THE ANSWER OF THE City of OXFORD TO His Majesty's Propositions Concerning MONEY and PLATE:  
AS ALSO The Answer of the Counties of Oxford and Berk-shire;  
Delivered to his sacred Majesty for the City by the Recorder thereof: and for the Counties, by the high Sheriff of Oxford;  
Setting forth the intentions of the said City and Counties, toward his Majesty and his high Court of Parliament.  
SAPIENTIA ET FELICITATE   erstwhile blazon of Oxford University 
Printed at Oxford by Leonard Lichfield. 1643.   

Master Recorder of Oxford his Speech to His Majesty.  
MAy it please your sacred Majesty,  
I was requested by Master Mayor, in the name, and in the behalf of himself, his Brethren the Aldermen, and the whole body of this City to give Your Majesty a true and just account of his proceed concerning your late Propositions for the bringing in Money, Plate, and Horses, for your royal assistance in these your present wars: wherein if he have not in so full a measure answered your gracious expectation as he desired he might, he hopes your Majesty will accept the intention for the act, and please to pardon that fault, which ariseth not from any want of good will in the people of this City to serve your Majesty in all your affairs, but from thei● misfortune. First then, this City in all humility and gratitude acknowledgeth the many and abundant favours conferred on it by your royal bounty, the great comfort and security they have and do receive by enjoying the beams of your sacred presence so long time among them, the many privileges and franchises bestowed upon them and the University from your gracious donation, and do confidently believe no one City in all your Highness' dominions can be more endeared and engaged to your Majesty's cause and service, than this City of Oxford; because by the fruition of your royal presence, they have ocular testimony of your Majesty's virtues, and the integrity of your good meaning toward your subjects, which other Cities can only have by hear-say. Master Mayor and his brethren the Aldermen, intimating your late urgent occasions to the inhabitants of this City for some supplies of money, have (if it please your Majesty) found the intentions of the people so prone to your royal pleasure, as no men in the world could express a greater and more ready desire and zeal to lay down their lives and fortunes at their Sovereign's feet then they: they protest they are so confident of your Majesty's goodness, and stand so well affected to your cause, that not a man of them who is able to bear arms, but would willingly go into the field in your quarrel. And for Plate, Money, and Horses, every man according to his ability will readily contribute. But (with your royal pardon) that can amount to no considerable sum, nor worthy your Majesty's acceptance, by reason of the infinite detriments and impoverishments which have fallen on the inhabitants of this City in these wars: the Scholars (from whose custom they acquired most part of their profits) either being non-resident in the University, by reason of these calamitous and perilous times; and if they be, they are either disfurnished of moneys, by want of supplies from their friends, or by default of their Tenants (such as have any) not paying them their rents; so that Tradesmen are feign to vend all their wares on trust, or keep them in their hands: a man that is reckoned worth two or three thousand pounds (which is a very considerable estate in this City) being not able (though it were to save his life) to produce an hundred pound in ready money; they who are great money-masters keeping it in their hands, from whose gripes it is not to be ravished, neither upon the best security by bond that is in the Town, neither upon the mortgage or sale of Lands: Besides, the country, which was wont to take off many commodities from this City, have now quite deserted it, there being no commerce between us and them, either because they have no money at all, being deprived of it by the rapine of the soldiers, or else because they dare not come hither with their money, for fear it should be taken away from them by the said soldiers; and so for want of trade our Tradesmen are worn quite out of money: and for Plate, it aboundeth not here as it doth in that rich and mighty City of London, yet every man, according to the quantity he hath, will willingly impart it to the advancement of your Grace's service; in the interim, being grieved extremely that their abilities are inferior to their desires, they have among them made a collection of three hundred pounds, which is all that the meanness of their fortunes can possibly stretch to at this instant. This, Master Mayor and his brethren the Aldermen, in the name and behalf of the whole City, most humbly beseech Your Majesty to accept as graciously as they tender it with willingness of mind; and both the Mayor, and the rest of the able Citizens, will as soon as possible take order for Horses, and other provisions to serve Your Majesty withal, if these wars continue: which they hope, and humbly desire, that Your Majesty's goodness will endeavour to conclude and compose, that Your whole Kingdom may again flourish in unity, peace, and concord.   

The high Sheriff of Oxford-shire his speech to His Majesty.  
MAy it please Your gracious Majesty,  
according to Your late royal command, and my bounden duty, I am come to render an account to Your Highness of the business You were pleased to employ me in, and divers of the Justices of Peace for this County. And surely, to delude Your Majesty, or mince the intentions of divers of the people of these Counties, Oxford and Berk-shire, were little less than a capital crime in me: I shall therefore plainly and briefly deliver how I find the people affected toward Your Majesty's late Propositions, for Money, Plate, or Horses.  
The greater part of these Counties consists (so please Your Majesty) of much tillage and husbandry; and in that, and in grazing, all the wealth and substance of it: and for the Husbandmen and Yeomanrie, they cry out that they are quite undone and ruined, by the dreadful continuation of these wars; that the soldiers have driven away or killed their Cattles, which should have yielded them money; nay, rifled them of that money which they had, so that they are readier to ask relief to maintain themselves and their families, then depart with any more of their estates; that they are bound to curse for ever these wars, and with many deprecations wish, that Your Majesty would please to hearken to Your Parliament, whom they know to be a company of wise, faithful, and honourable men, such as will do nothing contrary to the fundamental Laws of the Kingdom, in disfavour or derogation of Your Majesty's royal Prerogative; that it cannot be but Your Majesty must needs be misinformed by Malignants against Your Parliament, who have gone on in fair and legal ways for the security of the subjects liberty. And with many more discourses of this nature they humbly request Your Majesty would pardon their urgent necessity, which compels them to many hard shifts for money for their own sustenance, and not take it in ill part that they send not that which they have not. These are the modester sort of them. But the common voice of the multitude is, that if they had never so much money, they would not part with a penny of it to the maintenance of these wars, which they say are made against themselves and their liberties, against the Commonwealth and Parliament, which is the people's prop, and upholder of their liberties and privileges; and so they entreat Your Majesty that You would think of some means for peace, and then Your subjects should no longer be oppressed with the charge of these wars. These are the votes of the Plebeians, who either cannot or will not part with a penny towards the maintenance of Your Highness' wars. For the Gentry of these Counties, most of them are of a more candid disposition, and better affected towards Your Majesty, and the importunity of Your affairs proffering their lives and estates at Your Highness' service, esteeming themselves much honoured that Your Majesty would please to retain so good an opinion of them, as to put their duties and zeals to serve you to the test; that they are much grieved at the distractions of the Kingdom, which they wish were to be rectified without further bloodshed; but that if there be no hopes of peace, they will live and die (as befits their allegiance) in Your Highness' quarrel: They also are very sorry that the iniquity of the times hath so straitened them for money, that they cannot so amply demonstrate their readiness to serve you in their actions, as they do in their wishes; that if they could possibly get any indifferent price for their lands, they would sell them to furnish Your Majesty's occasions, according to the integrity of their hearts. And so amongst them (I mean that part of the Gentry of these Counties as stand affected to Your Majesty) I have collected in Money and Plate two thousand and odd pounds; a sum (I confess) I am ashamed to present to Your royal acceptance: but it is all I could by my best industry and importunity procure at this time. There are divers Gentlemen that have subscribed for the finding of Horses for Your Grace's service, but as yet for want of money they cannot bring them in, but will do with the first opportunity.  
Thus I have (according to the reality of my duty) given Your Royal Majesty a true account of my proceed and of the affections of the people of these Counties, which (in my conjecture) are concurrent with the intentions of all, or most of the Commonalty of England, who by tradition from their Ancestors pay that confidence to the Parliament, that they cannot be removed from it: between whom and Your Sacred self I wish there were a sudden and fair end; for till then Your People will never be satisfied, nor Your Kingdom happy.   
Finis.