upon any firm Basses! How many Rivers of innocent Blood within these 20 years have been spii [...] in the Fields? Whom think you must answer for these things? The Father hath risen up in rage against the Son of his Loynes, and the Son against those who gave him light. The Daughters and Wives that have been ravished and defloured by the cruel en [...]m [...]es, your Brethren that have perished with bitter Oathes in their mouths, the loss you have suffered by Plunders, Rapes, Murthers, Goods, Estates, Wives, and Selves, is of great concernment; the Oaths upon Oaths, Leagues, Vows, Covenants, Protestations, Remonstrances, and Engagements you have made both to Nobles and Commons, to defend the Kings, Queens, Princes, and Royal Families Persons in their Rights and Priviledges, Honour and Dignities: And that yet you should murther your King! — Nay, Banish his vertuous Wife and Children; not onely Princes, but English Free-born Princes from their Lawfull and Undoub [...]ed Birth-rights, spoil his houses, and put to sale his goods, and part the spoil of their Lands, Properties, and Revenues, &c.
Where is now the Government that Peace hath Crowned our Nations under? We had a King as a Legacy, and that the best our Fore fathers could leave us of Temporal things; but we have plaid the Prodigal Son with him; and how many now would be glad to feed with the Swine for a contenting sustentation. We had then a full enjoyment of all the mercies that could be in a Kingdom, We had a Government in the Church, Religion was countenanced, we had pious and able Divines, Justice ran down our streets like a mighty stream and friends and neighbours would say one to another, Whether goe you, Why [Page 5] to Church (said they presently) then we were happy then we made good the Old Proverb, Content with Godliness is happy gain. The Nurseries of learning from whence hath sprung all the Pillars of the Gospel, in those dayes, we countenanced, cherished, upheld, and incouraged; then was Youth Trained up in the fear of God, evil doers were discouraged, and well doers countenanced, honesty and plain dealing was used much then among us. What equity was therein Courts of Judicature, the King himself not being exempted from the Comencement of a suit against him by the meanest of his Subjects. When there was one lawfull single person and a King ruled these Nations, then we were filled with Trade, and the Kingdom richly flourished, and we were the terror of all the Nations round about us, no one daring to disturb our peace.
Now let us enter upon a serious r [...]flection of the other part of our miseries in the Kingdom of England.
FIrst, here sits your Headless King Beheaded, with Blood all over! Are these the garments you array your Princes in? Next, behold his Children turned out of Doors, and left to the mercy of strangers; the Children of your Martyred King, the Children of your Innocent suffering King, your Lawfull King and his Brethren; not onely Princes, but English Free born Princes: In another place lyes his Houses and Palaces turned to a heap of ruines! His Furnitures and Houshold stuff consumed and destroyed, the Crown rent by Wild Bores amongst themselves, whilest you stand gazing upon them. You may see now what all their fair pretences are come too: Let me ask you one Question; What was your reason in shedding so much blood? For what end did you do it? To set up Usurping Beggars to Tyrannize over you! They pretended to Peace, the Lord knowes what Liberty for you, and I think they have done it; but how [Page 6] have they done it? They have taken and Usurped liberties to make you their Bondmen. First, they Voted Kingly Office to be heavy and burdensome to the Commonwealth; and good reason too, for had they not done so, their cause, their glorious cause had been quite slipt and laid as low as the Dust of the Earth. It is now eleven years since you lived in Peace, in hope of this Idea, Ʋtopian, or Farie Commonwealth, that they have flam'd and fool d you withal, and will as many years more, if you will suffer them; but I hope suffering has taught you wisdom.
OUr long-suffering Prince, and gracious Majesty, in consideration of the many miseries which these poor Nations have bin so long exercised with, cannot think of a more natural and proper remedy, then to resort to those for advice, who are entrusted to repair the breaches that have been made. Upon which, ground, his majesty sent a Letter and Declaration to the House of Lords another to the House of Commons; and his gratious letter with a declaration inclosed to his Excellency, and his gracious letter and declaration to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common council, who out of their respects they owe to his excellent Majesty while it was reading stood all bare.
The Common-council upon reading his majesties gracious letter, ordered that the right honourable the Lord mayor do acquaint the Lord Viscount Mordant and Sir John Greenvile, who [Page 7] brought the said letter and declaration, That this Court do return most humble and hearty thanks for his gracious owning of this court and city, and declare their readiness to be under His majesties government; in testimony whereof, they have taken down the Commonwealths Arms, and ordered the Kings Arms to be set up. And further that this Court do beg the favour of the Lord Mordant to return with an Answer in Writing to his Majesty from this Court: And also, that this Court do intend very speedily to send members of their own to wait on his Majesty.
Since which time, the Honourable Court have ordered, That Alderman Adams, Alderman Robinson, Alderman Bateman, and William Wild Esq Recorder of London, together with col. Broomfield Major Chamberlain, Alderman Vincent, Mr. Bloudworth, Mr. Ford, and Mr. Bateman Esquires, are to attend his Majesty with a Letter from the City of London, with their Present of ten thousand pounds.
The House of Peers have made choice of the Earls of Oxford, Warwick, and Middlesex, with the Lords Berkley Brooks, and Hereford, to carry their Answer to his Majesty. The House of Commons have also agreed upon their Answer, and have appointed a proportionable number of their members likewise to attend his Majesty.
The Lord General and his Officers having agreed upon a [...]etter in answer to the Message which they received from the King, Dr. Clergies was ordered to attend his Majesty with the said Letter, and began his journey for Breda, Friday May the 4th.
Mr Speakers Speech to Sir John Greenvile, upon presenting of his Majesties Letter and Declaration.
I Need not tell you with what grateful and hearty thanks the Commons now Assembled in Parliament have received His majesties [Page 8] gracious letter, res ipsa loquitur: You your self have been Auricularis & occularis testis de rei veritate. Our Bells and our Bonfires have already begun the Proclamation of His majesties goodness, and of our Joyes. We have told the People that the King is coming home again; and they have resounded it back again to us, that they are ready, and th ir hearts are open to receive him. Both Parliament and People have cried aloud in their prayers to God above, long live King Charles the Second. And I am to tell you, that this House doth not think it fit that you should return to Our Soveraign, without some testimony of their respects to your self. They have ordered that 500 l. shall be delivered unto you, to buy a Jewel, as a badge of honour which is due to a person whom the King hath honoured to be the messenger of so gracious a message: And I am commanded in the name of the House to return you their very hearty thanks.
The Parliament have Ordered, That a Committee do consider of the Court of Wards and Liveries, and all Tenures thereunto belonging, and to prepare something for the consideration of the House, for the settlement of 100000 l by the year, upon his Majesty in lieu thereof.
The day of the Kings Coronation is supposed will be celebrated on the 29th of this instant, his Majesties Birth-day; the Kings Arms are to be set up forthwith in all Churches, market-towns, and other usuaal places, throughout England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, and all the Territories and Dominions thereunto belonging, and the States Arms are to be taken down: This glorious Work is already begun in several parts of the city of London; and the Princely Statue of Charles the first, of ever blessed and never dying memory, and the Statue of our Soveraign Lord K. Charles the second, are to be set up in the Royal Exchange London. The Crown and Scepter is also preparing in a most magnificent manner; and the People begin with voices of loyalty, and allegeance to sing.
God save Charles our lawfull KING.