London and the Kingdom - Volume 3 / A History Derived Mainly from the Archives at Guildhall in the Custody of the Corporation of the City of London.

by Reginald R. Sharpe

June 14^th 1647.

No. 67.

Letter from the same to the Mayor, Aldermen and Common Council of the City, touching the removal of the army and the safety of the King's person. Dated St. Albans, 15 June, 1647.

Journal 40, fo. 222b.

We are very glad our lettre from Royston of the tenth of this instant June had soe good a recepcõn w^th you: whereof you have given us assurance by yo^r lettre of the twelfth of this instant,[852] and by those worthy aldermen and others the members of yo^r citie whome you sent unto us, to whose hands we yesterday returned such answere (to that part of yo^r lettre for our removal to thirty miles distant from London) as the present exigence of affaires could possibly admitt. To w^ch we add this sincere assurance that soe soone as we shall receive the next resolucõn from the Parliament in relacõn to the proceedings upon the papers nowe given in unto them (whereof likewise yo^r comissioners have received a coppie from us). We shall then imediately give you such further answere and satisfaccõn to that particuler, as the nature of those results will permitt, w^th respect only had to the necessary prosecution of those pressing concernements of the kingdome, comprized in those papers (whereunto) (for) the iustnes and reasonablenes of our desires, and their consistance w^th the true honour, iust power and priviledges of parliament, the liberty of the subiect and safety of yo^r citie and kingdome we do referr you.

As to yo^r desire (expressed in the instruccõns to yo^r comissioners) of o^r care for the safetie of his ma^ties person, while amongst us. We had upon his first comeing into our quarters assigned, and have since contynued in attendance about his ma^ty, a guard of two regim^ts of horse, of as faithfull men, and under as trustie a commaund as this army doth affoard, neyther shall our future care be wantinge in any further provision necessary for the safetie of his royall person. And nowe we cannott but take notice, as of the past, most free and forward ingagem^ts of yo^r famous citie in the same cause, w^ch we are now desiring to see a period to, and accomplishment of, soe of yo^r contynued readines to close w^th us in our iust and necessary desires to the same ends: as alsoe of yo^r present professed averssenesse to ingage in any thing that may tend to any further warr or distraccõn in this kingdome. For all w^ch we cannott but returne (after our praises to God) thankes to you and yo^r citty. And we assure you that the sence thereof hath a deep impression in our spiritts to find (as we doe hitherto) the hand of God working all mens hearts to go cleere, and unanimous concurrence w^th our owne, in our desires for the present setling and securing the rights liberties and peace of the kingdome, beyond w^ch we have noe aymes or ends of our owne.

St. Albans June 15^th 1647.

No. 68.

The City's reply to the two preceding letters. Dated 18 June 1647.