RVmour , which in that uttered nought but truth , brought us hither about a fortnight si●ce , a report , that divers able inhabitants of our capitall City of London had presented in a Petition their humble desires to ou● high Court of Parliament , to take some spe●dy and eff●●●ual course for s●●h●g all the differences ●e●ween us and them ; the printed Copy of which Petition c●●e afterwards to Our hands . And ce●tainly We have a g● 〈◇〉 ●l● of reason ●o ●esent with all kindnesse the hon●●● an● 〈◇〉 ●●●●tions o● those good Citizens , who finding ( I 〈◇〉 ) to their costs , the dangers and incommodities that alwaye● wait on a C●●●ll war , the m●series imminent over them and ●heir fellow-subjects in generall by the breach of peace and amity amongst themselves , setled their resolutions to try all wayes possible to conclude these grievous distractions : and amongst all , they could have happened on none more materiall , then that of petitioning our Parliament to comply with us for an accommodation . For if they be as ready to propound reasonable conditions for that purpose , as we shall be to embrace and ratifie them when propounded , the●e will not be much difficulty in the matter ; many Suns more will not go down upon our anger , we shall have all peace and quietnesse . But what our Parliament hath in that case determined , hath not yet arrived our knowledge . A very hard destiny , both for Our selfe and them , that We , who had wont to communicate all matters of consequence and waight , which either concerned Our self or the Common-wealth , with a mutuall freedome , should now breath at such a distance , that Wee have no affinity of converse one with another . But those ruptures may yet in good time be made up , and ( like bones , when broken and well set againe ) the unity betweene us may knit faster , after this long breach betwixt us . We have since been credibly informed , and ( We hope ) no more then truth , that the best of our said City of London , and not the meanest number of its inhabitants , intend ( by their agents deputed for that purpose ) to present with all humblenesse the like Petition to Us. We dare assure you ( my Lords ) if it be so , no one thing that hath befallen Us since these fatall wars , ever came so welcome as it will do to Us. For what greater comfort can there be to Us in these misfortunes , then that the noble and ancient City of London , which hath been the constant seat of Our royall ancestors , that inshrines their reverend dust ; that City , whose wealth and potencie hath been the principall supporter of these wars against Us , now sensible of her duty to God , and her allegeance to Us her Soveraigne , she doth make haste to flye to peace , petitioning Us and Our Parliament also , for the obtaining it : surely We shall ever take it as an apparent testimony of their affection to Us , and be ready in all honourable wayes as befits the Majesty of a King , to consigne Our intentions to the ratification of all such conditions , as she shall with reason propound by those advocates for peace , now destined to Us. Some ( We doubt not ) are of opinion among you , that considering with what an high hand Our said City hath carried things against Us ; how divers of the inhabitants thereof did as it were threaten Us , nay drive Us from Our palace at White-hall ; that the Money , Plate , and Horses , which upheld and fomented the late wars , arose out of the Citizens bountifull contributions to Our Parliaments assistance ; that all , or most of the Regiments of Foot and Horse , under the Earle of Essex in the field against Us , were raised and levied in the City , most of them being either Citizens , their Children , or Prentices ; and so finally conclude , that the very sourse and fountaine , from whence these distractions have sprung throughout Our Dominions , to have been the City of London , whose money hath raised those forces which have been employed against Us : and therefore that consequently We cannot in honour hearken to the said City in any propositions of Peace , which hath caused this War . How easily shall We refute this argument , at once strike dead these objections . First , for the insurrection there , it was not ( as hath since evidently been proved ) either by the consent or abetment of any of the grave or substantiall Citizens , but raised meerly by a company of loose and mutinous spirits , who would needs , to get them a name , though for doing mischief , thrust themselves into the businesse of the Common-wealth ; and had we before weighed that attempt , so well and maturely as wee have done since , that scar-crow should not have frighted , that shadow of a tempest should not have shaken Us out of White-hall , where We were more scared then hurt . And for the madnesse of those idle and inconsiderate out-casts of the people , can any man of judgment think it fit , the noble , wealthy , and moderate inhabitants of the City should suffer ? far be it from the equity of a King , to punish the innocent for the guilty ; it were as if heaven should condemne a whole Nation for the offenses of a few Reprobates . Nor can a good argument be made from such a particular to a generall . For their raising Money , Plate , and Horses , for the Parliaments assistance , suppose we grant that to be the principall cause of abetting and maintaining these wars against Us ; We do believe no lesse , nor that the Earle of Essex could have ever kept the field against US , but for the men levied in the City : yet confident We are , that not one man amongst them , in those contributions either of Money , Plate , or Horses , intended thereby ought that was prejudiciall to Our person , or royall dignity : the Parliament desired those contributions under the pretence of Our safety , and the defense of Our Kingdome ; and the Parliament promised to secure them harml●sse , which was warrant enough for them to doe what they did , since their intentions , which makes the lawfulnesse or unlawfulnesse of the act , were destined and aymed meerly at Our service , and the good of the Kingdom . So it was with the men that came to serve under the Parliaments Colours , they imagined , and confidently , that they came to fight for Us , not against Us , and so were possest by their Commanders . But say We should resent these injuries , and in consideration of them refuse to hearken to any propositions or petition of peace , which should be tendred Us from Our City of London , those who counsell Us to this , let them out marke how dangerous the consequence would be , and they will quickly cleare themselves f●om those thoughts . First , by the refusall of their petition We should for evermore lose the hearts of all the Citizens who are Petitioners , and in their hearts loyall to Our Crowne and dignity , and not onely deprive Us of them , but the rest of the inhabitants will cry out against Us , as a person that delights in blood , as against one that preferres his owne humour before the setling of Religion , or the peace and prosperity of his subjects , which ought to be the principall care and duty of a Soveraigne : nay we should not here give a period to the heart-burnings that are stirred up against Us , but Our whole kingdome would take it in ill part , that Wee should refuse to hearken to the City of Londons propositions , and so the Citizens would not onely then contribute their Plate , Mony , and Horses , to the defence of their cause , but also double their benevolence , expending all the substance they have , nay even their lives in the defense of their liberties , which then they would absolutely conclude We had an intention to violate and enslave , if Wee should refuse to endevour to preserve them , by condescending to an honourable treaty of peace , and when that rich and populous City once is insenced and possest , that there are machinations and invasions purposed against their freedome , they will all ( as We had lately experience at Turnham-Green ) combine and confederate themselves together as one man , in the tutelage of that which they esteeme dearer then their lives , their liberties . Besides the arming them against Us , many of Our friends now with Us , that are their friends , and onely expect the happy day of unity betwixt Our selfe and Our Parliament , upon Our refusall would be induced to relinquish Our service , and that ( as Ioab said to David , when hee would not come forth and speake cheerfully to his men of war ) would be a greater evill then hath ever happened to vs from Our youth up to this time .

Since then God in his mercy hath put it into divers of the Londoners hearts to petition for peace , and that divers of their agents are for that purpose comming hither , We shall receive them with a fatherly love , forgetting all things past , and imputing them rather to misunderstanding then malice : We shall , if their conditions be in any reasonable sort correspondent to Our honour and wishes , ( and We believe they will not in duty offer any but such as shall be faire and reasonable to Us their Soveraigne ) receive them with much good will and alacrity , and grant ( in Our royall goodnesse ) whatsoever shall be fitting for Us to give assent to . We shall , for the setling Gods holy worship in Our Kingdome , for the taking away all cries and clamours from Our subjects , and the establishing peace and happinesse amongst them , be ready with all Our soule to come to a treaty with Our high Court of Parliament , that all the world may take notice that the taking up Our armes was not any way to oppresse the livelihoods , or diminish the property of Our subjects , their liberties or ancient franchises , when at the first reasonable request We shall lay them downe , with a farre better will then We tooke them up : and We would have all Our good subjects , especially those of Our honourable City London , to understand , that they cannot any way make a more gratefull demonstration of their love to true Religion , and duty to Us , then by promoting as much as in them lyes , a suddaine reconciliation between Our se●fe and Our high Court of Parliament , till when none of them can have hopes of enjoying his owne estate in peace ; the nature of war , especially civill , being incompatible with either wealth or plenty . And therefore Wee shall use all Our endevours to produce that peace amongst Us , which hath been , and will again be the producer of so many blessings to Our people and dominions .

We shall desire you therefore ( my Lords , and you Gentlemen that attend Us ) that when any such persons shall arrive here from London , that you use them with all civility , not exprobrating to them any of the former dissensions ; and in so doing you will perform your duties , and seem inclinable to that peace , which We pray God speedily to send in all Our dominions .