Veneris, 28 Decembris, 1688, post meridiem.
Prince of Orange's Answer to Address.
THE Assembly being met, the Chairman acquainted
the Assembly, that the Prince had appointed Four
of the Clock this Afternoon, at St. James, to receive his
Answer:
Whereupon it was resolved to go to St. James', at that
Time, and, after they had received the Prince's Answer,
to return again to Westminster.
And, after having been at St. James', and returned to
Westminster, the Chairman acquainted the Assembly
with the Prince's Answer; which was in these Words:
Gentlemen,
I HAVE considered of your Advice, and, as far as I
am able, I will endeavour to secure the Peace of the
Nation, until the Meeting of the Convention in January
next; for the Election whereof, I will forthwith issue out
Letters, according to your Desire. I will also take care to
apply the publick Revenue to the most proper Uses that
the present Affairs require: And likewise endeavour to
put Ireland into such a Condition, as that the Protestant
Religion, and the English Interest, may be maintained in
that Kingdom: And I further assure you, that as I came
hither for the Preservation of the Protestant Religion,
and the Laws and Liberties of these Kingdoms; so I
shall always be ready to expose myself to any Hazard,
for Defence of the same.
Entry to be made thereof;
Which Answer being read to the Assembly by the
Chairman, it was ordered, that the said Answer should
be entered in the Book of their Proceedings.
and Copies sent to Lord Mayor.
Ordered, That a Copy of the Address, and Proceedings,
be sent to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen.
Association to be sent to City Members.
Ordered, That a Copy of the Association be delivered
to the Members of the City of London, and recommended
to them.
The Assembly terminates.
After which the Assembly rose, without appointing any
further Meeting.
The Letters for Electing of Members for the
CONVENTION.
Letters for meeting of the Convention.
WHEREAS the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, the
Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, heretofore Members of
the Commons House of Parliament, during the Reign
of King Charles the Second, residing in and about the
City of London, together with the Aldermen, and divers
of the Common-council of the said City, in this extraordinary Conjuncture, at our Request, severally assembled,
to advise us the best Manner how to attain the Ends of
our Declaration, in calling a free Parliament, for the
Preservation of the Protestant Religion, and Restoring
the Rights and Liberties of the Kingdom, and Settling
the same, that they may not be in Danger of being
again subverted, have advised and desired us to cause
our Letters to be written and directed, for the Counties, To the Coroners of the respective Counties, or any
One of them, and, in default of the Coroners, To the
Clerks of the Peace of the respective Counties; and for
the Universities, To the respective Vice-chancellors;
and for the Cities, Boroughs, and Cinque Ports, To the
chief Magistrate of each respective City, Borough, and
Cinque Port; containing Directions for the choosing, in
all such Counties, Cities, Universities, Boroughs, and
Cinque Ports, within Ten Days after the Receipt of the
said respective Letters, such a number of Persons to
represent them, as from every such Place is or are of Right
to be sent to Parliament: Of which Elections, and the
Times and Places thereof, the respective Officers shall
give Notice; the Notice for the intended Election, in the
Counties, to be published in the Market-towns within the
respective Counties, by the Space of Five Days, at the
least, before the said Election; and for the Universities,
Cities, Boroughs, and Cinque Ports, in every of them respectively, by the space of Three Days, at the least, before
the said Election: The said Letters, and the Execution
thereof, to be returned by such Officer and Officers who
shall execute the same, to the Clerk of the Crown in the
Court of Chancery, so as the Persons so to be chosen, may
meet and sit at Westminster the Two-and-twentieth Day
of January next.
We, heartily desiring the Performance of what we
have in our said Declaration expressed, in pursuance of
the said Advice and Desire, have caused this our Letter
to be written to you, to the Intent that you, truly and
uprightly, without Favour or Affection to any Person, or
indirect Practice or Proceeding, do and execute what of
your Part ought to be done, according to the said Advice,
for the due Execution thereof; the Elections to be made
by such Persons only as, according to the ancient Laws
and Customs, of Right ought to choose Members for
Parliament: And that you cause a Return to be made, by
Certificate under your Seal, of the Names of the Persons
elected, annexed to this our Letter, to the said Clerk of
the Crown, before the said Two-and-twentieth Day of
January.
Given at St. James's, the Nine-and-twentieth Day
of December, in the Year of our Lord 1688.
Those to the Coroners were directed thus:
TO the Coroners of the County of; and in
default of the Coroners, To the Clerk of the Peace of
the said County.
Those to the chief Magistrates were directed thus:
TO the chief Magistrate, or such others of the
of, in the County of, who have Right
to make Returns of Members to serve in Parliament,
according to the ancient Usage of the said,
before the Seizure or Surrender of Charters, made in
the Time of King Charles the Second.