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NO, AND NO AGAIN; PARLIAMENT TO CONFISCATE MALIGNANTS’ ESTATES
September 8th, 1642
Parliament has spurned a second offer of peace from King Charles, less than two weeks after rejecting the monarch’s first, and declared it would confiscate the property of the King’s supporters to meet the expenses of the war.
Delivered three days ago by Lord Falkland , the King offered "with all cheerfulness" to take down his standard, erected on August 22 in Nottingham, provided Parliament first revoke "its declarations against all persons as traitors for assisting us."
"Our chief desire in this world is to beget a good understanding and mutual confidence betwixt us and our two Houses of Parliament," the King wrote.
Parliament in its rejection reminded the King of its letter of August 27, which stated it would not treat with Charles unless he first lowered his standard and recalled his proclamation declaring those opposing him to be traitors.
"We cannot recede from our former answer," Parliament wrote to the King.
The "good and well-affected subjects" of England, Parliament said, will be repaid all monies lent Parliament "out of the estates of delinquents and of the malignant and disaffected party" in the Kingdom.
"To that end," Parliament said, "both this and succeeding generations may take warning with what danger they commit such heinous crimes."
The King’s situation is at present perilous. Portsmouth, seized for him last month by Lord Goring, surrendered today. The Earl of Essex, Lord-General of Parliament’s armies, is scheduled to depart London tomorrow or the day after to join the regiments mustering in Northampton. Parliament’s forces number near 20,000; while those of the King are said to contain fewer than 1000 horse, commanded by Prince Rupert, and 1000 foot.
It may well be that the war is over before the harvest is home.