DIE Sabbati, videlicet, 7 die Januarii.

PRAYERS.

Earl of Manchester, Speaker this Day.

Declaration against the Chester Association.

A Declaration concerning the Agreement of the County of Chester within themselves, of Neutrality, brought Yesterday from the House of Commons, was read. (Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

To be published.

And Ordered, To be printed, and read in all the Parish Churches and Chapels in the County of Chester, by the Parsons, Vicars, and Curates.

Cheshire Instructions to be examined.

Ordered, That the Clerk of the Parliament shall examine the Instructions concerning Cheshire, to see if they agree with those of Lanchashire, and to report the same to this House on Monday next.

Declaration for a further Subscription.

Next, [ (fn. *) was read] a Declaration concerning Subscriptions for maintaining the Army. (Here enter it.)

Agreed to.

L. Mayor to call a Common Hall about it.

And Ordered, That the Lord Mayor be desired to call a Common Hall on Tuesday next, in the Afternoon, at Two of the Clock; and on Monday, the Lords to be appointed, and to send to the House of Commons, to acquaint them with it.

Peers and Assistants to give their Answers about the Subscription.

Ordered, That upon Monday Morning the Speaker do move, to know the Answers of the Members and Assistants of this House, what they will subscribe for the Maintenance of the Army; and the Clerk of the Parliament to provide Two Books for this Purpose.

Coles and Leach, for printing scandalous Pamphlets.

Next, Coales and Leach were brought to the Bar, for printing false and scandalous Pamphlets. They confessed the Printing of The Continuation of the News; but said, they had the Original from one Becke, a Scrivener in Westm.

Alsop and Faucet, for Ditto.

Also Alsop and Fawcett were brought to the Bar, for printing scandalous Pamphlets and Libels. They confessed the Printing of the Books which were shewed them.

All committed to The Fleet; and Beck sent for.

Hereupon this House Ordered, That the said Becke shall be attached, and brought before this House on Monday Morning next; and that the said Coales, Leach, Alsop, and Faucett, shall be forthwith committed to the Prison of The Fleete, there to remain until the Pleasure of this House be further known; their Offence being for printing and publishing false and scandalous Pamphlets, and under the Title and Name and Order of the Parliament.

Herne sent for, printing scandalous Pamphlets.

Ordered, That Ric'd Herne, a Printer, that hath printed a seditious and scandalous Pamphlet, intituled, A Complaint of the Commons, and divers others, false Books and Pamphlets, shall be attached, and brought before the Lords in Parliament, to answer the same.

Next, the Declaration of both Houses, touching the Illegality of the Commission of Array, was read, and approved of, and Ordered to be printed and published forthwith.

Declaration concerning the Illegality of the Commissions of Array, and Order for new Subscriptions.

"The pressing Necessities of the Kingdom, caused and daily multiplied by the traiterous and bloody Counsels and Attempts of the pernicious and desperate Counsellors still about the King, and protected by Him, while they more and more manifest their implacable Enmity to our Religion, the Parliament, and Peace of all His Majesty's good Subjects and Dominions, have been such, and so many, as have compelled us, the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, to borrow more and far greater Sums of Money upon the Public Faith (besides those which we ourselves advanced), for the Preservation of our Religion, the Being (as well as the just and undoubted Power and Privileges) of Parliament, our Laws and Liberties from most apparent Destruction, than at first we intended, and to be longer in repaying the same (which we still unanimously resolve shall be fully paid back with Interest) than heretofore we promised.

"And albeit we be now preparing and expediting sundry Propositions, to be humbly and speedily presented to His Majesty, for an honourable and firm Settling of the Public Peace, without more Effusion of Christian Blood, yet no rational Man can be ignorant of the further Necessity of providing more Treasure, as well for Support of the Army raised by Authority of Parliament, until the King shall vouchsafe graciously to condescend to our just and necessary Requests, as for the full Payment of all such Sums of Money as already are, or further may be, due and (fn. *) in Arrear, for the necessary Provisions of Arms, Ammunition, and Pay, of the said Army, until their Disbanding and Return Home to their several Countries (according to the Times to be limitted for that Purpose), that so they may not be occasioned, through Want of Pay, to plunder, rob, or pillage by the Way homewards, after their Discharge and Dismission.

"Upon these Grounds alone we might very well recommend to the good Affections and Zeal of all good Men within the City of London, and throughout the Kingdom, a new Advance and Loan of a very large and considerable Sum of Money, lest (while all we have is now in more imminent Danger than ever) not only all the Monies already lent, but all those Treasures of our Religion, Laws, and Liberties (which ought to be more precious to us than our whole Estates and Lives, which we have all solemnly devoted to the Defence of this Cause), be utterly lost, for Want of some further Supply, to close and perfect the Work in a safe and honourable Way, whereby all these may be saved, and the Monies already advanced for this Service be in due Time fully re-paid.

"But when we consider further, that, notwithstanding all His Majesty's Protestations, Declarations, and Proclamations to the contrary, not only a great Number of known Papists are entertained and employed in His Majesty's Army, who have actually levied War against the King and Parliament; but Commissions have issued, under the Great Seal of England, to the Earl of Worcester and to the Earl of Newcastle, by Means whereof many Thousands of professed Papists (whose very Principles of Religion do engage them to Rebellion, and Shedding the Blood of all Protestants, and therefore ought not by the Laws to be trusted with Arms in their own Houses, nor to come within the Verge of His Majesty's Court), are gathered into great Bodies, and do actually bear Arms against the King, Parliament, and Kingdom, and have plundered, robbed, pillaged, and murthered, very many of His Majesty's good Protestant Subjects in the Northern Parts, besides sundry other Places within this Kingdom; which Armies of Papists do daily increase, by the Accession of many Arms and Popish Commanders from Foreign Parts arriving at Newcastle and other Ports, and joining themselves with those professed Enemies to our Religion, and to all Laws made to guard it, and to suppress or prevent their frequent Treasons and Rebellions; and that it is notoriously known that the Rebels in and about Newcastle, under the Command of the said Earl of Newcastle, do lay very great Impositions upon every Ship-lading of Coals exported thence for the Use of the City of London and other Places of this Kingdom; and, if those Impositions be not paid, Stay is made of the Coal Ships, and some of them are compelled over Sea to fetch in more Men, Arms, and Ammunition, to furnish the said Popish Army against us and our Religion, by which Means great Dearth of Coals must inevitably befall the poor People in and about London, that probably may occasion many dangerous Tumults and Commotions, while the said Popish Army is advancing towards London, with Hope that, by this and other their Devilish Artifices, they may find all in Combustions here, whereby they may with less Resistance pillage and sack this City, cut the Throats of all Men of Estates, and ravish their Wives and Daughters, without Difference; for Papists in such Cases never make Difference between Friends and Enemy: Yea, so insolent and barbarous are these bloody Enemies become, that, while some Men in these Parts do causelessly murmur and complain of any Thing, although it amount not to the Thirtieth Part of their Estates, be required of them for their own Preservation, as well as for the Public Safety, these Popish Rebels violently seize upon the Persons of so many Men of Quality and Wealth as they can, although no Enemies to their Cause, and compel them to redeem themselves, some at One Thousand Pounds, some at Two Thousand Pounds, some at Three Thousand Pounds a Man, enforcing others to bring in large Contributions, to the Supply of their Army, even to the One Half and more of some of their Estates, and exacting the same with such Rigour that the Miseries, under which their Friends as well as others do groan and mourn, without the least Ease or Pity, cannot be sufficiently expressed: Upon all which Considerations, we cannot but Declare, That we have just Cause to suspect, that, however they have abused His Majesty so far as to obtain such illegal Commissions to levy Forces, upon Pretence of assisting His Majesty; yet, having gotten Power and Strength into their Hands, they will not lay down their Arms, even when His Majesty shall have laid down His, unless they may give Laws unto the King and Parliament for Toleration of their Superstition and Idolatry, and the Abrogation of all Laws made against it; but will proceed, with Fire and Sword, to root out our Religion, and all that profess it, as they have already begun and still proceed to do in Ireland, if there be not a good Provision of Treasure to maintain and support our Army, not only during the Time of Treaty, but until such Time as the said Popish Army be dissolved, and the Papists sufficiently secured from Ability and Opportunity to disturb that blessed Peace and Settling of our Religion and Laws, which now, through God's Blessing, may be happily obtained, as it is unfeignedly and earnestly desired by us. We, therefore, the Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament, for the more speedy and effectual Provision of Monies to be employed in quenching this unnatural and bloody War, now kindled not only in the Heart, but in almost all Parts of this Kingdom at once, by those Papists, Persons Popishly affected, Traitors, and Delinquents about His Majesty, who have already made this flourishing Nation to become a Field of Blood, have in the First Place begun a new Subscription, and again assessed (fn. *) ourselves, towards the raising of such a considerable Sum of Money as of Necessity must be forthwith advanced for the Purpose aforesaid; albeit many of us be exceedingly prejudiced in our Estates, by Plundering, Pillaging, and forced Contribution to those Enemies of the King and Kingdom, in Places where any of our Estates lye, and our respective Lands are situated, beside the great Charge and Losses sustained by our long Attendance upon the Public Service of the King and Kingdom; and having, by this our Example, recommended this Work to be further advanced and carried on by all others, who are touched with any Sense of Piety to God, and their native Country, now in a Flame, or of Zeal to the true Religion professed amongst us, or of Conscience in making good their solemn Protestation and Vow already made to Almighty God, we do further Order and require, That the several Persons hereunder named, or any Three or more of them, do forthwith summon all the Inhabitants and other Resiants within which they, or any Three or more of them, shall think fit to be summoned; and do likewise repair unto the several Houses or Places of Abode of all the Inhabitants and other Resiants or Sojourners with the said which they, or any Three or more of them, shall think fit to be repaired unto; and, in the Name of both Houses of Parliament, do give hearty Thanks to so many of them, whether summoned or repaired unto, as have already contributed, by Way of Loan or Gift, any Money, Plate, Horse, or Arms, according to the Propositions of both Houses of Parliament heretofore published in that Behalf, or otherwise; assuring all and every of them, that the said Houses are very sensible of their Alacrity and Duty therein, and do resolve to be as careful of their Safety, Welfare, and Reimbursement, as of their own, and to live and die with them in this Cause; and likewise that the said Persons hereunder named, or any Three or more of them, do acquaint not only those, but especially the rest of the said Inhabitants who have not yet contributed, with the further urgent Necessity of new Subscriptions for Plate and Money, still pressing, beyond former Expectation; and accordingly desire and stir up them, and every of them, to underwrite in a Book provided for that Purpose, and wherein their Names shall be registered whether they underwrite or no, such Sums of Money and Plate as may testify their real and further Performance of their late Protestation and sacred Vow to Almighty God, and of their Readiness to join with the rest of the well-affected Party of the Kingdom; and as we the Lords and Commons, who are Resolved to pursue this Work with our Lives, Persons, and Estates for their Preservation as well as for our own: And because the Success of this further Levy of Money depends much upon the speedy bringing in thereof, it is therefore further Ordered, That all such Persons as shall hereupon subscribe as aforesaid be desired, by the Parties employed to take their Subscriptions, instantly to bring in One Fourth Part of the said Money and Plate subscribed by each of them respectively, to the Treasurers for Money and Plate formerly appointed, in The Guildhall London, who shall thereupon give Receipts for the same, in Manner and Form already used; and that the Second Fourth Part of their said Subscriptions be likewise brought in, to the Persons and Place aforesaid, at the End of One Month next after their Subscription; and the Third Fourth Part be accordingly brought in at the End of the Second Month after their said Subscription; and the last Payment at the End of the Third Month next after their said Subscription: And for the Ease of such Men so subscribing, whose Occasions will not permit them to make their several Payments at Guildhall at the Time aforesaid, it is further Ordered, That the said Parties employed to take their said Subscriptions, or any Two or more of them, shall demand and receive, of the said Persons subscribing, the several and respective Sums so subscribed, and in Arrear and un-paid by the Space of Six Days after the several Times of Payment shall be respectively commenced and expired; and shall give Acquittance for the same, in Manner and Form appointed and used upon the former Subscription of Money and Plate: For all which, both Houses of Parliament do hereby engage the Public Faith of the Kingdom, That they shall be re-paid with Eight Pounds per Cent. Allowance for the same, according to the said former Propositions; and if any Thing not mentioned in this Declaration and Order may conduce to the more effectual promoting of this new Subscription and the Receipt thereof, the same is hereby referred to the Wisdom and Care of the Committee of Lords and Commons, for Advance of Money and other Necessaries for the Army, to be prosecuted and improved with Effect: And lastly, it is Ordered, That this Declaration and Order be printed and published."

"The Declaration of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament concerning the late Treaty of Peace in Cheshire, wherein they renounce the said Agreements, as being very prejudicial and dangerous to the whole Kingdom, that One County should stand as Neuters, and withdraw themselves from the Assistance of the rest.

Declaration against the Neutrality entered into by Cheshire.

"Upon Perusal of certain Articles, dated the 23d December, 1642, between some of the Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Chester, well-affected to the Peace of the Kingdom, and others who have declared themselves in sundry Actions Opposers of the Proceedings of Parliament, and Furtherers of the War raised against them, and of many Injuries and Oppressions lately exercised upon the good Subjects, Inhabitants of that County; and being confident that, if the said Deputy Lieutenants, who are Parties to that Agreement, had known by what Acts and Designs this Agreement was plotted by the other Side, and how dangerous and mischievous it must needs be both in the Effects and in the Consequence; their good Intentions to the Peace of that County and of the Kingdom are such, that they would never have consented to any Thing so prejudicial thereunto as this seeming Neutrality would be, by making that County prepared by this Means to prevent all Associations and mutual Relief to Lancashire and other Neighbour Counties, and to hinder the firm Settling of that County for the Parliament; and many other Ways serviceable to those ill Counsels whereby His Majesty is incited against His Subjects, but no Ways useful to the Parliament in protecting of them.

"1. Wherefore the Lords and Commons do Declare, First, that none of the Parties to that Agreement had any Authority, by any Acts of theirs, to bind that County to any such Neutrality as is mentioned in that Agreement, it being a peculiar and proper Power and Privilege of Parliament, where the whole Body of the Kingdom is represented, to bind all or any Part thereof.

"2. That it is very prejudicial and dangerous to the whole Kingdom, that (fn. *) One County should withdraw themselves from the Assistance of the rest, to which they are bound by Law, and by several Orders and Declarations of Parliament.

"3. That it is very derogatory to the Power and Authority of Parliament, that any private Men should take upon them to suspend the Execution of the Ordinance of the Militia, and of Associations declared by both Houses to be according to Law, and very necessary at this Time, for the Preservation and Safety of this Kingdom; or to hinder the Fruit and Benefit of any other Ordinance of Parliament lately made in the Behalf of that County.

"4. That many Things in that Agreement are very unequal, contrary to the Nature of a Neutrality (being much more advantageous to the One Side than to the other), and prejudicial to the Public Defence of the Kingdom undertaken by the Parliament, and would be a great Impediment to that good Agreement betwixt His Majesty and His Subjects, which both Houses do so earnestly desire and endeavour.

"For these and other Reasons, we hold ourselves bound in Conscience, in Performance of the several Protestations that we have made, to hinder all further Proceedings upon that Agreement: And therefore it is Ordered, by the Lords and Commons, That no such Neutrality be observed in that County, which will secretly advantage the Forces raised there, and in the Neighbour Counties, against the Parliament, and no Way benefit Cheshire, but rather be most dangerous to them, by keeping that County without any defensive Force, whereby it will be open to the King, to bring back His Army thither at His Pleasure, by which Means it will become the Seat of the War; and, if this should not fall out, yet, if the rest of the Kingdom be suppressed, what Hope can Cheshire have, but to be involved in the Public Misery? And therefore, in Wisdom to themselves, and Justice to the State, they ought not to withdraw themselves from the common Cause; but to join with the Parliament in Defence of the Religion and Liberty of the whole Kingdom, and with them to labour by all good Means to procure a general Peace and Protection from the King, for all His Subjects; and, if they should suffer any particular Counties to divide themselves from the rest of the Kingdom, it will be a Means of bringing all to Ruin and Destruction: Wherefore it is further Declared, That neither the Gentlemen who were Parties to those Articles, nor any other Gentlemen, nor Inhabitants in that County, are bound by any such Agreement; but they are required to pursue their former Resolutions, of maintaining and assisting the Parliament, in Defence of the Common Cause, according to their General Protestation wherein they are bound with the rest of the Kingdom, and according to such Orders and Commissions as they, or any of them, have already received, or shall receive, from both Houses of Parliament, from the Committee of Lords and Commons appointed for the Safety of the Kingdom, or from the Earl of Essex Lord General."

Footnotes