A FREE PARLIAMENT Proposed by the City to the Nation.  

GENTLEMEN,  
HAving certain Intelligence of great Preparations against us from Abroad; together with the daily and woeful experience, of a more barbarous, and Ignorable Enemy at Home: we have bethought ourselves of an expedient, which may at once, both secure, and deliver the Nation from the danger of the One, and from the Tyranny of the Other. In order to this effect; The City of London hath constituted 4. Commissioners, to treat Respectively with the rest of the People of England, in the behalf of their invaded Rights, in such manner to proceed, as to the said Commissioners shall appear most convenient.  
In persuance of this Appointment; we Four, (whose Names, and Authority you shall find in a Schedule, to this annexed) do, in the Name, and by the Commission of the City of London, earnestly and unanimously desire a general Assistance, toward a work of a Public and Universal Benefit; The transaction of this Affair, we have committed to Persons, eminent both for honesty and fortune: and to gain dispatch, as well as privacy, we have at the same Instant, and by safe hands, dispersed True and Exact Copies of these to you, throughout England and Wales. Our Application should have been more Regular, but for three or four false Brethren in our Counsels, whom we dare not confide in. We find few the Honester for the Quarrel, that are the Richer for it; and no other Enemies to the Peace of the Nation, but the Gainers by Ruin of it. Upon a due scanning of the whole matter, we have concluded, that nothing can restore us but a Free Parliament: Nor can any thing compose that, but a Free Vote, without either Force, or Factien. The most likely, means to procure this, will be a general Engagement to endeavour it. We ask no more, than that you will follow our example. That paper, which we commend to you, is already subscribed by many thousands of this City. If you approve it, do as much; and if you think fit; choose out of every County Two Persons of a Known Integrity, that may be still among us, and at hand, to preserve a fair Intelligence betwixt us. No longer since, than yesterday, the Conservators of our Liberties; Hewson and his Myrmidons, put an affront upon us, and with some mischief too, upon this very Point: The very mention of a free Parliament enrages them, and there is Reason for it. Their Heads are forfeited, and if the Law Lives, they must perish. But all this while, we're in a good condition, when the Transgressor's of the Laws must be the judges of it. The very Boys, and Women had destroyed the Party to a man, but that with much ado, we hindered them. The truth is, in such a Confusion, more honest blood might have been spilt, than that Rabble was worth. Upon this, the City is grown so impatient of the Soldiers, that 'tis to be feared they will suddenly break out into an open violence upon them. They have already entered into a solemn Engagement to that purpose. But we shall do our best to quiet them, till we receive your Answer. In Fine; the End is honourable, and we desire, the means that lead to it may be so too. Let nothing be omitted, that may save blood; The Army is necessitous, and without pay, they must or steal, or perish. Let us consider, they are our Country men, and many of them, (the necessity apart) our friends. Let such a course be taken, that so many of them as shall contribute to the Advantage of a free Election, may without either fraud, or delay receive their Arrears: We shall do our part in the Contribution, and in all offices of Relation to a Religious and Lawful Settlement, as freely engage our Lives and Fortunes with you, as we do our Penns in this Profession, that we are  
Decemb. 6. 1659. True Englishmen, and your Servants,   

THE ENGAGEMENT,  
We the Freeborn people of England, having for many years last passed, been subjected in our Consciences, Persons, and Estates, to the Arbitrary, and Lawless Impositions of Ambitious, and Cruel-minded men; and finding ourselves at present, in danger to be Irrecoverably lost; partly, by Invasions, threatened us from Abroad, and partly by Factions encroaching upon us at Home, without the seasonable mediation of a Free Parliament: We do Declare, that we will by all Lawful means Endeavour the Convening of it, and that we will, afterward, Protect the Members of it as the Blood of our own Hearts. We do further Engage, in the Presence of Almighty God, that if any person or persons whatsoever shall presume to oppose us; or to impose upon us any other Government, inconsistent with, or destructive to the Constitution of Parliaments, we will prosecute him, or them, as the Betrayers of the People's Rights, and Subverters of the Fundamental Laws of the English Nation.  
For the Honourable the Commissioners of the City of London, for the Liberties and Rights of the English Nation.   

GENTLEMEN,  
HAving already satisfied you by what Authority we Act, it concerns us next, to acquaint you, to what purpose we are sent, and what it is which we have in Charge to deliver unto you.  
Your Proposals for the Settlement of the Nation; (and That, by the means of a Free Parliament) have been as faithfully, and generally communicated, as you intended they should, as kindly received as you could wish, and the whole matter brought to as speedy an issue as was possible for an Affair of that Weight, and Quality, to admit. In Testimony hereof, We are to give you the Thanks of the People of England; and to assure you, that they are not less pleased with your Method of promoting the Public Good, than they are Obliged by those Affections which have disposed you to endeavour it. Particularly, they are exceedingly glad to find, that the City hath entrusted such Persous in the Business, as, beside all other due Qualifications for the Employment, have this also; that they were never Parties in the Quarrel. It hath been our Care likewise, to proceed by the same rule; and for this Reason, If both Parties should be taken in, there might (possibly) be some Animosities started, sufficient to obstruct the Proceeding: And again, should either of them be left out, the matter would (probably) be carried by Faction.  
This we are commanded to represent, rather as a Fair Expedient, than an Absolute Necessity. In the next place, we are to inform you, that the Engagement you sent us, found so prone a Reception, that we reckon it, with us, a greater difficulty to f●nd an Enemy to the Intent of it, than to subdue any whatever, that shall presume to appear against the Promoters of it. We do however hold ourselves bound to assure you, that we are perfectly resolved to join in the Charge, and Hazard of the Dispute, with you: and that we are as unanimous in this Cause, as if the Treasure of the Nation had but one Master, and the strength of it, belonging to One Body, were but Directed to the same mind. The List of the Subscribers, we have here in Town; If you desire to see it you may: but if otherwise, we offer to your Prudence to consider, if it may not be of more Advantage, and Security to the Business in hand, rather totally to conceal the Subscribers, if not also the Commissioners themselves. For the thing itself, we are not only willing, but desirous to make That Public. It is of so Honest, and Reasonable a Nature, that no Man dares oppose it, who dares not be Damned; no man will, that deserves to Live upon English ground: and to conclude, no man shall, and escape unpunished. Parliaments are the Constitution Fundamental of the Nation, the Safeguard, and the Honour of it: nor are we more concerned to Support them, than to be wary lest we mistake them. We are to Distinguish betwixt Names and Things, that we be not governed by Delusions; Where have we a greater Cheat, than that which styles itself the Public Faith? Greater Subverters of our Liberties, than some that writ themselves, the Conservators of them? 'Tis not for 40 people to call themselves our Representative. Is't not enough that they have Robbed us, unless they Govern us too? They'll say we Chose them, so did we choose 300. more; and we'll be Ruled by All, or None of them. Without more ado, having Formally assured you of an Absolute Concurrence from the Nation, as to what they have received in Proposition from you: It remains now, only that we recommend some Additionals to you, which we conceive may be of some Benefit to the Common Interest of the whole.  
In the First Place we propose, That no Petition be presented to this pretended Parliament, from the City of London, and we undertake as much for ourselves.  
Secondly, That no Levies of Men, or moneys, he suffered, in pursuance of their pretended Acts; and in case of any Force attempted upon the Refusers, that we immediately Arm ourselves, and by Violence repel it.  
Thirdly, we judge it very fit, in regard of Dangers Imminent, both Foreign, and Domestic, That a Free Parliament be speedily convened; the Time, and Manner of Summons instantly agreed upon, with a Salvo Jure to all Interests.— (By a Free Parliament, we understand, an Assembly of such Persons as by the Law are Qualified to sit; and elected by Persons Qualified to choose, without any other restraint than what the Law imposes.) Not that we claim to ourselves the Right of Calling Parliaments; but the Impossibility of procuring one Regularly; and the Absolute Necessity of having something like one suddenly This is enough to acquit us before God and men. By these means, all Differences may be composed, all Parties recon  
GENTLEMEN