FOURE PROPOSITIONS PROPOUNDED. By the ROYALISTS in the City OF OXFORD TO The Officers and Souldiers under command of his Excellency Sir THOMAS FAIRFAX. concerning their proceedings in this preſent Deſigne.
Together with the Reſolution of the ſaid Army towards the City of London, and their further Deſires concerning the Kings Majeſties Royall Perſon.
London Printed for G. Cotton, 1647.
IN my laſt I promiſed to ſend you by the next an account of the proceedings and reſolutions of the Army, together with their intention and determination concerning their neerer approach towards your City: I have here ſent you an exact Narrative of the whole buſineſſe, viz. The Generall hath declared to the London Committee, that the Army intends no evill againſt that renowned City, no violation to the priviledges of Parliament, nor to be Agitators in any thing which may prove prejudiciall to the City, but deſire that their grievances formerly declared may be ſpeedily redreſled, juſtice executed, and the Kingdome ſetled, and upon Monday laſt in the afternoon the Committee of Aldermen and Common councell returned with an Anſwer from the Officers and Souldiers in the Army, to a Letter ſent from the Lord Mayor and Aldermen by the ſaid Committee, which was to this effect, That they may no longer be the diſ-ſatisfaction of friends, nor the ſubject of their enemies malice.
They as formerly, relate the cauſe of their not disbanding, and going for Ireland. 1. That the houſes be ſpeedily porged. That thoſe that have wronged them and the Kingdom may ſpeedily be brought to a tryall, and juſtice executed upon them. Declaring, that very ſpeedily they will nominate ſome members in the Houſe of Commons, who have vnjuſtly ſcandalized the Army, & that they will proceed to particulars, in relation to their former actions.
They further deſire, that the Kings Majeſty and his Royall poſterity may be conſidered in their rights, declaring alſo, that they ſhall be carefull of the preſervation of His Majeſties Royall perſon. This is the effect of the anſwer returned by his Excellency for Thomas Fairfax, to the Committee of Aldermen and Common-councel of London.
I ſhal now give you a hint or two of the preſent actions of the army, by ſetting forth their fair uſage to the Country people, and their gallant demeanour to all paſſengers whatſoever.
One thing I had almoſt forgot (being a paſſage very remarkable) ſome particulars have been intimated for tender conſciences, without any licentious liberty to thoſe who live civil. His Excellency hath alſo declared that he cannot well remove his quarters 40 miles diſtance from London. Por the reſt, I refer you to the incloſed.
UPon the cloſe of the fore going paper, I received a Copy of ſome certain propoſitions, diſpierced amongſt the Souldiery, which came from Oxford (as ſome ſay) but not ſubſcribed by any hand or name a Copy of which I ſhall here preſent unto you as followeth:
1. That you will be pleaſed to take it into ſerious conſiderrtion, the great danger that is likely to befall this poore Kindom, if once (again) involved in a ſecond warre, the ſword bath of late bin (almoſt drunk in bloud, which if once drawn again would have its full fill.
2. That ſome meanes may be uſed for a happy compoſure of all differences, now in diſpence betwixt the Honourable Houſes of Parliament aſſembled at Weſtminſter, and the Souldiery under command of his Excellency ſir Thomas Fairfax.
3. Experience may tell you (if you do not know it) that wars are quickly begun, but not ſo ſoon ended, that it is dangerous to begin a new war, eſpecially with thoſe who have aſſiſted you in the late war againſt the common-enemy of the Kingdome.
But (indeed) it is ſaid, that the army wil not ſight againſt the City, unleſſe it firſt begin with them: if the City begin the Fight the City is undone: if the Army begin the Fight they are undone. For certainly, revenge will fall from Heaven, upon that party that ſhall do ſo wickedly as to begin a new warre.
But it is hoped, (by us who pray for the welfare of our King and Country, and the peace and tranquility of this our Native Kingdome) that if the City and the Army ſhould be in the field neere each other, that they will be ſo wiſe as not to fight, but as friends to ſalute and embrace each other.
4. Conſider what a long and chargeable war the laſt was, with the loſſe of many thouſands of innocent ſouls, and yet few the better, but all the whole Kingdome much the worſe Certainly no true-born Engliſhman (that wiſhes well to the peace and welfare of his King and Country) would be ſo void of reaſon, as to be Inſtruments to involve their native Country in a ſecond war, but ſuch as have gotten by the old.
Thus have I given you an exact account of the preſent proceedings in the Army, and one thing I can aſſure you, that the Souldiery are very unwilling to engage in a new warre; ſo that I hope, there will be a gallant compoſure of things betwixt the Parliament, City, and Army. But time calling me to a period, I remain
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A89863)
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