1642. of more Blood, and the uniting his Majefty to his Par- An. 18. Car. I. liament, none shall pray for more, nor receive with more Foy, than myself. If I had not, by the Commands of the Parliament, been here to govern this Army, I should have given my Attendance upon you; and fhould have difcharged my Confcience, to the best of my Abilities, honeftly and clearly; but, being abfent, and not hearing the Debates, nor from whence this hath rifen, I must fubmit myfelf to their greater Judgments; and fhall, with all Obedience, fubmit both to what they shall do; and to obey their former Commands to advance towards London, to interpofe, with my utmost, between them and all Dangers. Northampton, Your Lordships Humble Servant, November. ESSEX. Notwithstanding the laft-mentioned Military Preparations, and the Earl of Effex's Declaration of his Readiness to march towards London, both Houses thought fit to proceed in their pacific Measures; and ordered a Petition to the King, to be drawn up for that Purpose: But, previous to this, left the Affections of the People fhould grow cold,' as Mr. Pymme expreffed himself at the Conference, a Declaration was to be published to this Purport: Defence, • Whereas the Lords and Commons have or- Both Houfes at dered, That it should be referred to the Committee the fame Time for Safety of the Kingdom, to prepare Heads for provide for their an humble Addrefs to his Majefty, for compofing the prefent Differences and Diftractions, and fettling the present Peace of the Kingdom, and to 'prefent it to the House: Yet to prevent all Mifconftructions or Neglects, whereby our juft De'fence may be hindered, we do declare, That the Preparations of Forces, and all other neceffary Means for the Defence of the Proteftant Religion, the Privileges of Parliament, and the Laws and Liberties of the Subject, fhall be profecuted with • all Vigour.' ་ The An. 18. Car. I. 1642. November. Their Petition The Lords agreed to this Declaration, and or dered it to be forthwith printed and published. Nov. 3. A Draught of this Petition, or Address, to the King, was read by the Lords this Day; and, afterwards, agreed to by both Houses, as follows: to the King for WE your Majesty's most loyal Subjects, the Lords Peace. and Commons in Parliament affembled, being affected with a deep and piercing Senfe of the Miferies of this Kingdom, and of the Danger of his Majesty's Perfon, as the prefent Affairs now ftand; and much. quickened therein with the fad Confideration of the great Effufion of Blood at the late Battle, and of the Lofs of fo many eminent Perfons: And further weighing the Addition of Lofs, Mifery, and Danger to your Majefty and your Kingdom, which must ensue, if both Armies fhould again join in another Battle; as, without God's efpecial Bleffing, and your Majesty's Concurrence with your Houfes of Parliament, will not probably be avoided; we cannot but believe that a fuitable Impreffion of Tenderness and Compaffion is wrought in your Majefty's Royal Heart, being yourfelf an Eye-Witnefs of the bloody and forrowful Deftruction of fo many of your Subjects; and that your Majefty doth apprehend what Diminution of your own Power and Greatnefs will follow; and that all your Kingdoms will thereby be fo weakened, as to become fubject to the Attempts of any ill-affected to this State. In all which Refpects we affure ourselves, that your Majefty will be inclined graciously to accept this our humble Petition, that the Mifery and Defolation of this Kingdom may be speedily removed and prevented; for the effecting whereof we most humbly beseech your Majefty to appoint fome convenient Place, not far from the City of London, where your Majefly will be pleafed to refide, untill Committees of both Houses of Parliament may attend your Majefty, with fome Propofitions for the Removal of thefe bloody Distempers and Distractions, and fettling the State of the Kingdom, in fuch a Manner as may conduce to the Prefer 1642. vation of God's true Religion, your Majefty's Honour, An. 18. Car. I. Safety, and Profperity; and to the Peace, Comfort, and Security of all your People. The Houses next confidered of the Manner of delivering this Petition to the King; and, fince the Way they fent their laft was fo difagreeable to him, it was thought proper, That a Committee of Lords and Commons fhould be fent with it: But, firft, that a Letter should be wrote to one of the Secretaries of State, or fome Peer near his Majesty, to defire a Safe-Conduct for thefe Perfons; and that a Trumpet fhould be fent before the Meffenger, to defire a Safe-Conduct for the Delivery of their Letter, Accordingly the Lord Grey of Werk, Speaker of the Houfe of Lords pro Tempore, wrote the following Letter, directed to the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Falkland, Principal Secretary to his Majefty, or, in his Abfence, for Mr. Secretary Nicholas, or any of the Lords the Peers, attending his Majefty. My Lords, November their Meflengers. Am commanded, by the Lords the Peers, and Com-Lord Grey's Letmons affembled in Parliament, to addrefs, by you, ter, defiring a their humble Defires to his Majesty, that he would be Safe-Conduct for pleafed to grant his Safe-Conduct to a Committee of Lords and Commons to pass and repafs unto his Majefty, who are directed to attend him with an humble Petition from his Parliament. This being all I have in Commission, I reft Weftminßer, this 3d of November, 1642. Your affured Friend and Servant, GREY of Werk, Speaker of the House of Peers Nothing intervened, worth Notice, till the 5th; when the Lord Grey received an Answer to his Letter to the Secretary, which was read. Το An. 18. Car. I. To the Right Honourable the Lord Grey of Werk, Speaker of the House of Peers pro Tempore. 1642. November. ed by the King. My Lord, Which is grant- HIS Majefty hath commanded me, in Answer to your Lordship's of the third prefent, to fignify to you, That he always hath been, and is ftill, ready to receive the humble Petition of either or both Houses of Parliament; and shall take Order, that a Committee of Lords and Commons may pass and repafs to him, with the Petition of both Houses, as is defired; fo as the faid Committee confifts of Perfons that have not been by his Majefty, either by Name, declared Traitors; or otherwife, in fome of his Declarations or Proclamations, excepted against by Name, with his Intention declaring to proceed against them as Traitors; and fo as the faid Committee come not with more than thirty Perfons in their Company, and give Notice before-hand of their coming: And for the faid Committee's better Security, his Majefty, upon the Receipt of their Names, will give a Safe-Conduct for them under his Hand and Signet. This being all I have in Command to deliver to your Lordship, I humbly reft Your Lordship's Moft humble Servant, ED. NICHOLAS. Reading, Nov. 4, 1642. To this Letter, the Lord Grey was directed to return the following Anfwer; but fince this Answer and the confequent Rejoinders were the chief Bufinefs of fome Days, we fhall put them all together, for the Reader's greater Ease in the Perusal. To the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Falkland, Principal Secretary to his Majefty; or, in his Abfence, to any of the Lords the Peers attending his Majefty, My Lord, Several other Have received a Command from the Lords and Commons in Parliament, to fend you the Names of two Lords; that is to fay, Algernon Earl of North Letters in confequence thereof, umberland, 16.42. November. umberland, Philip Earl of Pembroke and Mont-An. 15. Car. I. gomery, and of four Members of the House of Commons, Mr. Pierrepont, the Lord Wenman, Sir John Evelin of Wilts, and Sir John Hippifly; being the Committees of both Houfes appointed to attend his Majefty with an humble Petition directed from them to his Majefty; defiring your Lordship will be pleased to move his Majefty to fend a Safe-Conduct, to pass and repafs, under his Royal Hand and Signet, for the feveral Perfans aforementioned. This being all that I have in Commiffion, I reft Your Lordship's Friend and Servant, Westminster, this 5th of November, 1642. GREY of Werk, To the Right Honourable the Lord Grey of Werk, OUR Lordship's Letter, of the fifth of November I fhewed his Majefly, who hath exprefly commanded me to return your Lordship this Anfwer in thefe few Words, That his Majesty bath fent (which I have inclofed) a Safe-Conduct, under his Royal Hand and Signet, for the Earl of Northumberland, and the Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, Mr. Pierrepoint, the Lord Wenman, and Sir John Hippifly; but hath not admitted Sir John Evelin of Wilts to attend him, as being included in the Exception made by his Majefty in the Letter fent by Mr. Secretary Nicholas to your Lordship of the 4th, as by the inclofed Proclamation, proclaimed at his Majefty's Court at Oxford, and fent, with a Writ fealed, into the County of Wilts, will appear. His Majefty bath likewife commanded me to fignify to your Lordship, That in cafe the Houfes fhall think fit to fend any other Perfon in the Place of Sir John Evelin, that is not included in the Exception made in Mr. Secretary's Letter before-mentioned, his Majefty hath commanded all his Officers, Soldiers, and other Subjects, to fuffer |