Selected quad for the lemma: england_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A32343
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By the Kings Most Excellent Majesty, a proclamation
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England and Wales. Sovereign (1660-1685 : Charles II); Charles II, King of England, 1630-1685.
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1659
(1659)
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Wing C3199; ESTC R37181
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3,351
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1
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By the KINGS most Excelent MAJESTIE A PROCLAMATION CHARLES By the Grace of God King of England Scotland Ireland and the Dominion of Wales c. Defender of the true Ancient Catholique and Apostolick Faith To Our Trusty and Well-beloved Justices of the Piece Mayors Sheriffs Bayliffs Constables Church-wardens and to all other Officers as well spiritual as temporal Greeting Whereas we have lately received information by an Express from some persons in England of the unfained desires of our loving Subjects to establish Us in the Royal Throne and Dignity of our Father and although they acknowledge themselves but few in number and not so well resolved as to trust Us with their Names yet undertake on the behalf of many thousands to make good their Proposals to Us conditionally that we grant and assure unto them their as they call them reasonable and modest requests whether these mens intentions are just and upright as they pretend we shall not be much desirous to enquire after Only from hence we take occasion to Proclaim to those persons and to all the world that we are ready to grant to all Our Subjects some very few excepted more then they can have the confidence to expect from us Yet let not any rash judgment condemn Us for our large offers as being in so low and forlorn a condition as never any Christian Prince for many Ages hath been That we are forward in promises though intend little performance We say were our calamity more heavy upon us which can hardly be We shall not be drawn by the greatest allurements and advantages to passe our engagement for any thing we are not fully resolved to perform which being chiefly for the general good and peace of all our Subjects we cannot but hope for a happy success to ensue and therefore to Proclaim that if peaceably receiv'd we shall forthwith grant 1. A General and free Pardon to all seven of those only excepted which were the bloody Judges and Murderers of the King our Father 2. That all the Armies shall be within six moneths disbanded if money for their satisfaction can in a Parliamentary way be so soon raised and that they shall have all Arrears fully paid them and 3 months pay over and above to every common Souldier for their better removal and settlement in their former or better way and place of liuing 3. That the Armies being so satisfied and disbanded no Souldier shall be continued but in the ancient Garrisons accustomed on the Sea Coasts and that no new Army shall be raised or any Fleet by Us set forth to Sea upon any occasion whatsoeeer but by consent of Parliament 4. That not any of our Subâ—ects shall be burdened with Taxes Excise Free-quartering or other illegal payments or pressures or any Oaths imposed nor any debarred of their Liberties questioned for their lives or Estates for any cause or pretence whatsoever but by the ancient and known Laws of the Land according to Magna Charta and the Petition of Right 5. That the Purchasers of Crown Lands and Rents being satisfied their purchase-mony and interests by the profits thereof and further payments to their full reimbursements The said lands and Rents may return to the Crown again We being resolved in the mean time to cast our Self on the love of our Subjects for our fuâ—ure support And if the Parliament that shall next be call'd shall not think fit to give us a reparation and such a competent Revenue as we might expect we have learned and shall submit if there be occasion to the condition of the meanest of our Predecessors 6. That the Purchasers of Bishops and Deans and Chapters Lands and Rents being in like manner satisfied their purchase-mony and interest by the profits and further payment till they be reimbursed that then the said lands and Rents shall be conferred on the Clergy and Ministry as the next Parliament shall ordain 7. That as soon as Writs can be issued a free and legal Parliament shall be summoned and the Priviledges thereof maintained without any exemption to any person whatsoever being legally coosen and returned according to the ancient Laws and Customs of England in that case provided 8. That the Parliament shall be desired by us to take care for the settling of the Protastant Religion and the publick worship of God with liberty for tender Consciences and for the providing for the Ministery in the first place without which no blessing can be expected upon Our Government 9. That if the Parliament shall passe an Act of General Pardon and if they shall desire those seven persons by us intended to be excluded shall be included and giving Us satisfactory reasons for the same we shall concur with them therein 10. That the affairs of the Land and our Government shall be constantly regulated and managed by Parliaments and that the Act for Triennial Parliâ—ments shall be by Us duly observed We acknowledge it is very difficult if not impossible to please all especially where there are so many divisions and every man almost of a several mind and opinion But as we have proposed to our Self so shall we endeavour to give all reasonable Satisfaction to all our Subjects And if the Actings of the Representatives in a Free Parliament of their own choice can satisfie them we shall not be wanting in summoning and concurring with them But if that will not please them nothing will Now if these condescentions of ours shall have so much freedome of passage in England as many a scurrilous and lying Pamphlet fly abroad without our control we are confident that all of understanding that are not wilfully blinded or not over-swayed with present self-interest thereby knowing our large Offers must needs be fully convinced of the amplitude thereof extending to all their grievances However if it shall be instanced wherein we are too short for we are ready for the Good and Peace of the Nation to give large satisfaction and ample assurance to our most inveterate Enemies We having yeelded to all matters of most importance shall not stick at lesser things And if any that have been adherers and assisting to our late royal Father and us shall think we are herein too free and indulgent to such and so many open and professed Enemies and that we have made no provision for our Servants and Friends we desire them all to consider our own and also their Conditions and how things now stand in England that neither we nor themselves can otherwise in any probability better our selves unless by a bloody and hazzardous War which though we cannot doubt of the lawfullness on our part and consequently a prosperous success if we shall be necessitated thereto for the recovery of our just right yet we are assured that the God of peace will rather prosper a peaceable than violent and forceable entrance And therefore we hope all those our friends and loving Subjects will rest fully satisfied with that we shall do pursuant to these propositions we being desirous hereafter to consider their sufferings though not comparable to ours as God shall enable and in all just and lawfull ways And now we wish that all the people of England would remember how they have performed their Protestations Oaths Vowes Solemn League and Covenant But to instance in no more than the Honour and Priviledges of Parliament the foundation of all their laws which they have so often sworn and vowed to maintain with their lives and fortunes what face of a Parliament they have now left which should consist of three Estates King House of Peers and House of Commons The two first wholly destroyed And what of the last is in being not to mention at least 150 that at the beginning of the Wars left them and went to Oxford when a considerable number of their own party protested against their proceedings and discerted the House How many imprisoned and what great numbers by force expulsed by that late bloody and hypocritical Usurper which actions of his though they were a main step to his intended Throne and Tyrannical Government yet are so well relished by that Tail of a Parliament remaining that they are resolved neither to readmit the persons so illegally and injuriously expelled not to fill up the voyd places of any removed or dead so that in a few years what by death and new expulsion they may reduce themselves to the number of those infamous Tyrants of Athens and if they can establish themselves by their designed Militia and that they may thereby be able to command their now Masters the Sword-men and Cashire them they will moddle such a new Army as shall be in subjection to them and then Vote themselves their Sons and Nephews a Parliament for ever Let those that have generous English Spirits seriously consider into what a Laborinth of woe and misery they have run themselves and now lye under what a confusion there is in Church and State that what hath been gotten by blood and rapine must be so upheld The Govetnment these Usurpers would settle not being to be maintained but by continual Armies and Navies and the support of these must be Taxes Excise Free-quarterings and chargeable Militia's and other unsupportable burdens to perpetuity Now let the whole Nation beg and implore a blessing from the Father of Mercies and let them all be of one heart and one mind to free themselves of these Iron yokes and heavy pressures and joyn and concurre with us in establishing a peaceable Government to the great joy and happiness of the honest and true-hearted and to the advancement of the true Protestant Religion and Gods Glory Given under our hand Brussels Octob. 2. S. N. 1659. Antwerp Published by his Majesties special Command and Printed Cum Privilegio