A Declaration from the Citie of London to the Kingdome of England, and Dominion of Wales, touching the inlarging of His Majeſtie, &c.
VVHereas through the violation of his Majeſties Oath and Covenant made unto the People at his Coronation, all our late and preſent Woe and Miſeries of War both in England and Ireland have come; as alſo the great diviſions amongſt our moſt worthy and eminent perſons of the Common-wealth, with the great diſtempered and unconſtant actings, and high fallings, even in the Parliament it ſelfe: And for that it is the due Right and Priviledge of the folk or people of this Nation, to make and chooſe our and their Laws by an equall Repreſentative in Parliament, as by the foreſaid Coronation Oath and Covenant fully appeareth; Therefore the Right Honourable the Lord Major, Aldermen and Common-Councel of the City of London, do in the N•me of the Citie, Firſt, Humbly offer unto the High Court of Parliament aſſembled at Weſtminſter, this preſ•nt intituled Paper, called A great Agreement of all the People of England and Wales, for their Approbation and Subſcription; and that it may thence be diſmiſſed, and forthwith4 ſent into every part of the Land, to be Agreed on, Conſented to, and Subſcribed by all the Free-born People of the ſame (above the Age of Sixteen) on pain for the Refuſers to be excluded and debarred the protection of the Law of the Land; and that all the Subſcriptions may be brought into the preſent particular Repreſentatives of Parliament, to be Returned and Recorded there for a grand Law for ever.
1. THat the King, by the Advice of his evil Councel, through uſurping anp incroaching upon ou Freedoms, and by leaving the Parliament, and levying a War againſt it, is guilty of all the blood, vaſt expence of Treaſure, and Ruine that hath been occaſioned by theſe Wars within the Kingdoms of England and Ireland.
2. That if any King of England ſhall hereafter challenge to himſelf a Negative voice, to the determinations of the Repreſentative in Parliament; and ſhall not according to the Duty of his Kingly Office, Conſent and Sign all ſuch Laws, as the people by their Repreſentative, The Commons of England, from time to time aſſembling in Parliament, after Conſultation had with the Lords therein (when ſitting) ſhall make and chooſe, may be depoſed by the ſame Parliament.
3. That all Lawes made or to be made, every perſon may be be bound alike; and that no degree of Lords, Peeres of Parliament (now or hereafter aſſembled) or others, No Tenure, Eſtate, Charter or Office ſoever, ſhall conferre any exemption from the ordinary courſe of Juſtice, and Legall proceedings, whereunto others are ſubjected.
4. That our meanings and intentions are, Nor to leave3 our ſelves lyable to the leaſt of mercy, touching ou•Freedoms, either of the moſt righteous, or evil and unrighteous Princes, (diſclaiming confidence in vain man) But knowing that Juſtice puniſhment ought never to be inflicted, but where in reaſon it will convert into mercie, & ſeeing that it hath pleaſed God. That a Covenant is paſſed between this Nation and our Brethren of Scotland whereby mercie is claimed by that Nation on his Maj. behalf: Therefore if the King ſhall aſſent unto this Agreement, that then he may be proclaimed and Crowned King again. And who after the firſt 4. years in which the Kingdoms debts may be paid, may in a Parliamentary way have as great an Annual Revenue conferred upon him, as (one year with another of his Reign) was yet evee brought into the Exchequer, notwithſtanding thoſe vaſt illegal ſums thereof, raiſed by the multitude of Monopolies, and deſtroying uſurping projects, Except what ſhall be defalked for ſuch Charges as henceforth ſhall be thought fit to be defrayed by the Parl. which formerly was done by the King.
5. That all or any perſon or perſons that ſhall approve, or any way allow of any thing which the King, or any perſon by or under him have done in this late miſerable and diſtructive War, may be dealt with as in caſe of high Treaſon.
6. That if any perſon or perſons whatſoever, that ſhall any way wilfully endeavour to diſgrace (by approbious ſpeeches) any perſon or perſons for aſſiſting the King in his War againſt the Parl. may be bound to the good behaviour, with great ſurety for the ſome.
7. That a general Reviſement may be had of all the4 Laws and Statutes now in force, and that thoſe intending and relating to the maintenance of popery, prelacy, Epiſcopacy, Superſtition, and all Eccleſiaſticall Jurisdiction or Government, and whatſoever elſe that will not beſt ſtand with the good of the Nation according to this preſent age, may be repealed.
8. That the people being at this time verie unequallie diſtributed for electing their Repreſentatives, may be more indifferentlie proportioned; And that not only everie Freeholder, but Copyholder alſo, that is worth 40 s. per annum, and everie other perſon that is worth 50 l. perſonall Eſtate, may have Voices in the election thereof.
9. That the people do of courſe chooſe themſelves a Parl. once everie 2. years, after the moſt f•ee and uncontrolable manner, upon pain of high Treaſon to the Diſturbers, over-bearer or over-bearers of anie perſon or perſons of the Elections forever, and to continue by the ſpace of 5. months, to begin on everie firſt Thurſday in everie ſecond March; and to begin to ſit upon the firſt Thurſday in April then next enſuing, after this, and to continue till the laſt day of Auguſt then next day following alſo, and no longer; and that this may terminate and end before May 1649.
10. That out of everie Parl. there may be a Committee of State appointed, conſiſting of 40. of the Members thereof, 6. to be out of the Citie of London, Weſtminſter, and the Borrough of Southwark; and the nex to be equallie proportioned for the ſeverall other Counties, Cities, and Towns corporate of England and Wales, to negotiate in the Intervals of Parl. of all things given them in charge by the ſaid Parl.
511. That his Excellencie the L. Gen. Lieutenant Gen. Cromwel, the Lord Mayor of our Citie, the Earl of Northumberland, the Lord Grey of Groobie, the L. Wharton M. G. Skippon, Commiſ. Gen. Ireton, Sir John Potts, Sir Wil. Waller, Sir Wil. Brereton, Sir John Maynard, Col. Haſlo, Mr. Alderm•n Fouke, Mr. Alderman Gibbs, M•. Fran. Allen, M. G. Maſſey. Col. Wilſon, Col. Fleetwood, Col. Harriſon, Col. Ruſſel, Sir Arthur Haflerig, Sir Gilbert Pickering, S r Henrie Vain junior Mr. Perpoint, Col. Martin, Col Rigbie, Mr. Holland, Sir John Palgrave, Maj. Wildeman, Lieut. Col. Lilburn, Col. Ludlow, may be a Committee to continue until the firſt day of the next Parl. to regulate, place, diſplace, confirm, commiſſionates or non commiſſion all Juſtices belonging to the Court, of Weſtminſter, with the Officers and Offices thereunto belo•ging, all Sheriffs of Counties and Juſtices of Peace, and all other Officers, and Offices whatſoever, formerlie occaſioned to be granted by his Maj. whether by uſurpation or otherwiſe.
12. That the Earl of Pembrook, E. of Denbigh, E. of Kent, Mr. S•rjeant Wild. Sir Tho: Withrington, the Lord Liſle, Sir John Danvers, Sir H•n. Mildmay, together, with the reſt of the excellent and honourable Committee for the regulating of Offices and Officers, may be the Committee of State for the next enſuing Intervals of Parliament.
13. That henceforth no Free born perſon of this Nation be hereafter preſſed to ſerve in the War.
14. That a ſt•ict Accompt may be taken of all thoſe perſons that have been Treaſurers, Receivers, or otherwiſe anie way intruſted with the Tre•ſure of the State.
615. That all the Dean and Chapters Lands may be ſold for payment of the publike Debts, or for what other uſes the Parl, ſhall think fit; and that all the Souldiers of the new Model now in Arms may either be paid by proportions out of the Mariſh Lands, Fens, and Common paſtures For every Trooper that is behind, and in Arrear for everie year (or proportionable according to that time) the ſum of 4 l. per annum, during his life, without allowance for free quarter, and every Footman the ſum of 5 s. per annum, with proportion to time as aforeſaid, and if it ſhall happen that the ſaid Mariſh Lands, Fens, and Common Paſtures will not be ſufficient to perform the ſame, that then it may be made up out of the aforeſaid Deans and Chapte•s Lands: Gonditionally provided, That all ſuch, as ſhall be aſſigned by the gene•al Councel of the Army for the Service of Ireland, do not refuſe the ſame; but that all ſuch as ſhall be dismiſſed thither, ſhall have the fee-ſeemple of the ſaid proportions of Land to them and their heirs for ever: And all others, that ſhall deſire to leave the Wars, and ſhall be diſmiſſed the Army by the Councell of War alſo, may for•hwith be ſatisfyed their Arrears upon his Excellencies diſcharge.
16. That the great weight and Charge of Ireland may be intruſted in a faithfull Gommittee, conſiſting of 9. at the leaſt, for ordering that Affair, whereof 2. to be Members of the City of London.