the power of the sword it shall be opposed affronted resisted their summons scorned their Messengers kicked about the streets their Votes and Iudgments derided A mock-Authority indeed that is and a mock-Parliament too that disclaims Him from whom it self derives its being and to whom God and the Law hath committed the power of the Sword We have had heretofore many Parliaments but never read or heard of any while they kept their integrity and adhered to their maker that conven'd them together who were ever opposed affronted resisted or had any of their summons scorned their Messengers kicked about the streets or their Votes and Iudgements derided therefore all this is but copia verborum some flowers of Rebellious Rhetorick whereby they thinke to keep silly fools such as they take us still to be in that vile Captivity unto themselves wherein they formerly had and led us Yea and pag. 73. of that their so bonny Declaration they tell us to the everlasting comfort both of us and of our purses that t is necessary that their Armies be kept still on foot even so long as themselves and their posterities shall fit which they make account shall be but in perpetuum from Generation to Generation till the worlds end their words are these for the Parliaments consulting freely and acting securely it will be necessary as we have ever done since the war to keep up forces which were they all disbanded as the Scotch Commissioners desire we should not long consult freely and act securely They mean sure in cutting our throats in banishing imprisoning and hanging our persons in sequestring our estates in oppressing plundering and taking from us our goods and fortunes in destroying our Religion peace and order for nothing else do we know they have consulted about or acted since they first raised their Forces or begun their war we have had Parliaments before now that have behaved themselves a great deale better then these Declarers have done that have consulted better and acted better every way and yet never thought it necessary either to raise or keep up Forces for their owne guard or safety No for they were fenc'd with Innocency and Noblenesse of Spirit with their owne uprightnesse and their Countries Love which together with the Guard of God and his Angels was their Protection they desired no other Militia then Faith and a good Conscience to secure them For why they had never bath'd themselves in their Countries bloud nor foul'd their hands with oppression nor any way deserved the odium of their Nation But these men shew what they have merited by their fears and discover that as they raised Forces at first to subdue the King so they intend now to keep them up to subdue the Kingdome and to keep those in low slavery whose help they have had against Him and so they will pay their servants for as such onely they account those whom they have imployed or made use of a la mode du diable in that manner as Satan rewards those that work for him And now the world sees at last who began the war at first and hears from them who know best what was the true cause thereof even to wrest the Legislative power and the Militia out of the Kings hands and to excercise the same without and against His consent How true their former clamours have been that the King first tooke up Armes against the Parliament and that the Parliament was only on the defensive part let the very seduced part of men now judge His sacred Majesty in his great wisdome saw this to be their end at first and told the world of it but could not be heard or beleeved so loud a noise was made to the contrary themselves in the 68. pag. of that their Declaration tell the Scotch Commissioners who had said it was contrary to their judgements and Oath of Allegeance to divest the Crown the King and His Posterity of the right and power of the Militia that they fortifie their opinion with the very same Arguments and almost in the very same words as the King did at the beginning of this war in His Declarations whereby they acknowleged that His Majesty even then had spoken to that purpose It is hoped therefore that all men doe now apprehend who they are that all this while have been the Deceivers Againe the world also hath now seen how far and wherein His Majesty hath been averse to peace since the beginning of the war He would not hitherto be either forced or perswaded to resigne up wholly and for ever unto them that which from the very first they resolved to have from Him the Legislative power and the Militia of the Kingdome to be exercised without and against Himself to the perpetual enslavement and thraldome of all us His poor Subjects whom God hath committed to his trust to protect and defend And therefore if it were lawfull for Subjects upon any occasion to imprison their King yet what great cause or substantiall reason these have had to do so or to use their Soveraigne as they have done to resolve to make no more addresses or applications to Him let the world judge And from these many gracious Messages of His Majesty for peace thus slighted contemned and despised by them let their little modesty and candour or rather their great shamelesnesse and impudency be observed in their making the foundation of their impious Votes to be His aversenesse unto peace and in beginning their Declaration against Him in that manner as they have done viz. in these words How fruitlesse our former Addresses have been to the King is so well known to the world that it may be expected we shall now declare why we made the last or so many before rather then why we are resolved to make no more We cannot acknowledge any great confidence that our words could have been more perswasive with Him then Sighs and groanes the Tears and crying Blood an heavy crie the Blood of Fathers Brothers and Children at onse the Blood of many hundred thousand Free-borne Subjects in Three great Kingdomes which cruelty it self could not but pity to destroy We must not be so unthankefull to God as to forget we were never forced to any Treaty and yet we have no lesse then seven times made such Applications to the King and tendred such Propositions that might occasion the world to judge we have not onely yeelded up our wils and Affections but our Reason also and judgement for obtaining any true Peace or Accommodation But it never yet pleased the King to accept of any Tender fit for us to make nor yet to offer any fit for us to receive Be judges in this case O all ye people of the World now you have read and seen what offers and tenders the King hath made what reason these men had thus to ' peale Him thinke you not they are men of credit worthy to be trusted another time fit to be beleeved in all they say
and to devise a prevention of this three years confirmation lest they should feel the lash so long and be kept under worse then an Aegyptian Bondage and in order to this they began to find fault as there was cause at the Presbyterians ill usage of the King for they indeed were His chief Tormenters at Holdenby Master Marshall and his fellow-Minister being then also of that faction because at that time it was the most prevailing they exclaimed on them for handling His Majesty so hardly in keeping Him as a Prisoner denying Him the freedome of His Conscience and service of His Chaplains they remembred also with much regret of spirit as then seemed the wicked tenents of Buchanan Knox and others the erectors and propugnators of the Presbyterian Discipline in Scotland about excommunicating deposing arraigning and killing Princes and their practices against Iames his Grand-mother his Mother and himself in his Infancy and they did plainly observe as themselves said by the carriages of these Presbyterians towards His Majesty at this present that they resolved to tread in the same steps as their predecessours had done before notwithstanding their so many solemn professions and protestations to the Contrary And hereupon they said they thought it their duty according to their first ingagement in this war to bring the King to His Parliament with Safety and Honour that He might injoy the just rights of His Crown as well as of His Conscience largely promising and protesting to be instruments of the same to the content of His Majesty and the whole Kingdome and upon these pretences the King was delivered by them from that particular thraldome at Holdenby And afterward brought with the applause and joy of His people to His Manour of Hampton where His Servants and Chaplains at first were allowed accesse to Him and many of His Subjects permitted to glad their hearts with the sight of Him And this gleame of prosperity blazed well till the Houses were thinned of the chief Heads of the contrary faction for in very deed all this was done to another end then was pretended and ordered by other Councels then yet appeared it being the nature of some men to envy that any should be more injurious then themselves or have a greater hand in acting evill then they There were in the Houses and elswhere some Grandees as they are since called that were ambitious of ingrossing the sole power over King and Kingdom which others as yet had as large a share in managing of if not a larger then themselves to exclude whom they made use of the Independent humour in the inferiour Officers and Souldiers layed the plot for them in that manner as it was acted secretly provoked them to the undertaking and countenanced them in it when it was done by pretending to be of their Religion clouding their maine Designe all the while from the body of the Army whom they set a work to make certaine Proposals partly in their owne behalf and partly tending to those things which had been promised to the King while themselves in the interim were dressing or making ready to act the very same part which those they disliked had done before and had been thus intermitted for a season till those others were ejected or cast over-board for the very same Propositions in Effect that had formerly assaulted His Majesty at Newcastle and were answered by Him from Holdenby as we have seen are to renew His trouble remitted to Him which His Majesty returns Answer unto in these words His Majesties seventeenth Message His Majesties most gracious Answer to the Propositions presented to Him at Hampton-Court CHARLS R. HIs Majesty cannot chuse but be passionately sensible as He believes all His good Subjects are of the late great distractions and still languishing and unsetled state of this Kingdome and He calls God to witnesse and is willing to give testimony to all the world of His readinesse to contribute His utmost endevours for restoring it to a happy and flourishing condition His Majesty having perused the Propositions now brought to Him finds them the same in effect which were offered to Him at Newcastle To some of which as He could not then consent without violation of His Conscience and Honour So neither can He agree to others now conceiving them in many respects more disagreeable to the present condition of affairs then when they were formerly presented unto Him as being destructive to the main principall Interests of the Army and of all those whose Affections concur with them And His Majesty having seen the Proposals of the Army to the Commissioners from His two Houses residing with them and with them to be treated on in order to the clearing and securing of the Rights and Liberties of the Kingdome and the setling of a just and lasting Peace To which Proposals as He conceives His two Houses not to be strangers So He believes they will think with Him that they much more conduce to the satisfaction of all Interests and may be a fitter foundation for a lasting Peace then the Propositions which at this time are tendred unto Him He therefore propounds as the best way in His judgment in order to a Peace That His two Houses would instantly take into consideration those Proposals upon which there may be a Personall Treaty with His Majesty and upon such other Propositions as his Majesty shal make hoping that the said Propositions may be so moderated in the said Treaty as to render them the more capable of his Majesties full concession Wherein He resolves to give full satisfaction to His people for whatsoever shall concern the setling of the Protestant Profession with liberty to tender Consciences and the securing of the Laws Liberties and Properties of all His Subjects and the just Priviledges of Parliaments for the future and likewise by His present deportment in this Treaty He will make the world clearly judge of his intentions in matters of future Government In which Treaty His Majesty will be well pleased if it be thought fit that Commissioners from the Army whose the Proposals are may likewise be admitted His Majesty therefore conjures his two Houses of Parliament by the duty they owe to God and his Majesty their King and by the bowels of compassion they have to their fellow-subjects both for the relief of their present sufferings to prevent future miseries that they will forthwith accept of this his Majesties Offer whereby the joyfull newes of Peace may be restored to this distressed Kingdome And for what concerns the Kingdome of Scotland mentioned in the Propositions his Majesty will very willingly Treat upon those particulars with the Scotch Commissioners and doubts not but to give reasonable satisfaction to that his Kingdome At Hampton-court the 9. of Septemb. 1647. For the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore to be communicated c. It appeares by this Message of His Majestie and more fully by the Propositions themselves which it relates unto that
THE KINGS MOST GRACIOVS MESSAGES FOR PEACE AND A PERSONAL TREATY Published for His Peoples Satisfaction that they may see and judge whether the foundation of the Commons Declaration touching their Votes of no farther Addresse to the KING viz. His Majesties aversenesse to Peace be just Rationall and Religious PSAL. 21.7 The King trusteth in the Lord and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved Printed in the Yeare 1648. TO THE READERS of whatsoever Nation Quality or Condition Readers THe Papists teach that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion but we believe of mischief rather The world knew him not says the Spirit of our Saviour for had they known as in another place they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory and â—f Ignorance it was they desired Barabbas and denyed Jesus I wot that through Ignorance ye did it sayes the Apostle So many people in these times have been busily mischievous against their King through Ignorance because they did not know Him for had they known His Vertues and His Graces they would not doubtlesse have opposed Him nor preferred such as they have done before Him But as our Saviour was so hath our Soveraign been shaddowed much from vulgar Eyes by the black cloud of sclaunder and reproaches which notwithstanding was and is removed from each by the patient sufferings gentle actions and gracious sayings of them both so that what was hidden did and doth at last appear maugre spight to admiration Verily this was the Son of God said some of Christ in those dayes who before had thought but meanly of him And againe Never Man did or spake like him So those men who when time was had low opinions of their King are even forced to confesse now that Doubtlesse He is a man of God highly beloved of the Father for never any in the midst of so much sorrow suffered acted or writ better then He hath done What Christs Minde and Spirit was even unto those who studyed His hurt the Gospell shewes and that all men might know the same 't is His Command to read that Search the Scriptures sayes he for they are they which doe testifie of me Indeed they are His Messages of Peace to mankinde they dâ—scover His love and disposition to us His strong desires of Reconciliation with us And of like nature or kinde to them are these ensuing Royall Papers which also for a like end are here collected published and presented in one view that the world might more fully see and know the King They are Messages of Peace from Him the wronged party and may be not unfitly called His Majesties Gospell to His people wherein they may most clearly view His Gracious Spirit and His temper His gentle Nature and disposition even towards those who take pains and pleasure both to vex and grieve Him Had that Heathen Senate of old Rome read Christs Gospell and Him therein His power and readinesse to save them they would not doubtlesse have voted Him no God So it may be thought if the Senate of these dayes had read these Messages of their Soveraign with a right Eye and observed His goodnesse expressed in them His ability and willingness of minde to pardon such as themselves are they would not have voted Him no King or which is little lesse no more Addresses to be made to Him But it seemes now through their default in grace and light His Majesties Regality like Christs Divinity must depend upon the approbation of His own Creatures for such they are as they possesse the place of Senatours and must passe for currant no longer in the world then they shall please to allow of it But doth not this Act of theirs proclaime to all they fear not God 't is His command that if a Brother an equall or common man be at odds with any there should be a going or sending to and a receiving from till a concord be concluded but these being at difference with their King their Soveraign their Publick Father to whom they owe all duty have voted the quite contrary and Resolv'd upon the Question that no more Addresses be made unto or received from Him and supposing that this their opposition unto God might be noted to their shame they have since that advised upon an Ordinance that none shall presume to speak against them or to finde fault at their so doing This is the Divinity of these times or rather of these new Reformers but we refer their doings to the worlds censure and themselves to the Iudge of all flesh Readers You have here set before your Eyes Piety and Conscience Wisdome and Humility Majesty and Mercy Bowels of Compassion and Charity to Friends and Enemies Yea what ever discovers a good King and a perfect Christian you shall meet with it in these Messages of His Majesty Behold them Read them Consider of them And let that sweet Spirit of God which shines and breathes in them be conveyed plentifully into your Hearts by them The Preface HAd Solomon lived in our daies He would scarce have said there is no new thing under the Sun or that which is hath been for surely that which now is hath never been the Sun never saw such a shamelesse and viperous Generation as the wicked world in this her last and worst Age hath brought forth Patience cannot mention them without a zealous passion against them and should Christ himself speak of them He would say they were of their father the Devill who undoubtedly hath put forth his whole strength to their begetting by whose sole help He hopes under contrary pretences and professions for ever to disgrace if not to ruinate Christian verity in this Kingdome to banish all Duty and Charity from among us to rob us of that Liberty which no people like us did injoy and to keep us under the most cruell and unreasonable Bondage that ever was and so to make us who were the Happiest of all nations the most miserable and despised To which ungodly ends this sinfull Brood have raised a most wicked war in their own native Country against their Soveraign the indulgent Father of it unto whom themselves had often sworn fidelity and Allegiance nor hath the supream Moderator of Heaven and Earth yet stopt them in their way but for the due punishment of our sins the full discovery of their incredible wickednesse and of those admirable graces in the King hath suffered them rather to prevail prosper and grow worse and worse these 7 years together in which interim or space of time His sacred Majesty though the wronged party imitating the Great and Good God hath often in his Commiseration and pity both to us and them of our misery and their madnesse sought Peace at their Hands who for no cause had broke the same yea and offered more for the Purchase of it then was ever till now desired of any English King But they designing as is now Evident to inslave us and settle themselves
our blessed Reformers Sure had they any Hope that the King were likely by impertinent discourses to Help their lame and barren cause with some advantages they would easily admit of a Treaty with Him what ere they say to the Contrary or did they imagine His Royall Pen could speak any thing but Innocency truth and Reason they would be content to hear from it upon this their further provocation of it but wholly despairing of such matters they have thought meet to imprison both Him and His Pen too which they know would in a moment cast down this idle Cobweb as it formerly hath done others of like nature and they think to stop all mens mouths by affirming the world well knows How fruitlesse their former Addresses have been to the King But though His Majesties Hands are thus tied this Spiders web must not scape brushing before it had Hung 3 daies an Honest broome reached at it a wholesome Antidote came out against it and made it appeare to be as it is fit onely for the draught or Dunghill and almost daily since some Loyall foot or other hath been trampling on it for Stones would surely move and stir in this case if men should not But sith none can speak so well as the King and He is voted to speak no more and sith their appeal is made to the worlds knowledge it shall not be amisse for the world to look back upon what the King hath said or done already even in Confutation of that here Charged upon Him scil His aversness unto Peace perhaps thereby alone it will sufficiently appear that of all sclaunderers which ever were these Declarers have deserved the name of the most impudent and most shamelesse We shall not need to look back so far as to the years 1642. 43. or call to mind His Majesties unwillingnesse to war at first His many Messages to prevent the same and to preserve peace before it was broken or to mention how scornfully they were entertained as effects only of His weakness instances of His want of power to make resistance Nor will we remember how by force of Arms they had kept him out of His town of Hull taken His Militia and Navy from Him and raised an Army against Him before He set up His Standerd in His own defence against them which His desire of Peace had prevailed with him to take down again and to recall his most just Declaration so that their unreverend and scandalous Libels against him might but likewise be recalled nor yet how in those daies his Messengers men of High Nobility and great Honour against whom they had nothing to object but that imployment were not suffered in person to declare their Message because it was for Peace but commanded to depart the town speedily Nor how at other times they imprisoned others that came to them on the same Errand how they often neglected to return Him any Answer at all or perhaps in lieu thereof after a moneths delay they would send Him a parcell of reproachfull expressions and peevish constructions of what He had writ in the sincerity of His heart and pity of Spirit for the insuing Miseries of His people which notwithstanding He would still interpret and call but mistakes that He might not exasperate if possible their ulcerated minds unto contention though in very deed they were no other then High Sclaunders studied Contempts Nor wil we call to mind how once in particular His earnest pressing for peace by a second and third Message before He had received Answer to a former did appear so intolerably offensive unto them that to teach Him to make an end of such motions and to prevent if it might be all further molestations from Him of that nature they fell the very next day after their receipt thereof having first committed His Messenger to accuse His Majesties Royall Consort of High Treason But these things at so large a distance we need not remember nor how his Majesty after the often frustration of such His own endevours for Peace did convene the loyall Lords and Commons at Oxford to consult of a way to procure that desired blessing how they laboured in vain about the same and had their Letters which they sent to that end cryed up and down London streets in scorn under the Title of a Petition of the Prince of Wales and Duke of Yorke for Peace How in answer thereto Papers full of Treason sedition and disloyalty were sent unto them together with that unlawfull Covenant which now themselves deride at as an Almanacke of last year or occasionall trick devised at the present to cheat the Kingdome for His Majesty and all in Oxford to take nor need we remember how all those Noble and Loyall men did under their Hands attest to all the world His Majesties earnest longings to have a period put to these unkind divisions which Himself also by his Actions did alwaies confirm whose constant course it was at the end of any Victory got by him or any remarkable defeat given to them to send forth His Proclamations of Mercy and tenders of pardon which are still extant in many hands on Condition they would but at length be quiet and imbrace peace which they would never consent unto unlesse He would also yeild to Justifie their Iealousies and to condemn Himself as guilty of all they had Charged upon Him And 't is well enough known that when ever He procured to have a Treaty with them which was but seldome His Propositions were so much tending to their advantage and his owne damage that nothing disliked them more then His moderation which indeed was the true cause of their continuall backwardnesse unto Treaties and also of their strict Limitations to their Commissioners when with much adoe they were obtained as is evident enough by the passages of that at Vxbridge for they supposing the reasonablenesse of what they knew His Majesty desired and the unreasonablenesse of what themselves intended to aske would be so apparent by a free and open discussion that a Peace thereby might happily be produced in despight of them wherefore their care was to prevent if they could any Treaties at all or else by devises to break them off before they came to any perfection and then they would with all speed make a Declaration to the world wherein they would pretend fully to shew that His Majesties demands had neither Reason nor Iustice either in the matter or manner of them but were such as left the people no Hopes to see an End of their present Calamities But as was said we shall not need to look back so far for Helps to overthrow the Groundwork of this their false building we shall onely remember the meanes used by His Majesty for Peace since His peoples Calamities are confessed without dispute to be solely continued by these Declarers since the power hath been wholly in their Hands and few or no forces pretending for the King in
Propositions and Bills for the setling of a safe and well grounded Peace which are speedily to be communicated to the Commissioners of the Kingdom of Scotland do resolve after mutuall agreement of both Kingdoms to present them with all speed to Your Majesty Gray of Wark Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore William Lenthall Speaker of the House of Commons Westminster the 25. December 1645. WE have read of a proud Pope that made His Lord the Emperour seeking for a Treaty with Him wait three daies before he would grant it but never till this Age was it heard or read that Humble and Loyall Subjects as these men call themselves did force their Soveraigne to wait twenty daies for an Answer to a like request and then return Him a flat deniall But His majesty had been too long and too well acquainted with this perversenesse of theirs and being in His measure like Him whose Vicegerent He is of great patience and long-suffering passeth by again this their unreverend Carriage and demeanour towards Him without any expostulation about the same being ever carefull to shun and avoid what might in likelyhood hinder His pious designe of obtaining Peace unto his people and therefore presseth again His last motion in his third Message for a personall Treaty in these words His Majesties fourth Message CHARLS R. ALthough the Message sent by Sir Peter Killegrew may justly require an expostulatory Answer yet His Majesty laies that aside as not so proper for His present Endevours leaving all the World to judge whether His Proposition for a Personall Treaty or the flat deniall of a safe Conduct for Persons to begin a Treaty be greater signes of a reall Intention to Peace and shall now onely insist upon His former Message of the 26 of this December That upon His repair to Westminster He doubts not but so to joyne His Endeavours with His two Houses of Parliament as to give just satisfaction not onely concerning the businesse of Ireland but also for the setling of a way for the payment of the Publike Debts as well to the Scots and to the City of London as others And as already He hath shewn a fair way for the setling of the Militia so He shall carefully Endeavour in all other Particulars that none shall have cause to complain for want of security whereby just Jealousies may arise to hinder the continuance of the desired Peace And certainly this Proposition of a Personall Treaty could never have entred into His Majesties Thoughts if He had not resolved to make apparent to all the World that the Publike good and Peace of this Kingdom is farre dearer to Him then the respect of any particular Interest Wherefore none can oppose this Motion without a manifest demonstration that He particularly envies His Majesty should be the chief Author in so blessed a Work besides the declaring Himself a direct opposer of the happy Peace of these Nations To conclude whosoever will not be ashamed that His fair and specious Protestations should be brought to a true and Publike Test and those who have a reall sence and doe truely commiserate the miseries of their bleeding Countrey let them speedily and cheerfully embrace His Majesties Proposition for His Personall Treaty at Westminster which by the blessing of God will undoubtedly to these now distracted Kingdomes restore the happinesse of a long wisht for and lasting Peace Given at the Court at Oxford the 29 day of December 1645. For the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore to be Communicated to the two Houses of Parlialiament at Westminster and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland THis Message as it seems was very unpleasing and spake the King very troublesome in being so importunate for Peace and to come amongst them whose presence next to that of God would be the greatest torment to them Wherefore to let him know that Ambassadors for Peace are never welcome but to those that love it and to give him a guesse what Himselfe should find if He came within their reach they kept His Messenger as their Prisoner and returned silence to His Message hereupon His Majesty having waited their Leasure full twenty daies longer viz. from Dec. 26. to Ian. 15. and hearing no news of either sends to inquire after His Trumpet and withall moves again to the same purpose as before inlarging His offers for what He desires and recedes further yet from His owne Rights for His Peoples quiet in these words His Majesties fifth Message CHARLS R. BUt that these are times wherein nothing is strange it were a thing much to be marvailed at what should cause this unparalell'd long detention of His Majesties Trumpet sent with His Gracious Message of the 26 of December last Peace being the only Subject of it and His Majesties Personall Treaty the means proposed for it And it were almost as great a wonder that His Majesty should be so long from inquiring after it if that the hourly expectation thereof had not in some measure satisfied His Impatience But let His Majesty by His long silence should condemn Himself of Carelesnesse in that which so much concerns the good of all His People He thinks it high time to inquire after His said Trumpeter For since all men who pretend any goodness must desire Peace and that all men know Treaties to be the best and most Christian way to procure it and there being as little question that His Majesties Personal Presence in it is the likeliest way to bring it to a happy Issue He judges there must be some strange variety of accidents which causeth this most tedious delay wherefore His Majesty earnestly desires to have a speedy Account of His former Message the subject whereof is Peace and the means His Personall presence at Westminster where the Government of the Church being setled as it was in the times of the happy and glorious Reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King Iames and full Liberty for the ease of their Consciences who will not communicate in that Service established by Law and likewise for the free and publike use of the Directory prescribed and by Command of the two Houses of Parliament now practised in some parts of the City of London to such as shall desire to use the same and all Forces being agreed to be Disbanded His Majesty will then forthwith as He hath in His Message of the 29 of December last already offered joyn with His two Houses of Parliament in setling some way for the payment of the publike Debts to His Scots Subjects the City of London and others And His Majesty having proposed a fair way for the setling of the Militia which now by this long delay seems not to be thought sufficient security His Majesty to shew how really He will imploy Himself at His coming to Westminster for making this a lasting Peace and taking away all jealousies how groundlesse soever will endeavour upon debate with His two Houses so to
who from hence may observe that no rudenesse or insolency towards Him nor unjust aspersions of Him are able to divert Him from pursuing the means of their welfare His words are these His Majesties seventh Message CHARLS R. THe procuring Peace to these Kingdoms by Treaty is so much desired by His Majesty that no unjust aspersions whatsoever or any other discouragements shall make Him desist from doing His endevour therein untill He shall see it altogether impossible and therefore hath thought fitting so far only to make reply to that Paper or Answer which He hath received of the 13 of this instant Ian. as may take away those Objections which are made against His Majesties coming to Westminster expecting still an Answer to His Messages of the 15 and 17. which He hopes by this time have begotten better thoughts and resolutions in the Members of both Houses And first therefore Whereas in the said last Paper it is objected as an impediment to His Majesties personal Treaty that much innocent bloud hath been shed in this War by His Majesties Commissions c. He will not now dispute it being apparent to all the World by whom this bloud hath been spilt but rather presseth that there should be no more and to that end only He hath desired this personall Treaty as judging it the most immediate means to abolish so many horrid confusions in all His Kingdoms And it is no argument to say That there shall be no such personall Treaty because there have been Wars it being a strong inducement to have such a Treaty to put an end to the War Secondly that there should be no such personall Treaty because some of His Irish Subjects have repaired to His assistance in it seems an argument altogether as strange as the other as alwaies urging that there should be no Physick because the party is sick And in this particular it hath been often observed unto them that those whom they call Irish who have so expressed their Loyalty to their Soveraigne were indeed for the most part such English Protestants as had been formerly sent into Ireland by the two Houses impossibilitated to stay there any longer by the neglect of those that sent them thither who should there have better provided for them And for any Forrain forces it is too apparent that their Armies have swarmed with them when His Majesty hath had very few or none And whereas for a third impediment it is alleaged that the Prince is in the head of an Army in the West and that there are divers Garrisons stil kept in his Majesties obedience that there are Forces in Scotland it must be as much confessed as that as yet there is no peace and therefore it is desired that by such a personall Treaty all these impediments may be removed And it is not here amisse to put them in mind how long since His Majesty did presse a disbanding of all Forces on both sides the refusing whereof hath been the cause of this objection And whereas exception is taken that there is a time limited in the Proposition for His Majesties personall Treaty thereupon inferring that He should again return to Hostility His Majesty protesteth that He seeks this Treaty to avoid future Hostility and to procure a lasting peace and if He can meet with like inclinations to Peace in those He desires to Treat with He will bring such affections and resolutions in Himself as shal end all these unhappy bloudy differences As for those ingagements which His Majesty hath desired for His security whosoever shall call to mind the particular occasions that enforced His Majesty to leave His City of London and Westminster will judge His demand very reasonable and necessary for His safety But He no way conceiveth how the L. Major Aldermen Common-Councell and Militia of London were either subject or subordinate to that Authority which is alleaged as knowing neither Law nor practice for it and if the two Armies be He believes it is more then can be parallel'd by any former times in this Kingdom Nor can His Majesty understand how His Majesties seeking of a Personall Security can be any breach of Priviledge it being likely to be infringed by hindering His Majesty from coming freely to His two Houses As for the Objection that His Majesty omitted to mention the setling Religion and securing the Peace of His Native Kingdom His Majesty declares that He conceives that it was included in His former and hath been particularly mentioned in his latter Message of the 15 present But for their better satisfaction he again expresseth that it was and ever shal be both his meaning and endevour in this Treaty desired and it seems to him very clear that there is no way for a finall ending of such distractions as afflict this Kingdom but either by Treaty or Conquest the latter of which his Majesty hopes none will have the impudency or impiety to wish for and for the former if his Personall assistance in it be not the most likely way let any reasonable man judge when by that means not only all unnecessary delaies will be removed but even the greatest difficulties made easie And therefore he doth now again earnestly insist upon that proposition expecting to have a better answer upon mature consideration And can it be imagined that any Propositions will be so effectuall being formed before a personall Treaty as such as are framed and propounded upon a full debate on both sides Wherefore his Majesty who is most concerned in the good of his People and is most desirous to restore peace and happinesse to his three Kingdoms doth again instantly desire an Answer to his said former Messages to which he hath hitherto received none Given at our Court at Oxon the 24. of Jan. 1645. To the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore to be communicated to the two Houses of Parliament at Westminster and to the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland FEw that ventured their lives to fetch home the King at the instigation of these men or that heard their Preachers pray so oft that God would incline His Majesties heart to come unto His Parliament would ever have believed that He should thus be put to plead for His own admittance amongst them who pretended to be so fond of His Company or to Answer such cavils against the same as He hath here done if they had not seen them objected under their own Hands nor would any have been perswaded had there not been somewhat extant to evidence the same that these men could after all this have affirmed that themselves had yeilded up not only their wills and Affections but also their reason and judgment for obtaining a good Accommodation with the King but now 't is manifest who they are that have abused gulled and deceived the world and who have been the only obstructers unto Peace and most perfect Enemies thereunto And yet 't is no mervaile that the wickednesse of these
themselves were many and had imployed all their craft which was not little 8 Months together as they pretended in the framing of them yet were perswaded as it seems that His Majesty alone in regard of His clear wisdome sincerity and honesty of Heart was able in three or four dayes to Answer them fully and therefore they assigned him no longer time to deliberate on them or else they supposed that His Maj. in His eagernesse of minde to obtain Peace so oft earnestly writ for by Him would blindly and suddainly consent without more adoe to what ever on that condition they asked of Him for as crafty Chapmen will enhaunse the price beyond all reason of that Commodity they have to sell when they see a Customer fond of it so did these men deal with their King He had fully manifested a most fervent desire of procuring quiet to His people by His many Messages large Offers wherein He had shewed a readinesse to yeild up His own Rights or to speak in their phrase His will and Affections yea and His Reason and Iudgement too for the purchase of it So it were reall and good Whereupon perhaps they fancied that He would not stick to resigne up His Conscience also upon their demand together with the Rights of His Crown to which He was born and the trust committed to Him by God and the Law over the lives and Estates of all His Subjects into those Hands which have been excercised in nothing this seven years but Bloud Rapine and Oppression without any probability of recovering the same againe to Himselfe or His successors For indeed they are now come to that pitch of the pinacle that unlesse the King will condescend to cast Himself down to destroy himself and to ruine Monarchy no concessions of His shall please them nor shall his many Messages and large offers obtaine peace from them unto his people who may themselves judge of what kinde it would be by that experience they have had of them already if the King should yeild so far as to lay down his life and Crown for the purchase But God be thanked our King is no Child nor false Shepherd but a man after Gods own Heart and a very Moses though meeke and patient to admiration in his own case throughout all his dealings with this stif-necked and rebellious generation yet most valiant and magnanimous in the Cause of God and most faithfull in the dicharge of that trust reposed in Him our Saviour would rather suffer himself to be no Man then yeild himself to be no King he would rather part with his life then his Kingship and so will our Soveraign and therefore our God we trust will preserve both for the further Happinesse yet of this Church and Nation But let 's observe His Majesties goodnesse towards these men in this His Message or Answer to their Propositions He was ashamed as seemeth that the world should take full notice of their impiety and unreasonablenesse in them and therefore was pleased to shadow the same in a measure from the worlds eye by impleading the difficulty of understanding the said Propositions for want of necessary explanations as if there had been or might haply be more Iustice and Reason in them then was apparent when indeed there was more mischeife then could be easily beleeved And this he alledgeth as the cause of his not returning particular Answers to them and in truth there is much ambiguity and darknesse in them which the Contrivers were studious and carefull to leave in their composing of them that thereby themselves might still have evasions and occasions to raise cavills what ever His Majesties Answer should be unto them to which end also they were provident to Bind up their Commissioners tongues from speaking any such word in way of discourse as might discover to the King their further meanings Wherefore his Majesty finding it impossible to returne such a plenary Answer as in His Conscience might be justifiable in Gods sight or conductive to a safe and well-grounded peace he proposeth again his own comming to London to treat with them and for the avoiding of all mistakes to hear them explaine their own meanings and ingages himself to give his cheerfull assent to all such Bills as shall be really to the good and peace of His people and to prefer the Happinesse of this Kingdome before His own particular and as a mean to work a confidence in them of His own sincerity in these things he offers again to trust them with no lesse then his own Person and conjures them as they are Christians as they are Subjects and as they are men who desire to leave a good name behinde them so to receive make use of this His Answer that all issues of Bloud may be stopped and these unhappy distractions peaceably setled But as appears neither the Dignity of Christians the Duty of Subjects nor the Credit of a good Name will prevaile with them any more then his Majesties former Messages and Intreaties had done for they had as it seemes renounced and rejected them all before hand and therefore without taking any notice of this Conjuration of their Soveraign or of any thing else which he had writ unto them in the whole Message they go on silently and resolutely in that way which themselves had chosen which His Majesty observing after some months patient expectance bent His thoughts to the making some particular Answers to the fore-mentioned Propositions desiring if possible to give them content but upon His most serious consideration on them He found that He did but labour in vain for He could not speak so unto them but some who lay in wait for that purpose would mis-construe and pervert His sayings to a contrary sence unlesse Himself were present among them to paraphrase upon his owne words and explain His meaning wherefore He hoping that Gods grace and spirit might at last peradventure have some footing in their minds He rather chuseth to propose again by another Message five months after the former His own coming unto them and renues His former offers discovering thereby that notwithstanding their transcendent neglects and contempts of Him yet He was still as constant in His good intentions to them as they were in their ill resolutions against Him His words are these His Majesties thirteenth Message CHARLS R. HIs Majesties thoughts being alwaies sincerely bent to the Peace of His Kingdoms was will be ever desirous to take all waies which might the most cleerly make appear the candour of His intentions to His people And to this end could find no better way then to propose a Personall free debate with His two Houses of Parliament upon all the present differences Yet finding very much against His expectations that this offer was laid aside His Majesty bent all His thoughts to make His intentions fully known by a particular Answer to the Propositions delivered to Him in the name of both Kingdomes 24.
Lord for thou beholdest mischief and spight to requite it with thine hand O keep not long silence therefore be not far off from thine Anointed Stir up thy self and awake to his Judgment and unto His cause thou art his God thou alone art his Lord Judge thou for Him according to thy righteousnesse and let not these miscreant men triumph any longer over Him let them not say in their hearts Ah! so would we have it Let them not say we have swallowed him up let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at his hurt yea let them be cloathed with shame and dishonour that magnifie themselves against Him but let them shout for joy and ever have cause to be glad that favour His righteous cause yea let them say continually Let the Lord be magnified which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant Amen Amen His Majesty at last having waited two months for Answer was sufficiently informed by their silence how vainly He laboured in soliciting for His Chaplains and thereupon forbears to be further importunate in that businesse it concerned His own particular self and comfort and He can more easily desist in pursuing a thing of that nature then in seeking for a blessing which more immediately concerns His people and therefore though His request for Peace had been rejected thirteen times already in lesse then thirteen months yet He cannot hold from renewing that yea though they had frustrated His expectation a long time in not sending such Propositions as they had promised or given Him hopes to receive for His more full and clear understanding their sence in the former and did also keep His Person in so unworthy so unheard of and so provocative a Condition as might have swell'd with stoutnesse the mildest heart and awaken'd passion had it not been dead in a very Martyr yet with the greatest meeknesse and sweetnesse of stile that can be imagined doth He write unto them again and sends most gracious Answers to their former unreasonable Propositions after He had diligently endevoured and studied divers moneths how to make them such as salva conscientia might be most agreeable to the likings of His Parliaments His words are these His Majesties sixteenth Message His Majesties most gracious Message for Peace from Holdenby with His Answer to the Propositions CHARLES R. AS the daily expectation of the comming of the Propositions hath made His Majesty this long time to forbear giving His Answer unto them so the appearance of their sending being no more for any thing He can hear then it was at His first comming hither notwithstanding that the Earl of Louderdale hath been at London above these ten daies whose not coming was said to be the onely stop hath caused His Majesty thus to anticipate their coming to Him and yet considering His Condition that His Servants are denied accesse to Him all but very few and those by appointment not His own Election and that it is declared a crime for any but the Commissioners or such who are particularly permitted by them to converse with His Majesty or that any Letters should be given to or received from Him may He not truly say that He is not in case fit to make Concessions or give Answers since He is not master of those ordinary Actions which are the undoubted Rights of any free-born man how mean soever his birth be And certainly he would still be silent as to this subject untill His Condition were much mended did He not prefer such a right understanding betwixt Him and His Parliaments of both Kingdoms which may make a firm and lasting Peace in all His Dominions before any particular of His own or any earthly blessing and therefore His Majesty hath diligently imployed His utmost indevours for divers moneths past so to inform His Understanding and satisfie His Conscience that He might be able to give such Answers to the Propositions as would be most agreeable to His Parliaments but He ingenuously professes that notwithstanding all the pains that He hath taken therein the nature of some of them appears such unto Him that without disclaiming that Reason which God hath given him to judge by for the good of Him and His People and without putting the greatest violence upon His own Conscience He cannot give His consent to all of them Yet His Majesty that it may appear to all the World how desirous He is to give full satisfaction hath thought fit hereby to expresse His readinesse to grant what He may and His willingnesse to receive from them and that personally if His two Houses at Westminster shall approve thereof such further Information in the rest as may best convince His judgment and satisfie those doubts which are not yet clear unto Him desiring them also to consider that if His Majesty intended to wind Himself out of these troubles by indirect means were it not easie for Him now readily to consent to what hath or shall be proposed unto Him and afterwards chuse His time to break all alleaging that forc'd Concessions are not to be kept surely He might and not incur a hard censure from indifferent men But maximes in this kind are not the guides of His Majesties actions for He freely and clearly avows that He holds it unlawfull for any man and most base in a King to recede from His promises for having been obtained by force or under restraint wherefore His Majesty not only rejecting those acts which He esteems unworthy of Him but even passing by that which he might well insist upon a point of honour in respect of His present condition thus answers the first Proposition That upon His Majesties coming to London He will heartily joyne in all that shall concern the Honour of His two Kingdomes or the Assembly of the States of Scotland or of the Commissioners or Deputies of either Kingdome particularly in those things which are desired in that Proposition upon confidence that all of them respectively with the same tenderness will look upon those things which concern His Majesties Honour In answer to all the Propositions concerning Religion His Majesty proposeth that He will confirm the Presbyteriall Government the Assembly of Divines at Westminster and the Directory for three years being the time set down by the two Houses so that His Majesty and His Houshold be not hindred from that form of Gods Service which they formerly have And also that a free consultation and debate be had with the Divines at Westminster twenty of His Majesties nomination being added unto them whereby it may be determined by Hâ—s Majesty and the two Houses how the Church shall be governed after the said three years or sooner if differences may be agreed Touching the Covenant His Majesty is not yet therein satisfied desires to respite His particular answer thereunto until His coming to London because it being a matter of conscience He cannot give a resolution therein till He may be assisted with the advice of
the manner of Addresse which is now made unto Him Unlesse his two Houses intend that his Majesty shall allow of a Great Seal made without his Authority before there be any consideration had thereupon in a Treaty Which as it may hereafter hazard the security it self so for the present it seems very unreasonable to his Majesty And though his Majesty is willing to believe that the intention of very many in both Houses in sending these Bils before a Treaty was only to obtain a trust from Him and not to take any advantage by passing them to force other things from Him which are either against His Conscience or Honour Yet his Majesty believes it clear to all understandings that these Bils contain as they are now penned not only the devesting Himself of all Soveraignty and that without possibility of recovering it either to Him or his Successours except by repeal of those Bils but also the making his Concessions guilty of the greatest pressures that can be made upon the Subject as in other particulars so by giving an Arbitrary and Vnlimited power to the two Houses for ever to raise and levie Forces for Land or Sea service of what persons without distinction or quality and to what numbers they please And likewise for the payment of them to levy what Monies in such sort and by such waies and means and consequently upon the Estates of whatsoever Persons they shall think fit appoint Which is utterly inconsistent with the Liberty Property of the Subject and his Majesties trust in protecting them So that if the Major part of both Houses shall think it necessary to put the rest of the Propositions into Bils His Majesty leaves all the world to judge how unsafe it would be for Him to consent thereunto And if not what a strange condition after the passing of these four Bils his Majesty and all his Subjects would be cast into And here his Majesty thinks it not unfit to wish his two Houses to consider well the manner of their proceeding That when his Majesty desires a Personall Treaty with them for the setling of a Peace they in answer propose the very subject matter of the most essentiall part thereof to be first granted A thing which will be hardly credible to Posterity Wherefore his Majesty declares That neither the desire of being freed from this tedious and irksome condition of life his Majesty hath so long suffered nor the apprehension of what may befall him in case his two Houses shal not afford him a Personal Treaty shall make him change his resolution of not consenting to any Act till the whole Peace be concluded Yet then he intends not only to give just and reasonable satisfaction in the particulars presented to him but also to make good all other Concessions mentioned in his Message of the 16. of Novemb. last Which he thought would have produced better effects then what he finds in the Bils and Propositions now presented unto him And yet his Majesty cannot give over but now again earnestly presseth for a Personal Treaty so passionately is he affected with the advantages which Peace wil bring to his Majesty and all his Subjects of which he will not at all despair there being no other visible way to obtain a wel-grounded Peace However his Majesty is very much at ease within himself for having fulfilled the offices both of a Christian and of a King and will patiently wait the good pleasure of Almighty God to incline the hearts of his two Houses to consider their King and to compassionate their fellow Subjects miseries Given at Carisbrook-Castle in the Isle of Wight Decemb. 28. 1647. For the Speaker of the Lords House pro tempore to be communicated to the Lords and Commons in the Parliament of England at Westminster and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland HIs Majesties Afflictions have been much increased by manifesting His care as an equall Father that satisfaction might be given to all ingaged interests therefore Presbyterians Independents Army Scots and all whoever they be that acknowledge a part in them and remain yet unsatisfied have reason as Christians as Subjects as men for meer gratitude sake were there no other reason to endeavour the vindication of those wrongs at least which His Majesty hath suffered since He stood forth as their Common Advocate To prevent their Audience upon the Kings motion were these Bills devised and sent in this sort unto His Majesty And for His not consenting so far to their damage and to the undoing of all the rest of His Subjects as these Bils required was His Majesty cast into a more hard and miserable Condition by some degrees then ever before having all His Servants on the sodain by violence thrust out from Him not so much as one of His Divines allowed unto Him Himself confined to two or three Roomes within the walls of a loathed Prison assaulted frequently He is with evil language and tormented with the spightfull behaviours of the Enemy permitted to see or speak to none but rude Souldiers who are set to watch Him and whom He hath hourly cause to look upon as Assassinates appointed for to murder Him His friends are not suffered to write unto Him nor His Children to send the remembrance of their duties yet His Trunks and Pockets are often searched for Letters with the highest insolency and rudenesse that can be shewn And all this with much more of like nature then can be expressed is come upon Him as it seemeth for moving in the behalf of all ingaged interests and therefore most truly did His Majesty in the Beginning of this Message say for He hath felt it since that He found the complying with all ingaged interests in these great distempers none of the least difficulties He met withall since the time of His Afflictions and therefore also as was said before were there no other cause they are all bound to ingage for Him till they have set Him free from His present Thraldome And indeed the Scotch Commissioners for their parts began well in their protesting in the name of their whole Kingdome against those unreasonable Bils at the same time that they were by the English Commissioners presented to His Majesty as being prejudiciall to Religioâ— to the Crown to the union and interest of both Nations and directly different from their former mutuall proceedings and ingagements now His Majesty for taking notice of this which was uttered in His presence and in the name of a whole Kingdome is extreamly quarrelled at and because He did not signe the said Bils notwithstanding the said protest He is immediately made close Prisoner and sensible of more then barbarous usage the Method of which is in part expressed in the following Declaration which twenty daies after His close confinement was written by His Majesties own hand and some twenty daies aftâ—r that by the speciall order and providence of him who is the preserver of Princes brought to light