The King's DECLARATION FOR A Pacification and Peace between his Majesty, and the Parliament.  
With his PROTESTATION to defend the Protestant Religion, his offer of pardon to all his loving Subjects, desiring them to lay down Arms, for the avoiding effusion of blood.  
And lastly, His offer of choosing Counsellors on both sides to make a peaceable agreement between his Majesty, and all his Subjects.  
LONDON, Printed for R. R. Nou. 5. 1642.   

The King's DECLARATION For a PACIFICATION.  
THe King's Majesty to declare that he is full of Mercy as well as Justice, desiring not the effusion of his Subjects blood, doth by a late Proclamation declare, Thatwhereas it was unjustly suspected that he favoured the malignant party, and those that are Popishly affected, he doth disavow and protest against all suspicions, ever intending the maintenance of the Protestant Religion, and the good of his Subjects, and doth therefore most earnestly desire that all matters of difference might be reconciled betwixt him and his Parliament, though many rumours have been spread abroad that he hath sought the ruin and destruction thereof, and hath for that purpose raised this present great Army, but now since the great battle at Kenton near Banbury, he doth show himself a right noble King, in desiring his Subjects not to be mistaken in his intents, but confidently to believe that he desires nothing more than that they would upon good terms lay down their Arms, & that thereupon he would receive them again into his gracious mercy & favour: what can be said more by a King unto his Subjects: who seeking their preservation, if by any fair means it may be obtained, doth desire them to embrace the gracious offer of Peace: what love can be greater than for a King to entreat his Subjects, & desire them to be good unto themselves, & not to proceed in these violent courses, which must needs be the ruin and destruction of the Kingdom. He is resolved that for what is past, he will not think the worse of any of them, and if they will now return to their former obedience, he will most lovingly forget all opposition made by them, being confident that they have been misled by some factious advice to stand in an opinion of defending Religion and his Person, when by these violent proceed, they go about to destroy both. But on the contrary, it hath pleased his Majesty to declare, that if they still continue to certify matters by a combination, in opposing his Majesty, and do contribute Plate, Money, or any other assistance to these present wars, he will account them open enemies against his Person, and the state of the Kingdom. But if they will submit unto his mercy, and proceed no further in a warlike manner, to take up Arms upon whatsoever pretences, but lay down those already ready taken, he will give unto all his Subjects a free pardon for all former acts, and will no more remember any former passages, even from the first beginning of this dissension between the King and Parliament.  
And moreover, for the preventing of great effusion of blood, & the settling of matters, whereby the Kingdom may flourish as it formerly hath done, the King led thereunto by his own royal disposition, doth desire that certain grave and substantial Citizens may be chosen to reconcile matters of difference between his Majesty and the Parliament, and that he will in like manner appoint some equal in fidelity and understanding to consult with them about the great affairs of the Kingdom; and what they shall agree upon, he will ratify and make good by consenting to all their Acts and Consultations, that so this Civil-warre, which hath bred so great a disturbance in the Kingdom, may proceed no further, a pacification and beace being made on both sides, to the general content of the King, the Parliament, and all his royal Subjects.  

It is most certain that the requests of a King have a commanding power, and howsoever some skilful in calumnious reports, seek to cherish and increase the unhappy disagreement between the King and people, yet in the wisdom of those that are best affected, nothing is thought to be a more ready way to procure the peace and happiness of this Kingdom, then that all grudges and jealousies may be removed, & matters well stated and settled for the good of the Commonwealth, whereupon will follow a clear understanding between Prince and people, continued together in a mutual league of dearest affection, it being the wonder of the Land, and the joy of foreign Nations, that there should be any disagreement between our Sovereign & his Subjects, especially a Civil war, the like whereof, these many hundred years hath not been known● in England. It will be therefore very f; it not to seek too far into the causes of the King's displeasure, or of the present disagreement of the King and Parliament, since all humane actions, whether of the Prince or people are subject unto such errors as cannot be corrected but by a Divine power; Many things may befall a State for the punishment thereof, that the people be in grown ripe in their sins, may on a sudden be cut down and the sword of the Prince may execute the decree of divine revenge; And again, the people misled by factious counsel, may be drawn to oppose their King, (I say no● that they are) since to excuse in an equal manner cannot be thought to be any particular condemnation, but in regard that both are subject to error, it may be without offence concluded, that it were best with a clear understanding to look into the occasion of this Civil war, whereof some perhaps are utterly ignorant, and others upon false grounds think it fit to be maintained: And therefore to shun these errors of opinion, it will be the safest and most peaceable course to desire that there might be a Pacification and agreement between the Prince and the people, and his most loyal Parliament, which his Majesty in a late Proclamation hath most graciously offered.  
For let all Subjects consider the premises of his disavowing all Papists, and protesting to maintain the Protestant Religion, his desiring of peace between himself and his Parliament; his offer of pardon to all his loving Subjects, earnestly requesting them to lay down their Arms; his protesting that he doth and will seek to avoid the effusion of blood; and lastly his offer of establishing a peace by Counsellors elected on both sides, and all this will be sufficient to work a desire of reconcilement between the King and his Subjects.   
FINIS.