"help of God and that good Law, He would allow no fuch "equity: So then, there is the Doctrine of that Declaration; "and thefe are the Pofitions of the Contrivers of it.

I. THAT they have an abfolute Power of declaring the Law; and that whatfoever they declare to be fo, ought not to be question'd by his Majefty, or any Subject: So that all Right and Safety of Him and his People, muft depend upon their Pleasure.

2. THAT no Precedents can be limits to bound their Proceedings: So they may do what they please.

3. THAT the Parliament may difpofe of any thing,wherein the King or Subject hath a Right, for the Publick Good; that they, without the King, are this Parliament, and judge of this Publick Good; and that his Majefty's Confent is not neceffary: So the Life and Liberty of the Subject, and all the good Laws made for the fecurity of them, may be difpofed of, and repeal'd by the Major part of both Houfes at any time prefent, and by any ways and means procured fo to be; and his Majefty had no Power to protect them.

4. THAT no Member of either Houfe ought to be troubled or meddled with for Treafon, Felony,or any other Crime, without the Caufe first brought before Them, that they may judge of the Fact, and their leave obtain❜d to proceed.

5. THAT the Soveraign Power refides in both Houses of Parliament; and that his Majefty had no Negative Voice: So then his Majesty Himself must be fubject to their Commands.

6. THAT the Levying of Forces against the Perfonal Commands of the King, though accompanied with his Prefence, is not Levying War against the King; but the Levying War against his Laws and Authority (which they have Power to declare, and fignify) though not against his Perfon, is Levying War against the King: And that Treafon cannot be committed against his Perfon, otherwife than as he is entrusted with the Kingdom,and discharging that Truft; and that They have a Power to judge, whether he discharges that Trust

or no.

7. THAT if they should make the highest Precedents of other Parliaments their Patterns, there would be no caufe to complain of want of Modefty or Duty in them; that is, they may Depofe his Majefty when they will, and are not to be blamed for fo doing.

"AND now (as if the meer publishing of their Refolu"tions, would not only prevail with the People, but, in the "instant, destroy all Spirit, and Courage in his Majefty to "preferve

"preferve his own Right, and Honour) they had fince taken "the boldness to affault him with certain Propofitions: which "they call the moft neceffary effectual means for the remov"ing thofe Jealoufies, and Differences between his Majesty "and his People; that is, that he would be content to de"veft himself of all his Regal rights, and dignities; be con"tent with the Title of a King, and fuffer Them, according "to their difcretion to govern Him, and the Kingdom, and "to difpofe of his Children. How fuitable and agreeable this "Doctrine, and these Demands were to the Affection of his "loving Subjects, under whofe Truft these Men pretend to "fay, and do thefe Monstrous Things; and to defign not only the ruin of his Person, but of Monarchy it felf (which, "he might juftly fay, was more than ever was offer'd in any "of his Predeceffors times; for though the Person of the "King hath been fometimes unjustly Depofed, yet the Regal "Power was never, before this time, ftruck at) he believes "his good Subjects would find fome way to let Them, and "the World know: And, from this time, fuch who had been mifled, by Their ill Counfels, to have any hand in the exe"cution of the Militia, would fee to what Ends their Service "was defign'd; and therefore if they fhould prefume here"after to meddle in it, they must expect, that he would im"mediately proceed against them as actual raisers of Sedition, "and as Enemies to his Soveraign Power.

"His Majefty faid, he had done: And fhould now expect "the worst Actions thefe Men had Power to commit against "him; worse words they could not give him: And he doubt"ed not, but the Major part of both Houses of Parliament, "when they might come together with their Honour and "Safety (as well thofe who were surprised at the paffing of "it, and understood not the malice in it, and the confufion "that muft grow by it, if believed; as those who were ab"fent, or involv'd) would fo far refent the indignity offer'd "to his Majefty, the difhonour to Themfelves, and the mif"chief to the whole Kingdom, by that Declaration; that "they would speedily make the foul Contrivers of it inftances "of their exemplary Juftice; and brand Them, and their "Doctrine, with the marks of their perpetual Scorn and In"dignation.

WHILST this Anfwer, and Declaration of his Majesty's was preparing and publishing, which was done with all imaginable haft, and to which they made no Reply till many Months after the War was begun, they proceeded in all their Counfels towards the leffening his Majesty both in Reputation, and Power; and towards the improving their own Interefts: For the firft, upon the advantage of their

former

former Vote, of the King's Intention to Levy War againft his Parliament, in the end of May they publifhed Orders, "That "the Sheriffs of the adjacent Counties fhould hinder, and "make stay of all Armes and Ammunition carrying towards "York, until they had given notice thereof unto the Lords "and Commons; and fhould have receiv'd their further Di"rection; and that they fhould prevent the coming together "of any Soldiers, Horfe or Foot, by any Warrant of his Ma"jefty, without their Advice or Confent: Which they did, not upon any opinion that there would be any Armes or Ammunition carrying to his Majefty, they having entirely poffeffed themselves of all his Stores; or that they indeed be liev'd, there was any Commiffion or Warrant to raife Soldiers, which they well knew there was not; but that, by this means, their Agents in the Country (which many Sheriffs and Juftices of Peace were; and moft Conftables, and Inferior Officers) might, upon this Pretence, hinder the Reforting to his Majefty, which they did with that Induftry, that few Perfons, who, foreseeing the defign of thofe Orders, did not decline the great Roads, and made not pretences of Tra velling to fome other place, and Travell'd in any Equipage towards his Majefty, efcaped without being fay'd by fuch watches: And moft that were fo ftay'd, finding it to no pur pofe to attend the Refolution, or Juftice of the Houles, who always commended the Vigilance of their Minifters, and did not expect they fhould be bound up by the Letter of their Or ders, made fhift to escape with their own Perfons, and were contented to leave their Horfes behind them; They who at tended to be repair'd by the Juftice of the Houfes, finding fo many delays, and thofe delays to be fo chargeable, and themfelves expofed to fo many Queftions, and fuch an Inquifition, that they thought their Liberty a great prize, whatever they left behind them.

FOR the improving their Intereft, and Dependence, though they had as much of the Affection of the City as could rea fonably be expected; and by their exercife of the Militia, had united them in a firm Bond, the communication of Guilt; yet they well understood their true ftrength confifted in the Rabble of the People; for the greatest part of the fubftantial, and wealthy Citizens, being not of their Party, and except fome Expedient were found our, whereby they might be involv'd, and concern'd in their Profperity or Ruin, they thought themselves not fo much in truth poffeffed of that City, as they feem'd to be. They had heard it faid, that Edward the Fourth of England recover'd the City of London, and by that the Kingdom, by the vaft Debts that he owed there; Men looking upon the helping of Him to the Crown, as the helping

Them

Themselves to their Money, which was elfe defperate. Upon this ground, they had taken the first opportunity of borrowing great Sums of them, in the beginning of this Parliament; when the Richeft and beft Affected Men, upon a prefumption that hereby the Scots Army would fuddainly march into their own Country, and the English as foon be Disbanded, chearfully furnished that Money. Upon this ground they still forbore to repay thofe Sums, difpofing what was brought in upon the Bills of Subfidy, and other Publick Bills, to other purposes. And now, to make themselves more fure of them, they borrow'd another Sum of 10coool. of them, upon pretence of the great Exigences of Ireland; which was their twoedged Sword, to lead them into the Liberty of laying what imputations, they thought moft convenient for their purpoles, upon the King and Queen; and to draw what Money they thought fit from the City; and ferv'd them now to another important end, to raise Soldiers; but that Service it felf, in order to fuppreffing the Rebellion there, was not, in any degree, advanced. Having, by thefe means, thus provided for their main Ends, they made the People believe, they were preparing Propofitions to fend to the King; and the People were yet fo Innocent as to believe, that they would never fend Propofitions that were not reasonable: For though the unufual Acts which had been done by the King, as the going to the House of Commons, and demanding the Members there, had put them into as unusual apprehenfions; and thofe, by the warmth and heat of Declarations and Anfwers, had drawn from them, by degrees, another kind of Language, than had before been used; yet moft Men believ'd, when those Paffions were difgefted, and that any Propofitions fhould be made by them (which the King had long call'd for and invited) that they could not but be fuch, as would open a door for that Affection, Confidence, Duty, and Truft, upon which the Peace of the Kingdom might be reasonably founded. And Propofitions they did fend to the King, in the beginning of June; which were prefented to his Majefty, with great Solemnity, by their Committee refident there; which, in this place, are very receffary to be inferted in the very terms in which they were presented, as followeth :

The humble Petition, and Advice of both Honfes of Parlia- The Ninement, with Nineteen Propofitions and the Conclufion, fent teen Propofi unto his Majesty the fecond of June 1642.

tions fent to the King by both Houses "YOUR Majefty's most humble and faithful Subjects, the June 2d. "Lords and Commons in Parliament,having nothing of their 1641. "thoughts and defires, more precious and of higher esteem,

"next

"next to the Honour and immediate Service of God, than "the juft and faithful performance of their Duty to your "Majefty, and this Kingdom: And being very fenfible of "the great diftractions and diftempers, and of the Immi"nent dangers and calamities, which thofe diftractions and "diftempers are like to bring upon your Majefty, and your "Subjects (all which have proceeded from the fubtle in"formations, mischievous Practices, and evil Counfels of "Men difaffected to God's true Religion; your Majefty's "Honour and Safety; and the Publick Peace, and Profpe"rity of your People) after a ferious Obfervation of the "Causes of those mischiefs, do, in all humility and fincerity, "prefent to your Majesty their most dutiful Petition and "Advice That, out of your Princely Wisdom for the "establishing your own Honour and Safety, and gracious "tenderness of the Welfare and Security of your Subjects "and Dominions, you will be pleased to grant, and accept "these their humble Defires and Propofitions, as the moft "neceffary and effectual means, through God's bleffing, of "removing thofe Jealoufies and Differences, which have "unhappily fallen out betwixt you and your People, and procuring both your Majefty and them, a conftant courfe "of Honour, Peace, and Happiness.

The Propofitions.

I. "THAT the Lords and others of your Majefty's Privy "Council, and fuch great Officers and Minifters of State, "either at Home or beyond the Seas, may be put from "your Privy Council, and from thofe Offices and Imploy"ments, excepting fuch as fhall be approved by both Houles "of Parliament: And that the Perfons, put into the Places "and Imployments of those that are removed, may be ap "prov'd of by both Houses of Parliament: and that Privy "Counsellors fhall take an Oath, for the due execution of "their Places, in fuch Form as fhall be agreed upon by "both Houfes of Parliament.

2. "THAT the great Affairs of the Kingdom may not be "concluded, or tranfacted by the Advice of private Men, "or by any unknown, or unfworn Counsellors; but that "fuch matters as concern the Publick, and are proper for "the High Court of Parliament, which is your Majefty's "great and fupreme Council, may be debated, refolv'd, and "tranfacted only in Parliament, and not elsewhere: And "fuch as fhall prefume to do any thing to the contrary, "fhall be referv'd to the Cenfure and Judgement of Par"liament: And fuch other Matters of State, as are proper

"for