AN humble PROPOSAL Of Safety to the PARLIAMENT AND city, In this time of present danger, viz.  
In case the Parliament should go forth into the Field, as was lately moved by the honourable House of Commons, and as we hope will be speedily and unanimously resolved on:  
In these ensuing lines is a Rule( humbly offered) how an Army shall be presently raised, and as well great sums of Money be immediately brought in, as a constant Spring for the future, be certainly provided, in such manner, that every man shall necessary be engaged for the State, either in Person or Purse, or else in a faire way be occasioned to leave the city, or suffer in worse kind. And all this in few daies time, before the eyes of the Parliament, and that without danger or much trouble.  
LONDON, Printed by T. Pain and M. Simomus. 1643.   

AN humble proposal To the Parliament and city, in this time of present danger.  
I. IF the Parliament shall please to authorize the present raising of moneys upon the city Seal, if desired; and a Spring of Money for the future, by an equal levy, if their wisedoms think meet; and when they shall have taken order to secure the Horse in the adjacent Counties, to victual the city, and to clear the Prisons: All which is desired may be first and immediaty done( if it might be) without one houres delay.  
II. Then let it be considered, whether it be not of important necessity, that with all speed( if it be possible within a day or two at the furthest) the House of Commons, with those Lords that will join with them, should go forth personally into the Field, for four or six dayes time more or less, as shall be thought needful, to encourage( at least, if not to led) the people, who most earnestly long for such an opportunity to discover their affections.  
III. If this be resolved on, then this following method, or such like, ( as is humbly conceived) will be of good use. Let 16. or 18. Tents or boarded Houses be raised in Finsberry Field, or elsewhere, and according to the number of these Tents or Houses, let the Parliament men divide themselves into so many Committees, and let every Committee call to its assistance, an Alderman, with his Deputy, and the Common-counsell-men of his Ward, together with two or three of the best affencted members of the Synod.  
IV. This done, let all the shops in London and the Suburbs, by strict command be kept shut, that so in the time of going forth into the Fields, men may have nothing to hinder them from appearing.  
V. When the appearance shall be, let the Committees and Aldermen first speak to the people, and fully represent to them the dangers of the Parliament and City; but especially let the Ministers move them affectionately with the deep consideration,( 1.) Of the calamities abroad, which we have onely heard of, as in Ireland, bristol, and the North of England, &c.( 2.) With our own pressing and increasing miseries, likely to over-flow even with streams of blood, every corner of this( lately flourishing, but now) decaying kingdom. And let them charge upon the peoples consciences, their Protestation, Covenant, and that duty which God and all our friends in christendom do call for; and this with that earnestness as becomes the present extremity of this sinking dying Nation. And let the people be required in the face of those Parliament-men which have undergone such unwearied pains for Englands preservation, and with whom they have so often protested they will live and die, immediately without excuses or delays, which these straights of time will not now admit, to declare themselves cheerful and unanimous both in person and purse, or in one of them at least, to do their uttermost against our desperate and bloody enemies, for the help of a distressed State, and the rescue of a glorious Gospel.  
VI. To prevent danger in the absence of the Citizens abroad, let two or three Aldermen, with one of the Sheriffes, and a Regiment or two of men abide in the City, while the rest go forth into the Fields as aforesaid.  
VII. There cannot be fewer then 16. or 18. Tents or Houses to accomplish that end for which they are intended, which is as followeth.  
I. Let 12. of these Tents be appointed for the listing of Souldiers, the other six to receive Moneys and Subscriptions●  
II. Those Tents which are for Money and Subscriptions, let them stand on one side of the Field: and those which are for listing of Souldiers, on the other side; that so men which come to serve the State in person, may go together by themselves; and those which come to serve in purse, may go by themselves.  
III. In every Tent which is for Money and subscriptions, it would be convenient that one of the House of Lords be present( in case the Lords will join with our faithful Commons in this act) that so the countenance of both Houses of Parliament and City may all concur to advance the Work, which will go on the more smoothly( doubtless) if the Orders and Ordinances of Parliament, together with the Orders or Acts of common-council, concerning reimbursements be there present, that so men which bring in present Moneys, and do subscribe, may at once see both the City-Seal, and the public Faith offered for their security, and be thereby assured, that if the City and Kingdom do not perish, they or theirs shall be sure to be repaid.  
IIII. And to avoid all disorder and confusion, by which a business of this nature is quickly spoiled, let these six Tents for Money and Subscriptions be made large, and four Wards be allotted unto every Tent, that every man may know distinctly whither to repair with his Money, and to subscribe in every Tent. Let there be two Clerks for every Ward, which will amount to eight Clerks in every Tent. At one end of the Tent let four Clerks sit to receive Moneys onely, at the other end of the Tent four Clerks sit to receive Subscriptions onely; those which sit to receive Money onely, let them writ down the sums, and the names of the men that bring them, every Clerk being assigned to his particular Ward. Let the same order be likewise observed at the other end of the Tent which is for Subscriptions onely. And at night let the Clerks deliver up their roll of names, to the Aldermen or Deputies of their Wards, with a double column, one, of the names of those within such or such a Ward, that have lent Money, or subscribed; and the other column of the names of those which have not brought money, or subscribed, for which reason it is necessary for every Clerk to have a roll of the names of all those men which are judged fit to lend Money in the Ward for which he serves, and those men which this first day of appearing in the Fields are found at night, not to have brought money or subscribed, let them be strictly required to appear the next day in the Fields, in manner and for the purpose aforesaid,& those that are found not to have done any thing the second day, let them be warned again to appear the next day; and so every night in the same order so long as this Feild-work remains. And then those in every Ward, which after all this fair entreaty and persuasion shall be found to have done nothing either in person or purse, let them be sent for before the common-council of London, or before the Parliament, and be required immediately, they and their families to depart the City, except some other penalty shall be though more fit to be inflicted.  
V. Let two of those Tents which are for listing of Souldiers stand at a good distance from the rest, and let their work be to list the Citizens for Horse and Foot, which will go in person upon their own charges.  
VI. Let the other ten Committees set up signs at their Tents according to mens several trades and vocations; as let the first Tent hang up a Glove, a shoe, and a pair of shears, that all the Taylors, and Glovers and shoemakers at the first entrance into the Field, without confusion or loss of time, may know whither to repair and list themselves every man with men of his own vocation: by which means they will come in more abundantly, and encourage each other more cheerfully, especially if 〈◇〉 shall be  told them by the Aldermen of the city, that care shall be taken to provide bread and fuel for their poor wives and children, while themselves are used in the kingdoms service.  
Let the same order be observed by the other nine Tents, alloting five or six trades at least to every Tent, else there will not be Tents enough. The chiefest trades and vocations that will afford most store of men, are all sorts of Cloth-workers, as Fullers, Sheer-men, Dyers, Weavers, Silk-throsters, Spinners, Carpenters, Ship-wrights, Bricklayers, conductor, joiners, Turners, Box-makers, Felt-makers, Feltmongers, Seamen, Watermen, Sail-makers, Rope-makers, Brafiers, Founders, Pewterers, all kind of Smiths, Butchers, Bakers, Brewers, Cooks, Vintners, Perfumers, Painters, Barbers, Pinners, glaziers, Gardiners, Coopers, Wine Coopers, Porters, Wine Porters, Drawers, and Salemen, Stillers of Hot-waters, Comb makers, Coach makers, Dreymen, Carmen, Hostlers, Translaters, Water-bearers, Broom-men, &c. But Sadlers, Gun-smiths, Sword-makers, and all sorts of armourers must be spared.  
And lest Malignants should list themselves together in whole companies, and get arms, it may be convenient that six or eight godly men of every trade, should be found out, and be appointed to watch such a mischief, and in time to discover it. If twenty or thirty doubtful men be mingled with an hundred others, especially under good Commanders, it my not prove so dangerous; but if more then such a number, the matter may be suspected.  
VII. At every Tent let Captains be in readiness with entertainment-Money and Colours, and to take the name of the place where every one dwells that listeth himself under him. And let arms be likewise ready at every Tent to arm men so soon as listed: If Arms be wanting, see the necessity of disarming Malignants.  
VIII. To prevent any mischief that might arise, let all the Forces of what kind soever in the City and Suburbs, be drawn into the field( except the forenamed guard for the City) and according to the number of Tents, let the Regiments or Companies be divided to guard every Tent.  
IX. And that no man may pretend ignorance, or be unprepared for this service( if the Parliament shall think fit) let the time and place of this going forth be published the day before, and especial order be given, that every man throughout the City and Suburbs, rich and poor, old and young, that is any way fit to appear in person or purse, and would not be taken to be an enemy unto the State, may be strictly required the night before( by some appointed to go from house to house for that purpose) to appear at the place where these Tents shall be fixed the next day: and let a penalty as aforesaid be inflicted on them that shall be found unwilling to help quench a flaming Kingdom.  
X. If in 4. or 5. dayes time an Army be this way raised, and good sums of money provided to maintain it; how soon then may the City be put into a gallant posture; Shops be opened, Trading set up again at home, while our Armies are dealing with our Enemies abroad; and a brave Kingdom which now lies a bleeding, through Gods mercy be yet timely secured.  
How easily and speedily may all this be done, if men have hearts to go about it? Many hands make light work; Much must be done in little time, or else we perish. Concordiâ parvae res crescunt: But Parliament-breaches of Covenant, against a jealous God, oh how ominous and how dreadful! Remember the curse, Jer. 48.10. Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently, and cursed be he that withholds the Sword from blood.  
England may this day know, that London can yet afford an 100000. men, if need be, as well in dead as in word, to live and die with the House of Commons, maugre all aspersions that have been case upon it. Up therefore and be doing, our Noble senators, be valiant for the Truth, and the Lord of Hosts shall be with You.  
FINIS.