A Declaration OF THE KING'S Most excellent Majesties proceeding With his Army at OXFORD, And elsewhere. As it was related by a Student from thence.  
LONDON, Printed for I. Wright, and are to be sold in the Old Bailie. 1642.   

The copy of a Letter written from a Student in Oxford to his friend in London.  
Sir:  
IT hath brought much joy unto my heart, (which languished before under the feeling and apprehension of these civil tumults) to understand the good ●ewes of your health, and that the malignancy betwixt our old Collegiates, Doctor Pickering and Doctor Turner is happily reconciled. I know with a labouring desire you almost travail with this Post to be informed how the affairs of his Majesty here in Oxford do advance themselves, which I must dispatch in my old and dull way; and though I shall offend you with my rudeness, I shall content you with the truth.  
His Majesty's forces having for many considerations been retired from B●nbury, were not long since brought nearer unto Oxford, and billetted at Bril, a high and hilly place, and where (before it was disafforested) was fuel and billet enough. The situation of it is no less known unto you, then to myself▪ we have often made it our scene of pleasure, which must be now of danger and of terror to the adjacent Country, or to whatsoever forces shall take up arms to unwinter his Majesty from Oxford, or offer to invade his Armies. Our neighbours in Buckingham shire begin to startle at it, and seeing the tempest that threatneth to destroy them, they know not which way to avoid it. They who were before so obstinate as to refuse Prince Robert's Orders for bringing in victuals to his Majesty's Army, are now employing their utmost studies and endeavours in providing victuals for themselves. The height of the place, and the strength of it will over awe the adjacent plains, and the neighbouring hills, which before did hold up aloft their proud and unrivalled heads, must be now taught to stoop to the supremacy of Bril. Even Shotover itself bears down his unwieldy shoulders, and acknowledgeth the sport and chase of the Dear to be fare inferior to the honour of Bril, and to the game of war. Even Wood stock, famous for the delight of Princes, and fo● the fountain of Rosamond, and for her beauties, clearer than that fountain, refuseth to hear the history and flatter of her forgotten glories, and in glad silence and obedience listens to the commands and thunders of Bril: while the Barns, open as hospitality, strive who shall first send in the tribute of their grain, and the richer houses the tribute of their Plate, which trasported to Oxford must receive there an impression, as well as Paper. The King is the Vicegerent of God, the Parliament the Vicegerent of the King, and the closer they seek after peace, and the unity of Religion, the nearer they arrive unto the Essence and the Monarchy of God. The Peasants themselves, whose churlish understanding lies only in the Spade, the Coulter, and the Flail, whose narrow brain cannot distinguish betwixt a Gospel and a Pamphlet, bring in their hands and hearts to the advancement of this great Design. Loyalty is a word of great extent and latitude in nature, and striking an impression in the most cruel and most unreasonable creatures, too oftentimes convinceth man to be the most unruly beast in all the field. Whiles I am writing this, my Servitor hath brought me in the tidings of the great joy in London which he is informed hath possessed the City for taking the Lord Grandison prisoner at Winchester; if he can be as safe from your Pamphlets, as his person is from your Dragooners, I doubt not but his Honour will be secure enough. You may do very well to blot him out of your lists, and many more Commanders with him, whose names, and not whose persons, you have taken prisoners. It would much rejoice me to hear of your petitions for peace, in which every honest and ingenious spirit would here petition with you, and jointly with humbled hearts, and the eloquence of bended knees, petition all to the great God of peace, that this so great a blessing may speedily and really be derived to us, for the protection of the true Religion, who lifts up her innocent hands to Heaven, and from whose eyes rain down more blood, then from her professors wounds, to see the distraction & horror of these present times; and that she who doth most lament it, should be accused to occasion this most unnatural war. For the preservation of his Majesty's person, and his posterity, whose inclinations have been suitable to his great Fathers, and ever more desirous of peace than war. For the advancement of learning, the Arts enjoying now their best harmony amidst the sound of the Drum and of the Canon, and Arms again by a rare happiness finding their best welcome in the habitations of the Muses: For the flourishing of the state in general, and of every private person in particular, in which he should be as truly glad to see you, as you him who is,  
Sir your true friend to serve you, W. C.   

The Answer to the former Letter.  
SIR,  
I Am glad to hear of your health, and I am sorry to find you are so mistaken in your letter, both in the manner and the matter, and which is attended rather with flourish and invention of a Poet, then with that easy and natural grace which a familiar Epistle doth delight in. For the matter of it, it s; temes as fare from truth as substance, (I must beseech you to excuse my boldness, for being my ancient friend, I am bound to deal uprightly with you:) you seem with great glory to advance the retreating of His Majesty's forces from Banbury, and their retiring unto Brill, where you would make us believe there is a fort now raising of great consequence, which shall secure the City of Oxford, and oppose the neighbouring County, and all invadors whatsoever. Such a design may be in agitation & like enough, but it is so far from the modesty of a Sholar to boast of the making of works for the maintenance of war, that it is scarce suitable to the condition of an honest man, and in the mean while you pray for peace, you observe not in what a lamentable condition this Kingdom is like to be involved by the Papists Army now under the command of the Earl of Newcastle, who is maching up towards Oxford to His Majesty with them; and it is worth observation, that the King of France being a great Catholic, hath removed many Papists Counsellors, and taken Protestants in their places, and that the King of England being a Protestant should refuse the advice of his Protestant Parliament, and seek unto Papists for his strength and Council, but God (I doubt not) will preserve his sacred person, and speedily in his good time settle him in the eyes of his best Counsellors, and in the hearts of his best Subjects; yet I must not forget with what closeness and subtlety the Papists have a long time endeavoured to withdraw His Majesty's heart from his good people and to endeavour the ruin and devastation of the Kingdom. When then they found it was impossible for them by open strength to induce their religion into the Kingdom, they laboured night and day to make a misunderstanding betwixt His Majesty and his Council, and by that means to withdraw His Majesty's person from his Parliament; when they had fomented this, and mischievously accomplished it, they found the Kingdom would immediately rise up in Arms against them, if they should make open show of what they intended to put in practice, they found therefore no better course to cry up their religion, then by crying up our own; here upon proceeded so many Protestations from His Majesty, (whose zeal to the true religion no man will deny) for the preservation of the ancient religion settled in the days of Queen Elizabeth, and King james of happy memory: this they knew would make a great impression in the hearts of the people, and cause them to think evil of the Parliament, and draw the greatest part of the land to side with his Majesty: When they found that this design took effect, many great men that were known before to be open Papists, the better to comply with the times, dissembled their religion, and the more to endear themselves to His Majesty, would resort unto the church with him: It was reported then that the King had not a Papist in his Army. The country thronged in abundance to assist His Majesty, who (they said) received much damage and injury from his Parliament. When they found the King had made himself strong with the Arms and numbers of his people, and that according to their expectation much blood was shed, and that there was such a heartburning amongst the Nobility that it is to be feared this age will not extinguish, than they began to pull off their vizards of hypocrisy, and to show themselves in earnest. First there was drawn a Declaration by my Lord of Newcastle to countenance the Papists taking up of Arms; presently a great resort of Papists, Commanders & others addressed themselves unto him. Many notorious Papists in the King's Army were not ashamed openly to confess themselves, and it is to be feared that His Majesty, who at the first entertained some for their assistance, in the end of the war must be enforced to gratify some for their necessity; who by reason of their service, being gracious to the King, will continue to infuse ill counsel into his sacred ears, or be of power with his Ministers and agents of State to procure a toleration at least for their Religion. You see my Lord of Newcastles Army is marching towards Oxford, and what true heart that doth not bleed to consider the cruelty of the bloodthirsty Papists? You may do well to turn your thoughts from the fortification of Brill, to a consideration in what an imminent danger His Majesty▪ our Religion, and the whole Kingdom is, if (which God forbidden) the Earl of Newcastles Army should prevail, and from the praying for peace (for how can there be peace as long as Idolatry, and bloodshed and rapine reign?) to petitions with uncessant prayers Almighty God to bless our Armies that are going forth, to return them safe with honour and victory, to pluck his sacred Majesty from the pernicious hands of such desperate men, and to reduce him safe to his great Council: neither do we despair of it, for we are informed that his Excellence hath sent forth some Regiments to hinder the progress of the work, and that the Country round about do take up Arms to frustrate it. I must desire you to excuse the sharpness of my pen, and to impute it to the love and not the harshness of him who is.  
Your ever loving friend. T. H.  
FINIS.