Concerning the King Parliament Army and Kingdom, Letter 1 – Letter 4
THE REMONSTRANCE AND DECLARATION OF HIS EXCELLENCIE Robert E. of Warwick, Lord High Admirall of ENGLAND; CONCERNING The KING, PARLIAMENT, ARMY, and KINGDOME.
AND His Proteſtation and Reſolution, to the Citizens of London, and all other His Majeſties liege People, touching his Engagement, for Religion, Parliament, and Kingdome.
Subſcribed, WARWICK.
ALSO, A Letter and Declaration from the Navy, to the Apprentices of the City of London, and the Mariners and Water-men upon the River of Thames; containing their fvll Reſolution touching the Army.
WITH The Deſires and Propoſals of the Citizens of London, to his Excellency the Lord Gen. Fairfax, touching the Horſe and Foot who are quartered in the City, and the Generals Anſwer thereunto.
LONDON, Printed for JOHN WOOLRIDGE, 1648.
THE DECLARATIGN Of the Earl of WARWICK Concerning the Parliament and Army.
WHereas both Houſes of Parliament have bin pleaſed to intrust me with the charge of the Fleet, for the preſervation and ſafety of the place of my Nativity, I ſhall therefore indeavour to improve that Authority committed to me, with a faithfull and inviolable reſpect unto my duty. And foraſmuch, that when I firſt undertook this great charge, I was ſenſible how much the Cauſe, Truth, and Glory of God, the ſettlement of my Countries peace, and the preventing of the bloudy and deſperate deſigns of the Enemies thereof, depended upon the management of this expedition, and how much I was obliged in Conſcience and Honour to omit nothing that might have a tendency to thoſe ends. That obligation I have (according to my beſt reaſon and judgment) faithfully diſcharged, and by the bleſſing of Heaven have received this fruit (notwithstanding the many obſtructions and difficulties that intervened) that the honour of the Parl. by Sea is cleared, the Fleet committed to my charge preſerved in a condition of honour and ſafety, the affections of the Seamen ſetled, the deſign of thoſe wicked Revolters, that perſidiouſly betrayed ſo conſiderable a part of the Kingdomes Navy broken, and ſuch as aſsociated with them either rendered or reduced.
And as to the aſperſion and pretended reſolution of my joyning with the Prince, in caſe an agreement be not concluded of between the King and parliament, I do profeſse in the preſence of God, who knowes my heart and wayes, that it never entred into my thoughts, and that my ſoul abhors it as inconſistent inconſistent with my Duty prejudiciall to the Parliament, deſtructive to the Kingdoms peace, and unworthy of a free borne Engliſh man.
And therefore, as I have hither to been faithfull to the Kingdom, and to the Parliament, where I have the honour to ſit as a Peer, ſo I do and ſhall ſcorn to ſacrifice my conſcience, & thoſe publike and dear concernments of my Countrey, wherein I have a pertion.
And while I have a heart, and a hand, I ſhall not faile (by Gods aſſistance) to have them on all occaſions, lifted up, for the ſervice of the parliament, and common intereſts of England, with my uttermoſt integrity, and to my higheſt hazard.
Subſcribed, WARWICK.
Decemb. 13. Letters further from the Navy ſay, That his Excellency the Lord Admirall, upon receipt of the intelligence, that the Army had ſeized on divers members of parliament, and entred the City of London, his Lordſhip declared. That he wiſhed well to the peace of this famous Metropolis, and deſired that the principles whereon the Army have fixed their reſolutions, may prove a ſoveraign Cordiall, to heal the diſeaſed and corrvpted Ulcersof this bleeding Kingdome, and that their preſent Engagement may conduce to the glory of God, the liberty and freedom of the people, and the peace and tranquility of the Common-weale of England, throughout all future Ages and Generations.
New propoſitions from the City of London, to the Lord Generall Fairfax
A copy whereof followeth, viz. 1 That the City for their ſecurity of 40000 l. deſired, may have all the arrears upon any aſſeſments made for this army within London, and the Liberties thereof, which did grow due to be paid before the 25. of March laſt, freed from all ingagements. 2 And of thoſe arreares all that money paid into the Treaſury ſinde the 30. of Novemb. laſt, to be accounted part of the 40000. peſired. And that with the money received out uf Weavers hall, and the 5500. l. lately received of the Treaſurers, the reſt ſhall be paid on Munday next. 3. That a Commoncouncel have undertaken to diſcharge the Generals ingagements concerning the money taken out of Weavers Hall, to pay the ſame thither out of the ſaid arrears. 4 That the Common councel hath promiſed to get in the reſt of their arrears, and alſo to make the new aſſeſments for the ſixe moneths ending Michaelmas laſt, and to collect the ſame withall expedition. 5 And upon this ingagement they doe humbly pray, that the army may this night be withdrawn out of the City and Liberties thereof, according to the intimation of col. VVhaley, and col. Thomlinſon.
His Excellencies Anſwer to the ſaid Declaration and Propoſals.
My Lord and Gentlemen,
I Have peruſed your paper, and I find the point of ſecurity hath much troubled you and us, whereby we are yet without our money, and neceſſities daily grow upon us. To prevent which and to make things cleer (which I do not conceive your papers do) I deſire that you will within 14. daye, or ſooner if you pleaſe cauſe all the money charged upon the City of London for the Army until the 25. of March next, and in arrear. This being done, I ſhal both repay the Money from VVeavers Hall, and withdraw all the Forces from the City, the continuance of which in the City in the mean time, wil (I conceive) facilitate your work in collecting your ſaid monies.
Subſcribed, T. FAIRFAX.
The Lord Generals Declaratson to the City.
My Lord,
HAving ſent ſo often to you for the arreares due from the City, and deſired ſums of money to be advanced by you, far ſhort of the ſums due from you, yet I have been delayed and denied, to the hazard of the army, and the prejudice of others in the Suburbs upon whom they are quartered; wherefore I thought fit to ſend to ſeize the ſaid Treſuries, and to ſend ſome forces into the City to quarter there untill I may be ſatisfied the Arrears due unto the Army: and if this ſeem ſtrange unto you, 'tis no leſſe then that our forces have been ordered to do by the Parl. in the ſeverall Counties of the Kingdome where aſſeſments have not bin paid, and there to continue untill they have bin paid: and here give me leave to tell you, the Counties of the kingdom have born free quarter, and that in a great meaſure, for want of your paying your Arrears equally with them; wherfore, theſe wayes if they diſlike you, yet they are meerly long of your ſelves, and are of as great regret to me and to the Army as your ſelves, we wiſhing not only the good and proſperity of your City, but that things may be ſo carried towards you, as may give no cauſe of jealouſie: I thought fit to let you know, that if you ſhall take a ſpeedy courſe to ſupply us with 40000. l. forthwith, according to my former Deſire, and provide ſpeedily what alſo is in Arrear, I ſhall not only cauſe the monies in the Treaſuries to bee not made uſe of, but leave them to be diſpoſed of as right they might, and alſo cauſe my Forces to be withdrawn from being in any ſort troubleſome or chargable to the City; And let the world judge whether this be not juſt and equal dealing with you. I reſt, My Lord,
Your affectionate ſervant, T. FAIRFAX.
A Declaration from his Excellency the Lord Gen. Fairfax concerning the Excize, and the Citizens of London.
VVHereas upon the 8. of this inſtant monethmonth, a party of Horſe and Foot came to the Excize Office in Broadſtreet, which perhaps will occaſion ſome to think the Army came thither with a purpoſe to interrupt any more levying of the Excive; Theſe are to declare, and aſſure them, that the ſaid Forces came thither by a miſtake, and that there was not any intentions to give interruption unto the due levying of the Excize, or to ſeize upon any money in Caſh; and that you may proceed as formerly, according to thoſe Ordinances, and Orders of Parliament, which you have received concerning the ſame.
Subſcribed, T. FAIRFAX.
Severall Propoſals have been preſented to the Houſe of Commons, by Col. VVhaley, in the name of the Officers and Souldiers of the Army, in order to an impeachment againſt Major Gen. Brown, and divers other Members now under reſtraint: Whereupon the Houſe ordered that a Committee ſhould be appointed to treat with his Excellency, concerning the ſaid Members.
Sir, Since the coming in of the revolted ſhips, moſt of the Mariners have entred into a new Proteſtation and Engagemen; which is, That they will ſacrifice all that is neare and dear unto them, for preſervation of the Laws, Liberties, and Freedoms, of their Native and Fellow Commoners of this Nation; and that they will ſacrifice both lives and fortunes, with the Army, under the Authority and Conduct of his Excellency the Lord Gen. Fairfax, for the accompliſhing thoſe good ends, cited in their late Remonſtrance, that ſo much conduceth to the peace and welfare of this bleeding Nation; and that it may take deepe impreſſion in the hearts of all men, who profeſſe themſelves lovers of Righteouſneſſe, and Practitioners in the Art of Navigation, they unanimouſly reſolved to communicate the ſame, to all Mariners whatſoever, upon the River of Thames, or elſe where; to the end, that none may appear oppoſite, or diſſenting, to the faciliating of ſo great a Work.
Aboard the St. George 11. Decem. 1648.
THE END.
End of the text · Robert Rich, Concerning the King Parliament Army and Kingdom (1648)