MDCXLII. III. The Proceedings in the late Treaty of Peace. Together with several Letters of His MAJESTY to the Queen, and of Prince Rupert to the Earl of Northampton, which were intercepted and brought up to the Parliament.
With a Declaration of the Lords and Commons upon those Proceedings and Letters.
The humble Desires and Propositions of the Lords and Commons in Parliament assem∣bled, tendred unto His Majesty, Feb. 1. 1642.
WE Your Majesty's most humble and faithful Subjects, the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, having in our thoughts the Glory of God, Your Ma∣jesty's Honour, and the Prosperity of Your People, and being most grievously afflicted with the pressing Miseries and Calamities which have overwhelmed Your two King∣doms of England and Ireland, since Your Majesty hath, by the perswasion of evil Coun∣sellors, withdrawn Your Self from the Parliament, raised an Army against it, and by force thereof protected Delinquents from the Justice of it, constraining us to take Armes for the defence of our Religion, Laws, Liberties, Privileges of Parliament, and for the sitting of the Parliament in safety; which Fears and Dangers are continued and increa∣sed by the raising, drawing together and arming of great numbers of Papists under the command of the Earl of Newcastle, likewise by making the Lord Herbert of Ragland and other known Papists Commanders of great Forces, whereby many grievous Op∣pressions, Rapines and Cruelties have been and are daily exercised upon the persons and estates of Your People, much innocent blood hath been spilt, and the Papists have at∣tained means of attempting, and hopes of effecting, their mischievous Design of root∣ing out the Reformed Religion, and destroying the professors thereof: in the tender sense and compassion of these evils under which Your People and Kingdom lie (according to the duty which we owe to God, Your Majesty, and the Kingdom, for which we are intrusted) do most earnestly desire, that an end may be put to these great Distem∣pers and Distractions, for the preventing of that Desolation which doth threaten all Your Majesties Dominions. And as we have rendred, and still are ready to render, to Your Majesty that Subjection, Obedience and Service which we owe unto You; so we most humbly beseech Your Majesty to remove the Cause of this War, and to vouchsafe us that Peace and Protection which we and our Ancestors have formerly enjoyed under Your Majesty and Your Royal Predecessors, and graciously to accept and grant these most humble Desires and Propositions.