The humble address, and hearty desires of the gentlemen, ministers and free-holders of the county of Northampton Presented to his Excellency the Lord General Monk, at his arrival at Northampton, January 24. 1659.

The Humble Address, and hearty Desires of the Gentlemen, Ministers and Free-holders of the County of NORTHAMPTON.

Presented to his Excellency the Lord General MONK, at his arrival at Northampton, January 24. 1659.

VVEE the Gentlemen, Ministers and Free-holders of the County of Northampton, humbly conceiving that the first Force put upon the Parliament hath been an Encouragement to open the way to all the rest; and finding that your Excel∣lencie under God hath been the principal means for the repairing of the last Interruption, are the more encouraged, and (having the conveniency of your presence now amongst us) to desire your assistance in the procuring these our just Desires, as the visible means of a hap∣py Peace and Settlement of these Nations.

• I. That whereas every free-born Subject of England is supposed to be present in Parlia∣ment by the Knights and Burgesses of the place where he liveth, and thereby is presumed to consent to all things that pass in Parliament; So it is now, that there is not one Knight for all the Counties in Wales, nor for divers Counties in England, and some of them the lar∣gest in England, as that of York-shire.
• II. That no free-born Subject of England may have any Taxes levied upon him, with∣out his consent in Parliament.
• III. To that End, that all vacant places may be supplied, whether they became vacant by Death, or Seclusion; and that those that were secluded by force in the year 1648. may fit again; and that no previous Oath or Engagement may be put upon any that is chosen by his Countrey to fit and Vote freely in Parliament.
• IV. That the Fundamental Laws of England, the Priviledges of Parliament, the Liberty of the Subject, and the Property of Goods, may be asserted and defended, according to the first Declarations of the Parliament, when they undertook the War.
• V. That the true Protestant Religion may be professed and defended, all Heresies, Sects and Schismes discountenanced and suppressed, a lawfull succession of Godly and Able Mi∣nisters continued and encouraged, and the two Universities, and all Colledges in both of them, may be preserved and countenanced.
• VI. That all the Souldiery that will acquiesce in the Judgment of a free and full Par∣liament, in the promoting and setling a happy Peace upon those Foundations, may have their Arrears paid, and as many of them as the Parliament shall think necessary, may be continued in the publick Service; and that as many of them as have been Purchasers of Lands from the Parliament, may either enjoy their Bargains, or their Money paid back with Interest, and some considerable Advantage over and above, for their satisfactions, as the Par∣liament shall judge expedient for the publick good of the Nation.

This Address was prepared by the Gentlemen, &c. abovesaid, to be presented to General Monk, at his entrance into Northampton.