THE Queen's majesty's PROPOSITIONS TO To the King's most Excellent Majesty.  
WHEREIN IS DECLARED, Her majesty's Gracious will and pleasure, concerning the City of LONDON, and His excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, TOGETHER, With Her majesty's Desires, touching the Discipline of the Church of England, and ease of tender Consciences.  
Briefly intimated in Her majesty's Gracious Message to the KING at Hampton-Court.  
Die 22. Septemb. 1647.  
Printed at London, for E. Cotton, MDCXLVII.   

THE Queen's majesty's Gracious Message, to her sovereign Lord the King of Great Britain.  
BY a Letter from the King's majesty's Court at Hampton, it is intimated, that there hath lately arrived a messenger from the kingdom of France, with a message from the queen of England to the King, a Copy whereof followeth:  
My dear Heart,  
AS there could no occasion minister greater grief to my sorrowful heart, then to hear of a short adjornment of these unnatural divisions between you and your liege people, and presently to have the consuming flames of a new war suddenly to break out afresh in your languishing kingdoms: so there could no welcomer news salute mine ear, then speedily to hear of a small period to be put to these unhappy distractions, that so the sweet harmony of desired peace and concord may reunite you and your subjects, and tie you fast each to other in the sacred bands of love and unity, and therefore I shall desire your Majesty to grant your Parliament and people whatsoever with a good Conscience and Honour you may, for the further prevention of shedding innocent blood, & preservation of those committed to your charge. Sir, assure yourself, nothing shall be displeasing to me, that displeaseth you my Lord; for I shall for ever esteem your good, and the good of all your faithful Subjects, the only business of all my actions, and shall be contented to share with you and them (not only in blessings, but) even in the worst of times that can happen to a disconsolate & unjust banished wife. Sir, concerning the Propositions tendered your Majesty, I humbly conceive, the chief things to be considered will be two, Conscience and Policy. For the first, I know it never entered into your Royal thoughts to change the Government by Bishops not only concurring with the most general opinion of most Christians in all ages, as being the best; but considering you hold yourself bound by the Oath you took at your Coronation, not to alter the Government of the Church from what you found it. And for the church's Patrimony, you cannot suffer any diminution or alienation of it, without danger to your conscience, or breach of your Coronation Oath; but whatsoever shall be offered for the certifying abuses crept into the Church in Government or Discipline, or, for the ease of tender consciences, (Endangering not the foundation,) I desire your Majesty to lend a speedy ear unto, and give your gracious answer. For as it is your majesty's duty to protect the Church, so it is the church's duty to assist your Majesty in maintaining your just authority; for as your Predecessors have always been careful to keep the dependency of the clergy entirely upon the Crown, without which (as I humbly conceive) it will scarcely sit fast upon your royal head; therefore it behooves your Majesty to do nothing to change or lessen this so necessary dependency. The other main Proposition will be concerning the Militia: Next to conscience (certainly) there is no fi●●r subject for a King's quarrel; for without it, your majesty's power is but a shadow, and therefore by no means to be quitted, but to be maintained according to the known laws of the Land: yet for the speedy attainment of this so long looked for and wished for peace, prayed for by all good Christians, That your Majesty may be pleased to permit the City of London, and all other strong Holds and Garrisons, with other Military Forts, to reside in the hands of the Parliaments general Sir Thomas Fairfax, until articles be performed and agreed upon, to give such further assurance for performance of conditions, as your Majesty shall judge necessary for the concluding of a firm and lasting peace; which being once settled, all things may return, and run in their ancient channels.  
Thus, Dear Heart, understanding that Commissioners were sent to you, from both Houses of Parliament, with Propositions, I thought good to put you in mind that you have a care of your honour; and that if you have a peace, it may be such as may hold. Farewell, My dear Heart, I cannot write any more, but that I am absolutely  
Yours.   

The general's Declaration.  
Whereas the great neglect of divers persons within the City of London, hath occasioned too many delays in raising Money for supply of the Army, and other Forces of the kingdom; His Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, and the general-council of the Army, Doth declare, That they take notice of the great wants of the soldiery, both of the Army, and other Forces, and Garrisons; as also of the sufferings of the County, in respect of free quarter, which might have been peevented, and a course taken for disbanding superfluous Forces, and sending over of others for the relief of Ireland, and the supplying of those that are there already, had it not been for neglect or delay of those on whom the Parliament have depended in that particular, and they do especially take notice of the delays made by the City in advancing of that sum, which the Houses have demanded of them upon the security of the arrears so long since due from the City to the Army; upon which they do declare, and propound to this effect.  
1. That they cannot but consider the notorious readiness of the Court of Aldermen, to the advancing of far greater sums for the raising of a new war, and prosecution of the late mischievous practices and designs against the Parliament and Army; and that as their predipitate forwardness therein, was the occasion of the Armies coming into these parts, so their backwardness to the raising or advancing of the money now required for the service of the Parliament, & supply of the Army, hath been and is the occasion of the army's continuance hence: and therefore they cannot but offer it is, as what they humbly conceive most just and reasonable.  
That for what time their defauls or delays have occasioned, and shall further occasion the Armies stay hereabouts, the charge thereof should some way be laid upon them, and their adherents about the City.  
That the Houses would be pleased speedily to consider of the delinquency of those that had a hand in the Tumult, Desine, and Engagement of a new war, and that such Fines may be upon them for the same, as shall be agreeable to justice.  
Lastly, since it is most evident, that for the speedy bringing in of the money required upon the arrears, there wants not in the said Major, Aldermen, and common-council, either authority to levy it, or ability to advance it by way of Loan till it can be levied, and it is therefore offered,  
That in case the Money be not brought in by the time limited, the Parliament would be pleased to give leave to the general (with the advice and directions of the Committee for the Army) for the levying of the said arrears  
All which they rather desire from grounds of reason and evidence from the speeches of many in the City, and designs and hopes of the Parliament and Armies Enemies to raise the Army into distempers, and the Country about them into confusion.  

This Declaration was agreed upon at the headquarters at Putney, upon Thursday last, there being a General council of the Army appointed to be held every Thursday. The general council met in the Church, the general, many general Officers, Field-Officers, inferior Officers, and Agitators met. A great part of the time was spent in consideration, and debate of the Proposals of the Army, and some few things agreed upon to be altered, and explained in them, which no doubt will give much satisfaction to the kingdom.  
After the aforesaid Declaration was finished, it was, by the appointment of his Excellency, and the council of war, sent to the Right Honourable the Commissioners of Lords and Commons residing with the Army, to be presented from them to both Houses of Parliament, which according, with a Letter from the general and Army, to this effect, vix. That they earnestly desired, some speedy course might be taken for their pay, that so they might be enabled to pay their quarters, was presented to both Houses of Parliament upon Saturday last, and after reading thereof, ordered to be communicated to the Lord Major, Aldermen, and common-council of the City of London.    
FINIS.