A view of the PROPOSITIONS Presented to His MAJESTY BY The Parliaments of both Kingdoms.  
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C R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  
Printed in the year 1647.   

A view of the PROPOSITIONS Presented to His Majesty by the Parliaments of both kingdoms.  
FOR Introduction, know; That a factious party in the Parliament of England brought in 2. bills, 
The Introduction.  to take away Bishops, and to take the Militia from the King, which being rejected in a full and free Convention of Parliament; were afterward revived, and promoted by Tumultuous people, in, and about London, who driven away the dissenting Members of Parliament, and so the Bills passed both Houses, to which, they desire the royal Assent; and, His Majesty refusing, they took up arms, to force him, as before, they had the Houses: and, when they were likely to be overcome, they call in the Scots to their assistance, and join in League and Covenant with them: and, when they had vanquished the King, and His Party, the Parliaments of both kingdoms presented these to His Majesty: Whereof,  

The Propositions of three sorts.  1 Some Propositions are Antecedent to the war, and contain the first cause, and grounds of it, and set forth the design of the Proposers agitated before, and prosecuted by the War. As the( 3) for taking away Bishops in England, and Ireland; the( 13) for setting the Militia of England and Ireland in the two Houses of Parliament: That part of the( 17) That the Houses shall nominate the great Officers in the kingdoms of England, and Ireland. And the( 14) That no Peers made since the Lord Littleton carried away the Great seal( which was May 20. 1642.) or to be made hereafter, shall sit, and vote in Parliament without the consent of both Houses of Parliament.  
The( 7, 8, 9, and 10.) concerning Papists, and the( 12) for suppressing Innovations, &c. I insist not on, because His Majesty assented to them before arms taken up, and so they can be no cause of the War.  
2 Some Propositions are concurrent with, and emergent upon the War, and set forth the means used by the Proposers to promote their design, and War: As the( 4) for confirming the Ordinances for calling the Assembly of Divines: The( 2) for taking the Covenant. The( 5, 6, and part of the 17.) for Reformation, and Uniformity in Religion in the kingdoms of England, and Ireland, according to the Covenant. The( 15) for confirming the Treaties between the two Kingdoms. The( 17) That the power and Govern-of the Militia, and Tower of London, shall be settled in the Lord mayor, &c.  
3 Some Propositions are subsequent to the War, and serve to secure the Proposers( both now, and hereafter) and their party, and their design, not only by Act of Parliament, but by Military force and power also: As the( 1) That the King declare Null all His Declarations, and Proclamations, and all Judiciary proceedings against them, had, and made, or to be had, and made. And the( 19) for confirming all that hath passed under their Great seal, and for Nulling whatsoever hath passed under the other seal since May 20. 1642. and under the Great seal of Ireland, since September 15. 1643. And the( 16) concerning their proceedings with Delinquents( as they call them.) And that part of the( 12. and 13.) for the two Houses of Parliament to raise moneys as they please in future, for the payment of Souldiers, and of the public debts, and damages of the Kingdoms. And to all, and every of these Propositions, the Parliaments of both Kingdoms desire His Majesties Assent: And that they, and all such Bills as shall be tendered to Him in pursuance of them, or any of them, may be established by Act of Parliament.  
And so what the Parliament of England( as they will be called) could not do singly, 
The Scots join to press these Propositions upon the King& the people.  the Parliaments of both kingdoms undertake jointly, ( ViZ.) To overthrow the Ancient Constitution of the kingdom, both in respect of the Church, and of the State: And to take away the power, and Government from the King, and to settle it in the two Houses of Parliament, and to establish it by Act of Parliament: Also they desire several other Acts to pass for making good their former proceedings in the prosecution of that establishment, and to make good the establishment itself, in case of opposition, or disturbance hereafter. And this is the safe, and well grounded Peace, they speak of,& have sought for.  

Why the King cannot assent to the Propositions.  But how can they expect, that the King should give His Assent to these their Propositions, and that He should pass and Enact them? That He should give up His Power, and Protection, and Government of the People, wherewith God hath entrusted Him. That he should destroy Bishops, being bound by his Coronation Oath to defend them. That he should renounce His righteous Cause in rescuing His Kingly Power, and vindicating the freedom of the Parliament, and Subject, and upholding the Constitution and Government of the kingdom? That He should ruin that Loyal party of the Nobility, and Gentry, and those faithful Patriots that adhered to Him in the late War, on behalf of the Crown, the Parliament, the Subject,& the Kingdom? That he should justify, and make a president of their most unwarrantable arms, and proceedings against Him? That He should debase His Roy●ll Government, and Succession, and enslave His good Subjects irrecoverably to all posterity?  
again, how can they expect that the people should approve of these their Propositions, 
Why the people will not admit of these Propositions.  tending onely to the advancing of the power of two Houses of Parliament, without any regard to the Subject, or the laws, or the Liberties of the kingdom? I say, how can they expect, that the people should approve or admit of them, and foregoe our ancient, known, regal Government by laws and Justice, and to submit to a Parliamentary military arbitrary Government, by will and power? and withall, to expose themselves to the violent insults of parties and factions, and to the pride and insolence of particular persons? For such hath been the Government, and such our condition for these four or five yeares last past, and likely to be( for ought I see) for many Generations to come. And should his Majesty pass the Propositions, as is desired, Tyranny would be incorporated into our very Constitutions and Government, and our slavery would be both grievous( lying under the power of a Legion of Tyrants) and remediless, being tied to it by Act of Parliament.  

Who they are that hinder the peace of the kingdom.  And now let the world judge, who they are that hinder the peace of this miserable distracted kingdom,( which cannot be settled but by a peaceable agreement between the King, the Parliament and the people) whether his Majesty who refuseth these Propositions,( so destructive to his own and the peoples interests) or they who in prosecution of their English Scottish designs, will have no peace, unless his Majesty admit them, and resign up all to them.  
And the truth is, the Parliament-men generally having made such advantages upon the King and upon the people by their late Government, are not willing to foregoe it, but resolve almost unanimously to continue it, either by Law,( if his Majesty pass those) or by force,( if he refuse them:) and Subjects again they would not be, least they become liable to questioning, accounting, &c.  
And should his Majesty condescend to their desires, and put all into their hands, would they not quarrel about the sharing of it, as they have hitherto contended with his Majesty for the power and Government? So from henceforth, would not the factions contend amongst themselves for the Administration of that power, and thereby also disturb the peace of the kingdom as at this day?  

Justice the only means of peace, Es. 32.17.  The onely means of peace indeed, is justice, to give to every one his own; to the King his own, to the Parliament their own, to the people their own: and I shall believe they intend the peace of the kingdom indeed, when they go the way of peace, and offer or accept just and righteous proposals.  
But they cannot be safe, unless these their desires be granted.  
Yes, they may: an Act of Oblivion and a general Pardon, would save them for what is past; and the Apostles admonition observed for the time to come, Wilt thou not be afraid of the Powers? do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same, Rom. 13.3.  By a Lover of his country, and a Well-willer to the peace of the kingdom.