The Lord Willoughby of Parham, his Letter to an Honourable Member of the House of Parliament.  
His Majesty's Letter to the Lord Willoughby of Parham.  
The Lord Willoughby of Parham his Letter, in answer, to His Majesties.  
WITH The Message of the Lords to the House of Commons upon the said Letters.  
As also The Lord of Warwick's Letter to his brother the Earl of Holland.  
AND The Declaration or Resolution of the Officers in the County of Essex, to the Earl of Warwick, Lord Lieutenant of that County.  
With the Approbation of both Houses concerning the same.  
Printed for Joseph Hunscott, and john Wright.   

Die Jovis, 9 Junii, 1642.  
ORdered by the Lords in Parliament, That these several Letters, and Resolutions shall be forthwith Printed and Published.  
Joh. Brown, Cler. Parliament.   

My Lord,  
I Received a Letter from your Lordship, in which the House is pleased to do me a very great Honour, fare above any desert of mine, and little expected by me: for my Lord, I well know my obedience ties me to fulfil their Commands, and in that I have done, I have done but my duty, and that which every honest man ought to do, and oweth of right to the Parliament; and whosoever hath that principle in him, it will dictate to him as much, and keep him from other byways: And for my own part, my heart ever was, and shall ever be, both forward and ready to obey their Lordship's Commands in all things, both with Integrity and Industry, and Gods curse light upon him and his, that carries any other heart about him. My Lord, it is too mean a way for me to express my acknowledgement in paper, to the House for this high favour which I have received by your Lordship's Letter. I hope to make it appear by my actions that then Lordships see, I am not an ungrateful servant. It is a great encouragement to these parts, their Lordship's Resolutions, in giving their Commands to have the rest of the Militia put in present execution; and truly, my Lord, it was out of that regard that I did intimate it to my Lord of Essex, as holding it a thing much conducing to the public good, and the only remedy to cure these distractions which the Kingdom is in, not out of any regard to myself; for I know, if I suffer in executing their Lordship's commands, it must be against their wills, and when that day comes, I will not give a straw for all I have, were I but a looker on. My Lord, as I was this day at Lincoln, where I appointed to begin to Muster, there came a Messenger from His Majesty, with this Letter, which I held it my duty to acquaint the House with, and likewise my answer, and am for Lincoln, where, as in all other places, I shall be ready to serve your Lordship,  
As your most humble servant, F. WILLOUGHBY.  
MY Lord,  
ere my Letter was sealed up, I could not but give your Lordship an account, in how good a Posture I found the Trained Bind of Lincoln, which was fare beyond my expectation, considering the unhappiness in the sickness, being dispersed in the Town, which hindered the appearance of some; But truly my Lord that was fully supplied by a Company of Volunteers, equal in number and goodness of Arms to the Trained Bands.  
Lincoln, 6. june. 1642.   

〈◊〉 SOIT QVI MAL Y PEN●●  royal blazon flanked by English lion and Scottish unicorn  
CHARLES REX. RIght trusty and well-beloved, We greet you well.  
Whereas We understand, That you have begun to assemble, Train, and Muster the Trained-Bands of our County of Lincoln, under pretence of an Ordinance of Parliament, whereto We have not given our Consent; Which is not only contrary to Law, but to Our Command and Pleasure, signified by Our Proclamation sent to the high Sheriff of that Our County: Wherefore, That you may not hereafter plead Ignorance of such Our Prohibition; We do, by these Our Letters, Command, and charge you, upon your Allegiance, to desist and forbear to Raise, Muster, Train, Exercise, or Assemble together any part of the Trained Bands of that Our County, either by yourself, or by any others employed under you, or by Warrant from you. And because you may, for what you have already done, concerning the Militia of that Our County, plead, that you had not so particular a Command, We shall pass by what you have already done therein, So as presently upon your receipt hereof, you shall desist and give over meddling any further with any thing belonging to the Militia of that Our County; But if you shall not presently desist, and forbear meddling therewith, We are resolved to call you to a strict Account for your Disobedience therein, after so many particular and legal Commands given you, upon your Allegiance to the contrary, and shall esteem and proceed against you as a disturber of the peace of Our Kingdom.  
Given at Our Court at York, the fourth of June. 1642.  
To Our right trusty and well-beloved the Lord Willoughby of Parham.   

SIR,  
AS there can be nothing of greater unhappiness to me, then to receive a Command from your Majesty, whereunto my endeavours cannot give so ready an obedience, as my affections: so I must confess the difficulty at this time not a little, how to express that duty which I own to your Majesty's late Commands, and not falsify that Trust reposed in me by your high Court of Parliament; through whose particular directions I am now come into this County to settle the Militia, according to the Ordinance of Parliament, which by the Votes of my Lord Littleton and others in the House of Peers, better versed in the Laws then myself, passed as a Legal thing; and hath since been confirmed (if I mistake not) by his example, and your Majesty's Chief Justice, Sir John Banks, both in accepting their Ordinance, and nominating their Deputy-Lieutenants: how much farther they proceeded, I know not.  
But Sir, if the opinions of those great Lawyers drew me into an act unsuitable to your Majesty's liking: I hope the wart of years will excuse my want of judgement. And since the Command of the Parliament, I am now so far engaged in their service as the sending out Warrants to summon the County to meet me this day at Lincoln, and afterwards in other places: I do most humbly beseech your Majesty not to impose that Command on me, which must needs render me false to those that relve on me, and so make me more unhappier than any other misery can fall upon me.  
These things, Sir, I once more humbly beseech your Majesty may be taken into your gracious consideration, and that you would never be pleased to harbour any misconceit of me, or of this action, since nothing hath yet passed by my Commands here, or ever shall; but what shall tend to the honour and safety of your Majesty's Person, to the preservation of the peace of your Kingdom, and to the content (I hope) of all your Majesty's Subjects in these parts; amongst which I remain  
YOUR MAJESTY'S Most humble, and most dutiful SUBJECT and SERVANT, F. WILLOUGHBY.   

THE MESSAGE OF THE LORDS TO THE House of Commons, UPON The Lord WILLOUGHBY of Parham, His Letter and service in the execution of the Ordinance, concerning the MILITIA.  
THe Lords have thought fit to let you know, how much they value and approve the endeavours of this Lord, in a service so much importing the safety of this Kingdom; and they doubt not of your readiness to concur with them, upon all occasions to manifest; the sense they have, and shall retain of his deservings, which appears the greater, by how much the difficulties (by those circumstances you have heard read) have been greater. And as my Lords resolve to make his interest their own, in this service, for the public good, and safe●● of this Kingdom, so they desire you to join with them, in so good and necessary a work.  
Resolved by the House of Commons to join with the Lords in this vote, and do make the like resolution for the deputy Lieutenants for the County of Lincoln, and desire the Lords concurrence therein.  
Ordered by the Lords in Parliament, That they agree with the House of Commons, for the resolution concerning the Deputy-Lieutenants of the County of Lincoln.   

TO My Noble Brother the Earl of HOLLAND.  
Brother.  
IN obedience to the order of both Houses of Parliament, I this day repaired to Burntwood (where about one fourth part of the Trained bands of Essex, were appointed to meet) for putting of the ordinance for the Militia of this County in execution. I saw five Companies drawn out, being of the ordinary trained Bands (and all that were designed to this place) whole numbers I found full, and their Armies complete. For though about threescore Arms had been formerly taken out of each company for the late service about Scotland, yet a full supply was made by Volunteers, and one of the said five Companies (being under the conduct of Sir William Mashams' son) was double to the usual list. A sixth Company was drawn out, which consisted of near five hundred able men, who came as volunteers under the command of Sir Thomas Baringtons younger son. I caused the Declaration of both houses made for their indemnity, to be read at the head of each company. And required the Captains, Officers, and Soldiers to be obedient to such directions as should be conveyed to them from me, or my deputy Lieutenants, according to the said ordinance for the service of his Majesty and the Parliament in defence of the Kingdom. To which they did unanimously manifest a resolution and respect, and a cheerful readiness, therein to spend their lives and fortunes. Hereof I thought fit to give your Lordship this brief account praying you to communicate the same to their Lordships, I having desired my deputy Lieutenants to do the same to the House of Commons. I have this day received a petition from the Captains and Lieutenants of the several companies here assembled, in the name of all the persons belonging to the said trained bands, and with their full consent expressed upon the reading of it, by their general acclamations, and applause, in their several Companies, whereof I send your Lordship a copy here enclosed, And so desiring from God a blessing upon all your counsels, I rest,  
Burntwood the 7. of june, 1642. Your Lordship's affectionate Brother, WARWICK.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, ROBERT Earl of Warwick, Lord Lieutenant of the County, of Essex: and to the Right Worshipful and worthy Gentlemen, the Deputy Lieutenant's of the same County, confided in by the most Honourable, the High Court of Parliament.  
WE the Captains and Lieutenants with the full consent of the Trained-Bands and Volontiers of the said County now assembled, having before the access of this present Parliament seen our Religion, our Laws our liberties and estates brought to the brink of ruin and subversion by the results of most desperate and wicked Counsels, could not but with exceeding joy behold the assembling and continuance of so great and faithful a Council (the representative body of this Kingdom) and with most certain confidence commit therero all that was dear unto us.  
And having also seen the late hellish designs and actings of a Malignant party of this Kingdom, and the bloody rebellion in Ireland, all working to retard the progress, or subvert the, being of this worthy Parliament, and therein to bereave us of all our hopes of Reformation, or future peace or happiness to th●s Church or Kingdom, We cannot but ascribe all glory and praise unto the Lord of Lords, and express most hearty thankfulness unto his blessed Instruments that great Assembly, for their undaunted Resolutions, unparallelled endeavours, and happy proceed for the common good. And herein (as not the least means of our safety) for the most necessary and seasonable Ordinance of theirs touching the ordering of the Militia, whereby we are put under the command and guidance of so Noble a Lord, and such worthy Gentlemen, whereunto We humbly desire this present day and meeting may be an Evidence and pledge of our free and willing obedience.  
And having entrusted our Religion, our Laws, and all into the hands of that great and most faithful Council the Parliament, whose care and fidelity we have so abundantly found, we even bleed to see the heart and actions of our Royal King (contrary to his own Royal expressions) declining from the Counsels of His Parliament, and carried after other Counsels, whom, as the Laws and Constitutions of this Land have not known, nor reposed upon: so we (for our own parts) neither will nor dare intrust with our Religion or Laws. And whom we verily believe, could they prevail against that highest Court (under God our chiefest Bulwark and defence) would soon deprive us both of Religion and Law, and (notwithstanding all their specious pretences) reduce us to a condition no less miserable than slavish.  
From the deep apprehensions of all which we do freely and hearty promise and tender our persons and estates to assist and defend (to the uttermost) the high Court of Parliament now assembled, the members, power, and privileges thereof, and therein His Majesty's person and authority, and the Kingdom's peace, (according to our late Protestation) against all contrary counsels, power, and force of Arms whatsoever, which shall be reared up, or attempted against them.  
And this our humble acknowledgement and resolution (which we doubt not will be accorded unto by all good subjects) we humbly desire your Honour and Worships to tender on our behalf unto that most Honourable Assembly of Parliament.  
For whose happy progress and success we shall daily pray.  


Trained-Bands.  
Captain Kitely.  
Captain Henry Farr.  
Captain john Ballet.  
Captain john Fleming.  
Captain W. Marsham.  
Lieutenant. Tho. Harper.  
Lieutenant. Jo. Woodcock.  
Lieutenant. Rich. Laurence.  
Lieutenant. Geo. Colwell.  
Lieutenant. Tho. Clarke.   

Volontiers.  
Robert Barington, Captain.  
William Burls, Lieutenant.     

THe Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, being advertised by the Lord Lieutenant, and Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Essex, of their ready, full, and forward meeting of the Tray-Bands of that County; and of a cheerful access, of a very considerable number of Volunteers, at their first appearing; Have thought fit, to express unto them, the good sense they hold of their proceed, so much conducing to the General safety of this Kingdom; And having likewise received from them a Declaration full of affections, and good inclinations, to maintain our Religion, Laws, Liberties, and Privileges of Parliament; Which they observe to be invaided by pernicious Council, as indeed they have been of late, in a more dangerous, and high manner than any age can parallel: And having very prudently observed, in a right understanding, That the Kingdom, and the King's authority and Person, can be no ways maintained, but by the upholding the power and privileges of Parliament: as by the late Protestation they acknowledge themselves bound unto, against all contrary Councils, Power, and force of Arms whatsoever. This just and faithful resolution of theirs, to the public good; The Lords and Commons do not only approve, but commend, assuring them, that as their endeavours have been for the peace and happiness of the King and Kingdom; So they will persist, in discharge of the great and public trust, which lies upon them; to go through all difficulties which may oppose the public peace and welfare of this Kingdom; And will upon all occasions, be ready to express particularly, to those persons, that respect which is due to persons from whom they have received such assurance of their affections and fidelities.  
FINIS.