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

Letter from Fairfax to the City enclosing copy of proposals forwarded to Parliament from the army. Dated Reading, 8 July, 1647.

Journal 40, fo. 234.

My Lord and Gentlemen

To the end we may contynue a right understanding betweene you and us all along in the manadgm^t of this great busines, w^th the Parliam^t (the happie proceeding whereof so much concernes the safety and peace of this Kingdome.) We have given yo^r Commission^rs this day, the copie of a paper w^ch we presented to the Commissioners of Parliam^t residing w^th us. Wherein we take notice of the true reasons of the slowe progresse in the Treaty, and declare where the stoppe remains. And to the end that nothing be wanting in us w^ch might work towards the speedy settlem^t of the quiett of this Kingdome, wee have humbly offered what we conceive will most effectually tend to remove those incombrances and lettes, w^ch stand betwixt us, and this universall good to the Kingdome; and till that be done, it cannot be expected that we should procure the peace of this nation by a Treatie, but rather give occacõn and opportunity thereby to others to ingage us in a second warr, w^ch must necessarily hazard the ruine of this Kingdome, as also ascertayne the destruccõn of Ireland, the relief whereof we should most effectually apply unto, were the affaires of England, but once put into a hopefull way. It is a sound and substantiall settlement of the whole we desire, in a generall safe and well grounded peace, and the establish^mt of such lawes, as might duly and readily render to every man their iust rights and liberties: And for obteyning of theis, not only our intencõns have lead us, but we thinke that all the blood, treasure, and labour spent in this warr was for the accomplishm^t of theis very things, w^ch are of that concernem^t both to our selfs and posterity, that neither we nor they cane live comfortably without them. And thereof we hope yo^r selfes will have the same sence, and therefore improve your interest for the obtayning of our iust desires in the proposalls now sent to the Parliam^t, w^ch being graunted, and we secured from the danger of a warr, we shall proceed w^th cheerfulness to the Treaty; and doubt not in a short time to see a happy conclusion to the satifaccõn of all honest mens expectacõns: And that in all our undertakeings we shalbe found men of truith, fully and singly answering the things we have held forth to the Kingdome in our severall declaracõns and papers, without bye or base respects to any private ends or interests whatsoever.

July 8th 1647 Readinge.

No. 73.

Letter from the City to Fairfax, deprecating any attempt to intermeddle with the liberties or privileges of the City. Dated 28 July, 1647.

Journal 40, fo. 242b.

Our Committee being all returned from the Army contrary to o^r expectacõn we are yet well satisfied therew^th, because, that it was at your request. They have communicated unto us severall papers from you dated on and betweene the 17^th and 23^th present, by one whereof, being a lettre to this Court, we take notice of the sence the army hath of a printed paper w^ch had come to their hands out of the Citie, and have perused the same, but in regard the originall hath not bin yet presented to this Court, it is not thought fitt to declare our sence thereupon, but we esteeme it our duty to rest in that w^ch both Houses of Parliam^t have resolved, upon consideracõn of this paper, w^ch we conceave also wilbe sufficient to stopp the further proceeding thereof. But truly we cannot conceale from yo^r Ex^cie that (forasmuch as we can collect) this paper was occasioned from intelligence w^ch came from the army, that there was some intencõn there, to move the Parliament for the change of the Militia of this Citie, and we doubt not but you have heard what great distemper the alteracõn w^ch the Parliam^t made of our Militia upon yo^r desire did lately produce in this Citie, w^ch being now againe upon our humble peticõn put into the same hands it was, at the tyme the mocõn came from you, we hope all things are well appeased and setled. And we are confident it cannot be offensive unto the armie, if we desire them not to intermeddle w^th any the Liberties or Priviledges of this Citie or interpose in the point of our Militia, but that wee may enioy that trust quietly w^ch wee shall assure you we shall take care shalbe managed to no other end but for the Parliam^ts and our owne defence, and shall give no iust provocacõn to any person whatsoever. We shall conclude w^th this profession that we shall alwayes detest all occasions of a new warr, and we are not conscious to ourselves, that any thing that hath passed in this business can deserve the expressions of yo^r lettre, as if it were probable to involve the whole Kingdome in bloud, or that it must necessarily begin within our bowells or draw the seat and misery of warr upon us and our Citie. For all other thinges we referr you to our Committees.

London 28 July 1647.