MY Lords and Gentlemen, upon this happy victory that you have had, for which you have given God thankes this day, the Parliament understand, that the King and your enemies are presently drawing into the Field, and they are drawing all their Forces into the Field to come against you; And the Parliament upon this have thought fit to draw all their Forces into the Field, that (with Gods blessing upon them) they may make an end of these unhappy di­stractions that are amongstus; And they hope, that as you have beene very forward and active in this cause of God, and the pub­lique libertie, so you will not bee wanting now, in drawing your selves into the Field, with all our Armies, to defend Gods cause and the publique libertie; The rest (my Lord) I shall leave to some worthy Gentlemen of the House of Commons.

MY Lord Maior, and worthy Aldermen, and the rest of the Gentlemen of the Citie of London; The Houses of Parlia­ment have seldome in matters of any great importance, but beene ready to communicate them unto your selves, as knowing how neerely you have interested your selves with them, in these publique dangers, and for the publique liberties of the Kingdome, and pre­servation of Religion; At this time above all the rest, they have thought it necessary, to acquaint you with a resolution which they have take, in regard that as they have had former experiences of your ready affections in all cases of exigency to assist them, and in them [Page 2] your selves, and the whole kingdome, so they doe not doubt but at this time, they shall bee prevented by your owne inclinations; con­sidering that what they have now in hand, is, if it can bee possible, to put a speedy issue to these unhappy, and to these lingring di­stractions that wee have had thus many yeares together; The oc­casion of their resolution is this, It having pleased God, by the late overthrow which hee gave the enemy by Sir William Wallers Forces, for to occasion the enemy now to draw out all his Garri­sons, to endeavour to take the Field with all the power hee can make, and if it bee possible to come suddenly upon those Forces that so lately routed them; The Parliament thought it wisedome and providence for to give order for all their Forces on the South side Trent, those under my Lord Manchesters association, those like­wise of the severall Garrisons that can bee spared, those also of his Excellency my Lord Generalls Army that at this time is in a hope­full way of recruting, and likewise in the last place those that they might expect from your owne ready affections; They have known your willingnesse, they have knowne your watchfulnesse at all times, for to comply with their occasions, and with the necessities of the Commonwealth; at this time they doubt not, but you will bee the more encouraged to it, because (through the blessing of God) it may put an issue unto this warre, at least, it is that as is in the Parliaments desire, and will bee in their endeavours they have therefore thought fit thus publiquely to recommend this businesse to you, to quicken your affections, which are at all times very much stirred up for their service, and they doubt not therefore will bee to this; They desire you therefore, as knowing the severall wayes, that you have among your selves, for subscriptions, for contributions, for setting out those that are of able bodies, and of good affections to the cause; knowing how much that this Citie hath sent forth, and those persons, that have beene an honour to the Citie, in behaving themselves with that gallantry, as that it may bee truely said, That the enemy doth apprehend no Forces like unto those that come out of this citie, being persons, that for Religion for courage, for faithfulnesse to the cause, and for pub­liquenesse of spirit to the Parliament, have ever shewed themselves as firme, and as forward as any whatsoever; They doe not doubt but you will shew your selves so at this time also, and acquit your [...] like men, which is that as I am for to recommend to you; There [Page 3] are others that I doubt not will follow, will doe it with a great deale of more exactnesse then I can do, but this is the substance as I can remember.

MY Lords and Gentlemen, you have here understood by a no­ble Lord my Lord Admirall, & this Noble Gentleman of the House of Commons, the desire of both Houses of Parliament, they have acquainted you too, what the Kings intention is, to draw all his Forces together, and what the Parliament doth intend in draw­ing all their Forces they can Southward, and what great victory God hath given Sir William Balfore and Sir William Waller, so I am onely to take this opportunitie to give you all acknowledgements and thankes for those great aides that I have had alwayes to goe a­long with mee; for I must needs acknowledge, that most of the things that have beene done by mee, especially the businesse at Gloce­ster, have beene done by your helpes; I should desire the like still; and what shall come to mee I shall use with good respects, and ven­ture my life with them; and I should have beene very glad that my Army had beene in that case, that I might not have needed to take any of you from your owne homes, knowing how much expence you have beene at already both in your estates, and blood, in the service of Religion and this cause; But whatsoever Forces you please to draw out, I shall venture my life with them, and bee ready to give a quicke end to this cause:

To bee at their Rendezvouz the 19. of this moneth, about Ailesbury.

GEntlemen, I am a very ill Speaker, but I thanke God, I am a very dutifull subject to God, and to the Kingdome, and in this [Page 4] cause; though I am an ill Oratour, yet I have a good heart, and I cannot bee silent in such a cause as this is: I shall not neede to trou­ble you with the effects of the cause, because so many of my Lords, and Gentlemen have opened it you; but I shall not forget in the name of both Houses to give you many thankes, both my Lord Major, and all the Citie, for all the love and affection you have shewed not onely now, but heretofore, and above all that ever any of your Ancestors did; for though the Citie of London have shewed themselves with abundance of love to the Kingdome, and have been instruments of saving the cause, yet they have never gained so much honour, as in these times; for I must needs say, That under God it is the love and fidelitie of this Citie hath saved all; and therefore I may desire you for your owne honours, that you would so se­cond it now in these times, that God hath given you so faire an op­portunitie for it, I thinke you have little to doe, but to goe on in it; And you see what accidents had beene like to fall out (as my Lord Generall told you) for want of recruting his Army hereto­fore; I speake not this, to shew that it is any fault of yours, but let us not lose this opportunitie; and let these experiences make us know to helpe our failings hereafter; For (as my Lord Generall hath told you) if my Lord Generalls Army had beene ready wee might have put an end to this businesse, but I doubt not, but your care, and your love, and your fidelitie will make that issue, that will quit the Kingdome of all those Villaines that have beene the cause of all this.

MY Lord Major and Citizens of this famous Citie, whith have done so famous things for Religion, for the Parliament, for the whole Kingdome, truely there needs not many words to encou­rage you, your owne affections prevent all that can bee said; you have beene sufficiently told the occasion of this meeting with you by these Committees, which are sent from the two Houses of Parlia­ment; your owne wisedomes doth sufficiently informe you of the necessitie of doing that which is now desired of you by these Lords here, and these Gentlemen that have spoken before; It hath pleased [Page 5] God to give us a very great advantage by that happy successe which God gave to the endeavours of that gallant. Gentleman Sir William Balsore, and that other gallant Gentleman Sir William Waller; It be­hooves us to improve this occasion; And it hath beene the wise­dome of all States, as it is the dutie of all Christians, to meete Gods blessings, and to goe along with them; But truely besides this, there is a necessitie lies upon you too, for there is as great a wise­dome to meet the enemy and to prevent him in his designes; hee is now drawing and assembling all his Forces together, and therefore you are not onely invited unto it by such reasons as wisedome may suggest unto you, but by such forcible arguments as necessitie imposes to you; This is necessary for you to doe for your preser­vation; My Lord Generall, (who hath spoken to you) hee hath told you how ready, and how willing hee is to engage himselfe, to adventure his person, his life, his fortunes, all that hee hath with you; he hath had experience of your fidelitie before, and hath re­ceived the fruits of it severall times, and that makes him (I am sure) the more cheerefully offer himselfe to you againe; and wee all know your affections to him to bee such, as you will not suffer him to goe into the field, but as the Generall of the Forces raised by the Parliament for the defence of Religion and Libertie; If his Army had been recruted, this had not beene needfull unto you at this time, but it hath pleased God so, that other occasions have diver­ted it, that his Army not being recruted, for then hee would have beene willing to have spared you; Hee knowes how much it con­cernes the wealth and trade of this Citie, that you should keepe at home to follow your occasions here, and that your purses (as they have alwayes beene) should have beene open to supply the wants of the Army, hee would have spared you; but now the Parliament throw themselves on your affections, and desire you to offer your selves as one man, for it is to no purpose to goe by little and little, it is but as a little water throwne on the fire that doth but enrage it, and will not quench it: But now if all will joyne their purses, their persons, and their prayers together, I doubt not but we shall through Gods blessing see an end of these miserable and distracted times; And the Lord put it into your hearts to doe that which is fit for you to doe, which wee know you will doe.

GEntlemen, I am commanded by these Lords and Gentlemen (that are come from both Houses of Parliament, to present what already they have spoken) to adde one word more: First, you have had notice of the great blessing that God Almighty hath been pleased to bestow on us, by the late victory, and you have now the experience of the care of both Houses of Parliament to ascribe that blessing unto God Almighty, by setting apart this day, for to give him thanks for it; and they have thought it a day of opportunity, when wee all joyne in Prayer and Thanksgiving unto God Almigh­ty, that wee should now againe meet at this time to improve that blessing, and therefore it hath been set out unto you, that you would bee pleased, in pursuance of what both Houses of Parliament have resolved, and my Lord Generall, to draw all the Forces that they can get together unto a generall Rendezvouz about Ailesbury, the nineteenth of this moneth, all the Forces have directions to draw together; And now they do apply themselves unto you, (having had experience of your great affections, and God having wrought so much by the Forces, that you have sent abroad) to desire tha you would now at this time, (which wee hope will give an issue to all our troubles) show your affections by sending out as many For­ces as you can, to joyn in this work, to make a speedy end of it; Onely I shall adde this word to it; my Lord Generall is recruting his Army, both Houses of Parliament have put him in a way, and now hee desires your assistance and concurrence onely to helpe him, with the bodies of men, that every man in his particular worke what hee can, that that Army may bee raised, as shortly as possibly may bee; There shall bee no want in both Houses of Parliament, or my Lord Generall, and they are all confident, there shall bee no want in you; and that is that they have commanded mee to adde, and God put it into your hearts to doe what shall bee best unto him.