of the said Petition and Advice mentioned, shall be chosen in the intervals of Parliament, by the consent of the Council, to be afterwards approved by Parliament.

That your Highness will be pleased, according to the usage of former Chief Magistrates in these nations, and for the better satisfaction of the people thereof, to take an oath in the form ensuing:

'I do in the presence, and by the name of God Almighty, promise and swear, that to the uttermost of my power I will uphold and maintain the true reformed Protestant Christian religion, in the purity thereof, as it is contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, to the uttermost of my power and understanding, and encourage the profession and professors of the same; and that to the uttermost of my power I will endeavour, as Chief Magistrate of these three nations, the maintenance and preservation of the peace and safety, and of the just rights and privileges of the people thereof; and shall in all things according to my best knowledge and power, govern the people of these nations according to law.'

That your Highness' successors do, before they take upon them the government of these nations, take an oath in the form aforesaid.

That all such persons who now are, or shall hereafter be of the Privy Council of your Highness or successors, before they, or either of them do act as Councillors, shall respectively take an oath before persons to be authorised by your Highness and successors for that purpose, in the form following:

'I, A. B., do in the presence, and by the name of God Almighty, promise and swear, that to the uttermost of my power, in my place, I will uphold and maintain the true reformed Protestant Christian religion, in the purity thereof, as it is contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, and encourage the profession and professors of the same; and that I will be true and faithful to his Highness the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland and the dominions thereto belonging, as Chief Magistrate thereof; and shall not contrive, design or attempt any thing against the person or lawful authority of his said Highness, and shall keep secret all matters that shall be treated of in Council, and put under secrecy, and not reveal them but by command or consent of his Highness, the Parliament or the Council, and shall in all things

faithfully perform the trust committed to me as a Councillor, according to the best of my understanding, in order to the good government, peace and welfare of these nations.'

That the same oath be taken by the members of your Highness' Council of Scotland and Ireland.

That every person who now is, or hereafter shall be, a member of either House of Parliament, before he sit in Parliament, shall, from and after the 1st day of July, 1657, take an oath before persons to be authorised and appointed by your Highness and successors for that purpose, in the form following:

'I, A. B., do in the presence, and by the name of God Almighty, promise and swear, that to the uttermost of my power, in my place, I will uphold and maintain the true reformed Protestant Christian religion, in the purity thereof, as it is contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, and encourage the profession and professors of the same; and that I will be true and faithful to the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, and the dominions and territories thereunto belonging, as Chief Magistrate thereof, and shall not contrive, design or attempt anything against the person or lawful authority of the Lord Protector, and shall endeavour as much as in me lies, as a member of Parliament, the preservation of the rights and liberties of the people.'

That your Highness would be pleased in convenient time, before the next meeting of this Parliament, to cause several summons in due form of law, to be issued forth to such persons as your Highness shall think fit (being qualified according to the humble Petition and Advice of the Parliament, whereto your Highness hath consented), to sit and serve as members in the other House of Parliament; by which summons the said persons shall be respectively commanded to be, and personally to appear at a certain place and time, to be appointed by your Highness, to give their advice and assistance, and to do such things concerning the great and weighty affairs of this Commonwealth, as to the other House of Parliament doth appertain by the said humble Petition and Advice.

That the persons so summoned and assembled together, shall be, and are hereby declared to be, the other House of Parliament; and shall, and may without further approbation of this House, from such time of their meeting, proceed to do and perform all such matters and things as the other

House of Parliament ought to do and perform, and shall and may have and exercise all such privileges, powers and authorities as the other House of Parliament ought, by the aforesaid humble Petition and Advice to have and exercise; the said humble Petition and Advice, or anything therein contained to the contrary thereof notwithstanding.

Which Petition being presented the 26th day of June, 1657, his Highness' answer thereunto was read by the Clerk of the Parliament in these words,

The Lord Protector doth consent.

93. THE WRIT SUMMONING RICHARD CROMWELL TO THE HOUSE OF LORDS OF THE PROTECTORATE.

[December 10, 1657. Old Parliamentary History, xxi. 166.]

Oliver, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, and the dominions and territories thereunto belonging: to our trusty and beloved son, Lord Richard Cromwell, greeting.

Whereas, by the advice and assent of our Council, for certain great and weighty affairs concerning us and the state and defence of the said Commonwealth, we ordained our present Parliament to be held at our city of Westminster, the 17th day of September, in the year of our Lord 1656, and there to consult and advise with the knights, citizens and burgesses of our said Commonwealth; which Parliament was then and there held, and continued until the 26th day of June last past, and then adjourned until the 20th day of January now next coming; therefore we command and firmly enjoin you, that, considering the difficulty of the said affairs and imminent dangers, all excuses being set aside, you be personally present at Westminster aforesaid, the said 20th day of January next coming, there to treat, confer, and give your advice with us, and with the great men and nobles in and concerning the affairs aforesaid; and this, as you love our honour and safety, and the defence of the Commonwealth aforesaid, you shall in no wise omit.

Witness ourself at Westminster, the 10th day of
December, 1657.

[April 4, 1660. Old Parliamentary History, xxii. 238. See Masson's Life of Milton, v. 697.]

Charles R.

Charles, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To all our loving subjects, of what degree or quality soever, greeting.

If the general distraction and confusion which is spread over the whole kingdom, doth not awaken all men to a desire and longing that those wounds which have so many years together been kept bleeding, may be bound up, all we can say will be to no purpose; however, after this long silence, we have thought it our duty to declare how much we desire to contribute thereunto; and that as we can never give over the hope, in good time, to obtain the possession of that right which God and nature hath made our due, so we do make it our daily suit to the Divine Providence, that He will, in compassion to us and our subjects, after so long misery and sufferings, remit and put us into a quiet and peaceable possession of that our right, with as little blood and damage to our people as is possible; nor do we desire more to enjoy what is ours, than that all our subjects may enjoy what by law is theirs, by a full and entire administration of justice throughout the land, and by extending our mercy where it is wanted and deserved.

And to the end that the fear of punishment may not engage any, conscious to themselves of what is past, to a perseverance in guilt for the future, by opposing the quiet and happiness of their country, in the restoration of King, Peers and people to their just, ancient and fundamental rights, we do, by these presents, declare, that we do grant a free and general pardon, which we are ready, upon demand, to pass under our Great Seal of England, to all our subjects, of what degree or quality soever, who, within forty days after the publishing hereof, shall lay hold upon this our grace and favour, and shall, by any public act, declare their doing so, and that they return to the loyalty and obedience of good subjects; excepting only such persons as shall hereafter be excepted by Parliament, those only to be excepted. Let all our subjects, how faulty soever, rely upon the word of a King, solemnly given by this present declaration, that no crime whatsoever, committed

against us or our royal father before the publication of this, shall ever rise in judgment, or be brought in question, against any of them, to the least endamagement of them, either in their lives, liberties or estates, or (as far forth as lies in our power) so much as to the prejudice of their reputations, by any reproach or term of distinction from the rest of our best subjects; we desiring and ordaining that henceforth all notes of discord, separation and difference of parties be utterly abolished among all our subjects, whom we invite and conjure to a perfect union among themselves, under our protection, for the re-settlement of our just rights and theirs in a free Parliament, by which, upon the word of a King, we will be advised.

And because the passion and uncharitableness of the times have produced several opinions in religion, by which men are engaged in parties and animosities against each other (which, when they shall hereafter unite in a freedom of conversation, will be composed or better understood), we do declare a liberty to tender consciences, and that no man shall be disquieted or called in question for differences of opinion in matter of religion, which do not disturb the peace of the kingdom; and that we shall be ready to consent to such an Act of Parliament, as, upon mature deliberation, shall be offered to us, for the full granting that indulgence.

And because, in the continued distractions of so many years, and so many and great revolutions. many grants and purchases of estates have been made to and by many officers, soldiers and others, who are now possessed of the same, and who may be liable to actions at law upon several titles, we are likewise willing that all such differences, and all things relating to such grants, sales and purchases, shall be determined in Parliament, which can best provide for the just satisfaction of all men who are concerned.

And we do further declare, that we will be ready to consent to any Act or Acts of Parliament to the purposes aforesaid, and for the full satisfaction of all arrears due to the officers and soldiers of the army under the command of General Monk; and that they shall be received into our service upon as good pay and conditions as they now enjoy. Given under our Sign Manual and Privy Signet, at our Court at Breda, this day of April, 1660, in the twelfth year of our reign.