House of Lords Journal Volume 6: 2 January 1644

DIE Martis, videlicet, 2 die Januarii.

PRAYERS.

Domini præsentes:

Ds. Grey de Warke, Speaker this Day.

The Lord General acquainted this House with a Proclamation, which some of his Scouts took coming from Oxford to London, to invite such Members of both Houses of Parliament as will come to Oxford, to advise with Him, to resist the (fn. 1) coming in of the Scottish Army, &c. Which this House commanded to be read; videlicet,

"By the King:

"A Proclamation for the assembling the Members of both Houses at Oxford, upon Occasion of the Invasion by the Scotts.

Proclamation by the King, for Members of both Houses to attend, for holding a Parliament at Oxford.

"Whereas We did, by Our Proclamation bearing Date the 20th Day of June last, upon due Consideration of the Miseries of this Kingdom, and the true Cause thereof, warn all Our good Subjects no longer to be misled by the Votes, Orders, and pretended Ordinances, of One or both Houses, by reason the Members do not enjoy the Freedom and Liberty of Parliament, which appears by several Instances of Force and Violence, and by the Course of the Proceedings mentioned in Our said Proclamation, and several of Our Declarations; since which Time, Our Subjects of Scotland have made great and warlike Preparations, to enter and invade this Kingdom with an Army, and have already actually invaded the same, by possessing themselves by Force of Arms of Our Town of Barwicke, upon Pretence that they are invited thereunto by the Desires of the Two Houses; the which, as we doubt not (fn. 2) all Our good Subjects of this Kingdom will look upon as the most insolent Act of Ingratitude and Disloyalty, and to the apparent Breach of the late Act of Pacification so solemnly made between the Kingdoms, and is indeed no other than a Design of Conquest, and to impose new Laws upon this Nation, they not so much as pretending the least Provocation or Violation from this Kingdom; so that We are most assured, that the major Part of both Houses of Parliament do from their Souls abhor the least Thoughts of introducing that Foreign Power, to increase and make desperate the Miseries of their unhappy Country: And therefore, that it may appear to all the World how far the major Part of both Houses is from such Actions of Treason and Disloyalty, and how grossly those few Members remaining at Westminster have and do impose upon Our People, We do will and require such of the Members of both Houses, as well those who have been by the Faction of the malignant Party expelled for performing their Duty to Us, and into whose rooms no Persons have been since chosen by their Country, as the rest who have been driven thence, and all those who, being conscious of their Want of Freedom, now shall be willing to withdraw from that Rebellious City, to assemble themselves together at Our City of Oxford, on Monday the 22d Day of January, where Care shall be taken for their several Accommodations, and fit Places appointed for their Meeting, and where all Our good Subjects shall see how willing We are to receive Advice, for the Preservation of the Religion, Laws, and Safety of the Kingdom, and, as far as in Us lies, to restore it to its former Peace and Security (Our chief and only End), from those whom they have trusted, though We cannot receive it in the Place where We appointed: And, for the better Encouragement of those Members of either House to resort to Us, who may be conscious to themselves of having justly incurred Our Displeasure, by submitting to, or concurring in, unlawful Actions; and that all the World may see how willing and desirous We are to forget the Injuries and Indignities offered to Us, and, by an Union of English Hearts, to prevent the lasting Miseries which this Foreign Invasion must bring upon this Kingdom; We do offer a Free and General Pardon to all the Members of either House, who shall, at or before the said 22d Day of January, appear at Our City of Oxford, and desire the same, without Exceptions; which, considering the manifest Treasons committed against Us, and the Condition We are now in, improved by God's wonderful Blessing to a better Degree than We have enjoyed at any Time since these Distractions, is the greatest Instance of Princely and Fatherly Care of Our People that can be expressed, and which Malice itself cannot suggest to proceed from any other Ground: And therefore We hope, and are confident, that all such who, upon this Our Gracious Invitation, will not return to their Duty and Allegiance, shall be no more thought Promoters of the Religion, Laws, and Liberty of the Kingdom (which this Way may be without Doubt settled and secured), but Persons engaged from the Beginning, out of their own Pride, Malice, and Ambition, to bring Confusion and Desolation upon their Country, and to that Purpose (having long since contrived the Design) to invite and join with a Foreign Nation to ruin and extinguish their own, and shall accordingly be pursued as the most desperate and malicious Enemies of the Kingdom: And Our Pleasure is, That this Our Proclamation be read in all Churches and Chapels within this Our Kingdom, and Dominion of Wales.

"Given at Our Court at Oxford, the 22th of December, in the Nineteenth Year of Our Reign, 1643."

Clerk of the Parliament to bring in an Account of Impeachments against Delinquents.

The House conceiving this Business to be of great Consequence; Ordered, That the Clerk of the Parliament shall bring in an Account To-morrow Morning, of all the Impeachments brought up from the House of Commons against Delinquents, that so this House may know how far they have been proceeded in, and take such further Course for the bringing of Delinquents to a Trial as they shall think fit.

Lords to attend.

Ordered, That all the Lords have Notice given them (fn. 3) to be at this House To-morrow Morning.

Committee to consider of the Agreement with Scotland.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to consider of the Agreements between the Parliament and the Kingdom of Scotland, and compare them with the former, shall make their Report To-morrow.

E. of Bedford committed to Brooke House.

"Whereas, by a former Order of this (fn. 3) House, the Earl of Bedford stands committed to the safe Custody of the Gentleman Usher attending this House: It is this Day Ordered, by the Lords in Parliament, That the Lord General shall cause the said Earl of Bedford, being now in Custody of the said Lord General, to be brought unto Brooke House, there to remain until the Pleasure of this House be further signified; which is so Ordered upon the Motion of the Lord General, who had undertaken for the Forthcoming of the said Earl of Bedford."

Adjourn.

House adjourned till 10^a cras.