HAving certain Intelligence of great Preparations againſt us from Abroad; together with the dayly and woful experience, of a more barba­rous, and Ignorable Enemy at Home: we have bethought our ſelves of an expedient, which may at once, both ſecure, and deliver the Nation from the danger of the One, and from the Tyranny of the Other. In order to this effect; The City of London hath conſtituted 4. Commisſioners, to treat Reſpectively with the rest of the People of England, in the behalf of their invaded Rights, in ſuch manner to proceed, as to the ſaid Commiſſioners ſhall appear most convenient.

In perſuance of this Appointment; we Four, (whoſe Names, and Authority you ſhall find in a Schedule, to this annexed) do, in the Name, and by the Commisſion of the City of London, earneſtly and unanimouſly deſire a general Asſiſtance, toward a work of a Publique and Ʋniverſal Benefit; The tranſaction of this Affair, we have committed to Perſons, eminent both for honeſty and fortune: and to gain diſpatch, as well as privacy, we have at the ſame Inſtant, and by ſafe hands, diſperſed True and Exact Copies of theſe to you, throughout England and Wales. Our Application ſhould have been more Regular, but for three or four falſe Brethren in our Counſels, whom we dare not confide in. We find few the Honeſter for the Quarrel, that are the Richer for it; and no other Enemies to the Peace of the Nation, but the Gayners by Ruin of it. Upon a due ſcanning of the whole matter, we have concluded, that nothing can reſtore us but a Free Parliament: Nor can any thing compoſe that, but a Free Vote, without either Force, or Factien. The moſt likely, means to procure this, will be a general Engagement to endeavor it. We ask no more, than that you will follow our example. That paper, which we commend to you, is already ſubcribed by many thouſands of this City. If you approve it, do as much; and if you think fit; chuſe out of every County Two Perſons of a Known Integrity, that may be still among us, and at hand, to preſerve a fair Intelligence betwixt us. No longer ſince, than yeſterday, the Conſervators of our Liberties; Hewſon and his Mirmidons, put an affront upon us, and with ſome miſchief too, upon this very Point: The very mention of a free Parliament enrages them, and there is Reaſon for it. Their Heads are forfeited, and if the Law Lives, they muſt periſh. But all this while, we're in a good condition, when the Tranſgreſsors of the Laws muſt be the Iudges of it. The very Boyes, and Women had deſtroyed the Party to a man, but that with much ado, we hindred them. The truth is, in ſuch a Confuſion, more honeſt bloud might have been ſpilt, than that Rabble was worth. Upon this, the City is grown ſo impatient of the Souldiers, that 'tis to be feared they will ſodainly break out into an open violence upon them. They have already entred into a ſolemn Engagement to that purpoſe. But we ſhall do our beſt to quiet them, till we receive your Anſwer. In Fine; the End is honourable, and we deſire, the means that lead to it may be ſo too. Let nothing be omitted, that may ſave bloud; The Army is neceſſitous, and without pay, they muſt or ſteal, or periſh. Let us conſider, they are our Country men, and many of them, (the necesſity apart) our friends. Let ſuch a courſe be taken, that ſo many of them as ſhall contribute to the Advantage of a free Election, may without either fraud, or delay receive their Arrears: We ſhall do our part in the Contribution, and in all offices of Relation to a Religious and Lawful Settlement, as freely engage our Lives and Fortunes with you, as we do our Penns in this Profeſſion, that we are

HAving already ſatisfied you by what Authority we Act, it concerns us next, to acquaint you, to what purpoſe we are ſent, and what it is which we have in Charge to deliver unto you.

Your Propoſals for the Settlement of the Nation; (and That, by the means of a Free Parliament) have been as faithfully, and generally communicated, as you intended they ſhould, as kindly received as you could wiſh, and the whole matter brought to as ſpeedy an iſſue as was poſſible for an Affair of that Weight, and Quality, to admit. In Teſtimony hereof, We are to give you the Thanks of the People of England; and to aſſure you, that they are not leſſe pleaſed with your Methode of promoting the Publique Good, than they are Obliged by thoſe Affections which have diſpoſed you to endeavour it. Particularly, they are exeeedingly glad to find, that the City hath entruſted ſuch Perſous in the Buſineſs, as, beſide all other due Qualifications for the Employment, have this alſo; that they were never Parties in the Quarrel. It hath been our Care likewiſe, to proceed by the ſame rule; and for this Reaſon, If both Parties ſhould be taken in, there might (poſſibly) be ſome Animoſities started, ſufficicient to obstruct the Proceeding: And again, ſhould either of them be left out, the matter would (probably) be carried by Faction.

This we are commanded to repreſent, rather as a Fair Expedient, than an Abſolute Neceſsity. In the next place, we are to inform you, that the En­gagement you ſent us, found ſo prone a Reception, that we reckon it, with us, a greater difficulty to f•nd an Enemy to the Intent of it, than to ſubdue any whatever, that ſhall preſume to appear againſt the Promoters of it. We do however hold our Selves bound to aſſure you, that we are perfectly reſolved to joyn in the Charge, and Hazard of the Diſpute, with you: and that we are as unanimous in this Cauſe, as if the Treaſure of the Nation had but one Maſter, and the ſtrength of it, belonging to One Body, were but Directed to the ſame mind. The Liſt of the Subſcribers, we have here in Town; If you deſire to ſee it you may: but if otherwiſe, we offer to your Prudence to conſider, if it may not be of more Advantage, and Security to the Buſineſs in hand, rather totally to conceal the Subſcribers, if not alſo the Commiſſioners themſelves. For the thing it ſelf, we are not only wil­ling, but deſirous to make That Publique. It is of ſo Honeſt, and Reaſonable a Nature, that no Man dares oppoſe it, who dares not be Damn'd; no man will, that deſerves to Live upon Engliſh ground: and to conclude, no man ſhall, and eſcape unpuniſh'd. Parliaments are the Conſtitution Fun­damental of the Nation, the Safeguard, and the Honor of it: nor are we more concern'd to Support them, than to be wary leſt we miſtake them. We are to Diſtinguiſh betwixt Names and Things, that we be not govern'd by Deluſions; Where have we a greater Cheat, than that which ſtiles it ſelf the Publique Faith? Greater Subverters of our Liberties, than ſome that write themſelves, the Conſervators of them? 'Tis not for 40 people to call them­ſelves our Repreſentative. Is't not enough that they have Robb'd us, unleſſe they Govern us too? They'll ſay we Choſe them, ſo did we chuſe 300. more; and we'll be Ruled by All, or None of them. Without more adoe, having Formally aſſured you of an Abſolute Concurrence from the Nation, as to what they have received in Propoſition from you: It remains now, only that we recommend ſome Additionals to you, which we conceive may be of ſome Benefit to the Common Intereſt of the whole.

In the Firſt Place we propoſe, That no Petition be preſented to this pretended Parliament, from the City of London, and we undertake as much for our Selves.

Secondly, That no Levies of Men, or Monies, he ſuffered, in purſuance of their pretended Acts; and in caſe of any Force attempted upon the Refuſers, that we immediately Arm our Selves, and by Violence repell it.

Thirdly, we judge it very fit, in regard of Dangers Imminent, both Foreign, and Domeſtique, That a Free Parliament be ſpeedily convened; the Time, and Manner of Summons inſtantly agreed upon, with a Salvo Jure to all Interests. — (By a Free Parliament, we underſtand, an Aſsembly of ſuch Perſons as by the Law are Qualified to ſit; and elected by Perſons Qualified to chuſe, without any other Restreint than what the Law impoſes.) Not that we claim to our ſelves the Right of Calling Parliaments; but the Impoſſi•ility of procuring one Regularly; and the Abſolute Neceſſity of having ſomething like one ſuddenly This is enough to acquit us before God and men. By theſe means, all Differences may be compoſed, all Parties recon­〈1 line〉