Inter-regnum. < It is evident, by Letters taken from private Meffengers, that General Monke did fend to feveral Parties to rife at this Time, and that in this City he should have a Party to declare for him; but if it fhould please God that fuch a Thing fhould be, the dreadful Confequences thereof are inexpreffible. The Committee defires you would take Care of the Prefervation of the Peace and Safety of the City, wherein the Safety of the Commonwealth is greatly concerned; you have been fufficiently informed of the Mifery that follows fuch Disturbances. There is nothing that concerns the Committee fhall be omitted, but that they will contribute the utmost of their Endeavours to prevent fuch Disturbances, and are refolved not willingly to be deficient in what they may do for the Prefervation of your Peace and Safety; for they have a particular Respect and Affection to this worthy City, and defire, where any Ground or Occafion is given of Diffention, it may be laid afide; and whatever People may cenfure of what is paft, let us look forward, and it will be made appear that their Aim is, that Magiftracy and a godly Miniftry may be encouraged and fupported. The Committee therefore defire, that you would take efpecial Care to forbid any Meetings that tend to the fetting on Foot the Defign of the Enemy. 6 There were feveral Letters from the North read Yefterday, which certify, That those which are coming in hoftile Manner thought to have taken Newcastle, but were prevented. A diligent Care is taken about thefe Things in other Places. I will only inftance that of a Divine, That where a great City is divided, great Miferies may be expected; therefore hazard not your Safety, whatever fpecious Pretences may be offered to you. I defire that thefe Things may be taken into Confideration, and that you would not be wanting to the Caufe and your own Safety, which you have fo long owned.' Thon 6 Then the Lord Fleetwood fpoke as follows: WE E are once more to wait upon you, truly with Defire and fincere Intentions, that there may be a right Understanding between thofe in Authority in this City, and the Armies of thefe Nations, as hath formerly been, and that they may ftill remain an united Body; for the Common Enemy labours all he can to ruin and deftroy both; and their only Means to accomplish their Design is Divifion; and there is nothing fo much as that can difunite old Friends. The City and Army had once the Happiness to efteem one another as Friends; but now if any thing give Occafion of Diftruft, it will prejudice the Caufe. You know this poor Army the Lord hath been pleased to make ufe of as an Inftrument to preserve our Peace, fo often attempted against : And we fhould render ourfelves to be unworthy of the Name of Friends, if we fhould feek ourfelves, and not the Good of this poor Nation, and to get Rule and Dominion to ourselves, and ftand not to our Principles. Thefe Things are frequent Difcourfes; but if we had that Guilt which is caft upon us, we would not appear in fo Honourable an Affembly. I dare fay our Design is God's Glory: We have gone in untrodden Paths, but God hath led us into Ways, which, if we know our own Hearts, we have no bafe or unworthy Defign in. Turnings and Changes are not pleafing to us; we have a Love to this Caufe, and God hath blefs'd us in it. It may appear that we have no Design to rule over others; we have been raifed and preferved to this Day upon common Account, and that your and our Liberty may not be violated, although we have been cenfured, it hath been the Defign of our Hearts, if we appear defigning, to be no other than for the Good of this Nation. We fhall not want Enemies; but God will fight with us; let our Friends bear with us and obferve the Event. 6 Nothing hath been more dear to us, than when God hath appeared to us to continue Friendship and Peace Inter-regnum. 1659. November, November. Inter-regnum, Peace, that fo we may be helpful one to another. 1659. Our Enemies know the City hath more Love to this Cause, than to comply with their fpecious Pretences, And whereas it is laid to our Charge, that we are Enemies to Parliaments; God he knows our Defign is to preferve the Ends of all Parliaments and Authority; and, we hope, fhall never appear to take away the Rights we have fo long contended for. The great End of the Common Enemy is to ruin the City; yet, by the Help of God, we fhall ftudy your Prefervation. We hope that there may be a right Understanding betwixt the Forces in the Northern Expedition; it fhall not be wanting in us that the fame may fo be. Altho' it is our Portion that we cannot be more odious to our Friends than we are rendered, concerning the Nation's Peace, yet there fhall be nothing wanting in us for the Settlement thereof: I would not have you to believe us fo unworthy Perfons, for we have no Defign, but that Peace, Holiness, and Juftice, may profper in this City and Nation.' Laftly, the Lord Defborough made the following Speech; Was unwilling to fpeak any Thing, fo much having been spoken by thofe Honourable Perfons; but fomewhat I muft fpeak in relation to what was hinted, and touching the Commands of the Committee of Safety: A great Senfe there is upon the Committee of the Difficulties this Nation ftruggles under, which are the greater, because the Common Enemy is in Forwardness to a Birth, and Bringing-forth. It is the Duty of all Men, as Chriftians and as Englishmen, to value Peace the greatest of outward Enjoyments; what I faid may be looked upon as ftrange, from one brought up for feveral Years in martial Affairs; it being conceived of us, as of fome in the Beginning of thefe Troubles, that they feared nothing more than that the Wars would end too foon; it was the Wickedness of those Men that had fuch Principles, rather to gratify filthy Lufts Lufts in their Hearts, than for any Good to the Inter-regnum. Commonwealth. I hope I may fay of the Generality of the Officers intrufted in this Nation, that there is no outward Thing more defired by them, than to live to fee thofe bleffed Foundations laid, fo as to fecure the Civil and Spiritual Rights of this Nation; nor is there any greater Dread in them thereof, (notwithftanding that Blood-fhed and Expence they have undergone) than that they fhall not fee a Settlement; yet we hope in God, in Defpight of the Cunning of Men, we shall see such a bleffed Peace, as the Inhabitants of this Nation may blefs his Name. "There is none ignorant that there are not wanting Men, who, on various Accounts, make it their Bufinefs to hinder this fo good a Work; and their Defign is to oppofe or interrupt a Work the Providence of God is carrying on, to accomplish their Designs. It is a Mercy, whatever others judge, God hath borne us Witness, that we have not falfified that Truft which hath been repofed in our Hands. Our Difficulties have been fuch, that the Wealth of the City should not hire us to undergo them a Year longer; but we may fay, we are not without a Mifreprefentation. Some fay we are setting up Sectaries, this Party and that Party; but if we have Guile in our Hearts, and have not a Love to the godly People of this Nation, yea, to all the People, God will find us out. God hath bleffed fome of us with a Spirit of Integrity, and there is nothing upon our Hearts but the Good of the Whole. There is a two-fold Party in this Commonwealth, whom God hath again and again made bow down before his People, yet are ftill labouring to heighten their Spirits; we have not made them Slaves, (which in fome Places is practised in the like Cafe) nor is it upon our Spirits fo to do; yet I think it our Duty not to fuffer them to give Laws to us, if God gives us Leave to prevent it; and tho' we have it not in our Hearts to do any Thing to diftin 1659. November. Inter-regnum. guifh, yet we are refolved never to put our Hands under the Feet of thofe we have vanquifhed. 1659. November, Some fay we shall not have Settlement till the old Family comes in, which if it should enter into any of our Hearts, we fhould be like the Dog returning to his Vomit, and the Sow to her wallowing in the Mire. Many, by the Actings of the Army, by a forcible Providence they have been put upon, may think we go about to do fomething unworthy to this Nation. This Army hath been blefied feventeen Years wonderfully, we have not gone about to make ourselves great, or Mafters of what is our Neighbours, but that which the Power in Being hath allowed us. Some give out as if we were returning to a Single Perfon, and intended to debafe Magiftracy, and trample down Miniftry; but God will bear us Witness to the contrary: The Truth of it is, we are fo far from undervaluing of a Government, that we always thought a bad one with Peace, better than none at all. If Peace be a great and choice Bleffing to be valued by all, we defire that you, with us, will take Care to preferve it; we come not to court you, but only to let you know we have no Design in it; it was no prepared Bufinefs: That of diffolving the Parliament, we hope that God food by us in it, notwithstanding there hath been many gloomy Days fince. The Strength of an Army is the Unity of it, and it will be your Safety and Advantage to keep Unity; a City divided cannot ftand: You will not want Affiftance from the Army, if Interruptions. come in this Place, whatever Calamities may be elsewhere, they will not be fo great here. Your Intereft as Chriftians, your Religion, your Eftates, are great Engagements to preferve Peace. The Defire of the Army is to preferve the Peace; if you go about, or others countenanced by you, to disturb it, an Inconvenience may fall upon you; but our Defire is, you would not fing Dirt on the Army; but as you fee the Hue of their Actions, |