DIE Martis, videlicet, 2 die Januarii.
PRAYERS.
Domini præsentes:
Ds. Grey de Warke, Speaker this Day.
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Comes Kent.
Comes Essex, L. General.
Comes Rutland.
Comes Pembrooke.
Comes Sarum.
Comes Denbigh.
Comes Bollingbrooke.
Comes Lyncolne. |
Ds. Wharton. |
The Lord General acquainted this House with a
Proclamation, which some of his Scouts took coming
from Oxford to London, to invite such Members of both
Houses of Parliament as will come to Oxford, to advise
with Him, to resist the (fn. *) coming in of the Scottish Army,
&c. Which this House commanded to be read; videlicet,
"By the King:
"A Proclamation for the assembling the Members
of both Houses at Oxford, upon Occasion of
the Invasion by the Scotts.
Proclamation by the King, for Members of both Houses to attend, for holding a Parliament at Oxford.
"Whereas We did, by Our Proclamation bearing
Date the 20th Day of June last, upon due Consideration of the Miseries of this Kingdom, and the true
Cause thereof, warn all Our good Subjects no longer
to be misled by the Votes, Orders, and pretended
Ordinances, of One or both Houses, by reason the
Members do not enjoy the Freedom and Liberty of
Parliament, which appears by several Instances of
Force and Violence, and by the Course of the Proceedings mentioned in Our said Proclamation, and several of Our Declarations; since which Time, Our
Subjects of Scotland have made great and warlike
Preparations, to enter and invade this Kingdom with
an Army, and have already actually invaded the same,
by possessing themselves by Force of Arms of Our
Town of Barwicke, upon Pretence that they are invited thereunto by the Desires of the Two Houses;
the which, as we doubt not (fn. †) all Our good Subjects
of this Kingdom will look upon as the most insolent
Act of Ingratitude and Disloyalty, and to the apparent Breach of the late Act of Pacification so solemnly
made between the Kingdoms, and is indeed no other
than a Design of Conquest, and to impose new Laws
upon this Nation, they not so much as pretending the
least Provocation or Violation from this Kingdom; so
that We are most assured, that the major Part of
both Houses of Parliament do from their Souls abhor the least Thoughts of introducing that Foreign
Power, to increase and make desperate the Miseries
of their unhappy Country: And therefore, that it
may appear to all the World how far the major Part
of both Houses is from such Actions of Treason and
Disloyalty, and how grossly those few Members remaining at Westminster have and do impose upon Our
People, We do will and require such of the Members
of both Houses, as well those who have been by the
Faction of the malignant Party expelled for performing their Duty to Us, and into whose rooms no Persons have been since chosen by their Country, as the
rest who have been driven thence, and all those who,
being conscious of their Want of Freedom, now
shall be willing to withdraw from that Rebellious
City, to assemble themselves together at Our City of
Oxford, on Monday the 22d Day of January, where
Care shall be taken for their several Accommodations,
and fit Places appointed for their Meeting, and where
all Our good Subjects shall see how willing We are
to receive Advice, for the Preservation of the Religion, Laws, and Safety of the Kingdom, and, as far
as in Us lies, to restore it to its former Peace and Security (Our chief and only End), from those whom
they have trusted, though We cannot receive it in the
Place where We appointed: And, for the better Encouragement of those Members of either House to resort to Us, who may be conscious to themselves of
having justly incurred Our Displeasure, by submitting
to, or concurring in, unlawful Actions; and that all
the World may see how willing and desirous We are
to forget the Injuries and Indignities offered to Us,
and, by an Union of English Hearts, to prevent the
lasting Miseries which this Foreign Invasion must bring
upon this Kingdom; We do offer a Free and General
Pardon to all the Members of either House, who
shall, at or before the said 22d Day of January, appear at Our City of Oxford, and desire the same, without Exceptions; which, considering the manifest Treasons committed against Us, and the Condition We are
now in, improved by God's wonderful Blessing to a
better Degree than We have enjoyed at any Time
since these Distractions, is the greatest Instance of
Princely and Fatherly Care of Our People that can
be expressed, and which Malice itself cannot suggest
to proceed from any other Ground: And therefore
We hope, and are confident, that all such who, upon
this Our Gracious Invitation, will not return to their
Duty and Allegiance, shall be no more thought Promoters of the Religion, Laws, and Liberty of the
Kingdom (which this Way may be without Doubt
settled and secured), but Persons engaged from the
Beginning, out of their own Pride, Malice, and Ambition, to bring Confusion and Desolation upon their
Country, and to that Purpose (having long since contrived the Design) to invite and join with a Foreign
Nation to ruin and extinguish their own, and shall accordingly be pursued as the most desperate and malicious Enemies of the Kingdom: And Our Pleasure is,
That this Our Proclamation be read in all Churches
and Chapels within this Our Kingdom, and Dominion
of Wales.
"Given at Our Court at Oxford, the 22th of December, in the Nineteenth Year of Our Reign,
1643."
Clerk of the Parliament to bring in an Account of Impeachments against Delinquents.
The House conceiving this Business to be of great
Consequence; Ordered, That the Clerk of the Parliament shall bring in an Account To-morrow Morning, of all the Impeachments brought up from the
House of Commons against Delinquents, that so this
House may know how far they have been proceeded
in, and take such further Course for the bringing of Delinquents to a Trial as they shall think fit.
Lords to attend.
Ordered, That all the Lords have Notice given
them (fn. *) to be at this House To-morrow Morning.
Committee to consider of the Agreement with Scotland.
Ordered, That the Committee appointed to consider of the Agreements between the Parliament and the
Kingdom of Scotland, and compare them with the former, shall make their Report To-morrow.
E. of Bedford committed to Brooke House.
"Whereas, by a former Order of this (fn. *) House, the
Earl of Bedford stands committed to the safe Custody
of the Gentleman Usher attending this House: It is
this Day Ordered, by the Lords in Parliament,
That the Lord General shall cause the said Earl of
Bedford, being now in Custody of the said Lord General, to be brought unto Brooke House, there to remain until the Pleasure of this House be further
signified; which is so Ordered upon the Motion of
the Lord General, who had undertaken for the Forthcoming of the said Earl of Bedford."
Adjourn.
House adjourned till 10a cras.