there were Twenty Dissenters blush to assume the Authority of managing the weightiest affairs of the English Empire to alter and change the Government to expose His Majesty to a violent Murder and to overthrow the Ancient Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom For being wholly devoted to the service of the Army they communicated counsels with them and whatsoever was resolved at the Council of War passed into a Law by the Votes of this Infamous remnant of the House of Commons who now served the Souldiers in hopes of part of the Spoil and a precarious Greatness which being acquired by so much Wickedness could not be lasting In order therefore to the Army's design they revive those Votes of No Addresses to the King which had at first but surreptitiously and by base practices passed and had been afterwards repealed by a full House Those Votes of a Treaty with the King and of the Satisfactoriness of His Concessions with scorn they rased out of the Journal-Book And then proceeded to Vote 1. That the People under God are the Original of all Just Power 2. That the Commons of England assembled in Parliament being chosen by and representing the People have the Supreme Authority of this Nation 3. That whatsoever is enacted and declared for Law by the Commons of England assembled in Parliament by which they understood themselves hath the force of a Law 4. That all the People of this Nation are concluded thereby although the Consent and Concurrence of the King and House of Peers be not had thereunto 5. That to raise Arms against the People's Representative or Parliament and to make War upon them is High Treason 6. That the King Himself took Arms against the Parliament and on that account is guilty of the blood shed throughout the Civil War and that He ought to expiate the crime with His own blood Those that were less affected with the common Fears and Miseries could not temper their mirth and scorn at such ridiculous Usurpers that thought to adjust their Crimes by their own Votes that in one breath would adorn the People with the Spoils of Monarchy and in the next rob the People to invest themselves And it is said that even Cromwell who intended to ruine our Liberty was ashamed and scorned their so ready Slavery and afterwards did swear at the Table of an Independent Lord that he knew them to be Rascals and he would so serve them Others of more melancholy Complexions considering the baseness of these servile Tyrants and the humours of their barbarous masters the Souldiers all whose inhumanities they were to establish by a Law and that Power gotten by Wickedness cannot be used with the Modesty that is sit for just Magistrates justly feared that as under the King they had enjoyed the height of Liberty so under these men they were to be overwhelmed in the depth of Slavery and that these Votes which overturned the very Foundation of our Laws could not be designed but for some horrid Impiety and our lasting Bondage which came so to pass For in their next Consultations they constitute a Tribunal to sentence their Sovereign which afterwards they used as a Shambles for the most Loyal and Gallantest of the Nobless and People of the most abject Subjects and to procure a Reverence to the Vilest of men they give it the specious name of The High Court of Justice For which they appoint 150 Judges that the Number might seem to represent the whole Multitude of the most violent and heady of all the Faction To whom they give a power of citing hearing judging and punishing CHARLES STUART King of England To make up this Number they had named six Peers of the Upper House and the twelve Judges of the Land But the greatest part were Officers of the Army who having confederated against His Majesty and publickly required His Blood could not without a contempt to the light of Reason be appointed His Judges and Members of the Lower House who were most violent against Monarchy and indeed all Government wherein themselves had no share The rest were Persons pick'd out of the City of London and Suburbs thereof who they imagined would be most obsequious to their Lusts Those that surveyed the List and knew the men deemed them most unfit for a Trust of Justice and proper Instruments for any wicked undertaking for of these Judges one or two were Coblers others Brewers one a Goldsmith and many of them Mechanicks Such among them as were descended of ancient Families were Men of so mean worth that they were only like the Statues of their Ancestors had nothing but their Names to make them knownunto the World Some of them were Spend-thrifts Bankrupts such as could be neither safe nor free unless the Kingdom were in Bondage and most notorious Adulterers whose every Member was infamous with its proper Vice Vain and Atheistical in their Discourse Cowardly and Base in Spirit Bloody and Cruel in their Counsels and those Parts that cannot honestly be named were most dishonest One of them was accused of a Rape Another had published a Book of Blasphemies against the Trinity of the Deity Some of them could not hope to get impunity for their Oppressions of the Country and Expilations of the publick Treasure but by their ministry to this Murther Others could not promise themselves an advancement of their abject or declining Fortune but by this Iniquity Yet all these by the Faction were inrolled in the Register of Saints though fitter to standas Malefactors at the Bar than to sit upon Seats of Judgment And notwithstanding their diligent search for such a Number of Men who would not blush at nor fear any guilt some of those whom they had named in abhorrencie of the Impiety refused to sit and some that did yet met there in hopes of disturbing their Counsels All this while the House of Peers were not consulted and it was commonly supposed that most of them terrified with those Preparations against the King the only defence of the Nobless against the Popular Envie would absent themselves from that House except four or five that were the Darlings of the Faction and they deemed the Names and Compliance of those few were enough to give credit and Authority to their bloody Act. But in them they were disappointed also for some of the Peers did constantly meet and on that day wherein the Bill for Trial of the King was carried up to that House there were Seventeen then present a greater Number than usual who all Unanimously even the Democratick Lords not dissenting did reject the Bill as Dangerous and Illegal This so highly provoked the Fury of the Faction that they meditated a severe revenge and for the present blotted out those Peers whose Names they had before put into their Ordinance to make the Court more splendid After this they did also rase out the names of the Judges of the Land for they being privately consulted concerning these Proceedings against the King
doubted not had they had power to recede some of His Reasons would have prevailed with them as He is confident had it been with His two Houses it would have done with them and therefore beseeches them to take the same freedom with His two Houses to press them to a compliance with Him in those things His Conscience is not yet satisfied in which more time may do His Opinion not being like the Laws of the Medes and Persians unalterable or infallible He added His very hearty thanks for the pains they had taken to satisfie Him professing that He wanted Eloquence to commend their Abilities He desired them candidly to represent all the Transactions of this Treaty to His two Houses that they might see Nothing of His Interest how near or dear soever but that wherein His Conscience is unsatisfied can hinder on His part a happy conclusion of this Treaty LVI To the Lords Commissioners at their taking leave NEWPORT Nov. MDCXLVIII MY Lords You are come to take your leave of Me and I believe we shall scarce never see each other again but God's Will be done I thank God I have made my Peace with Him and shall without fear undergo what He shall be pleased to suffer man to do unto Me. My Lords you cannot but know that in My Fall and Ruine you see your own and that also near to you I pray God send you better Friends than I have found I am fully informed of the whole carriage of the Plot against Me and Mine and nothing so much afflicts Me as the sense and feeling I have of the Sufferings of my Subjects and the Miseries that hang over my three Kingdoms drawn upon them by those who upon pretences of Good violently pursue their own Interests and Ends. LVII His MAJESTIE's Speeches to the pretended High Court of Justice with the History of His Tryal Jan. MDCXLVIII IX Westminster-Hall Jan. 20. ON Saturday the twentieth of January afternoon Serjeant John Bradshaw President of the pretended Court with about fifty seven of his fellow-Commissioners came into Westminster-Hall having sixteen men with Partisans and their Officers with a Sword and Mace marching before them thus profaning the Name the Place and the Ensigns of Justice in the perpetration of the most enormous and unexampled Villany And at the West end of the Hall prepared for their purpose Bradshaw seated himself in a Crimson-Velvet Chair in the midst having a Desk with a Crimson-Velvet Cushion before him and at his feet a Table covered with a Turkey Carpet whereon the Sword and Mace were laid the rest were placed on each side upon Benches hung with Scarlet and the Partisans divided themselves on each hand before them Being thus sate and Silence made the great Gate of the Hall was set open and all persons promiscuously let in so that the Hall was presently filled and Silence again ordered Then Colonel Matthew Tomlinson was commanded to bring the Prisoner their King into the Court which he did within a quarter of an hour with about twenty Officers with Partisans marching before Him and others behind Their Serjeant at Arms with his Mace received Him and brought Him to the Bar where a Crimson-Velvet Chair was set His Majesty with an unconcerned Look upon his pretended Judges and the People in the Galleries on each side sate down without taking notice of their Court but presently rose up again and turned about looking down upon the Guards placed on the left side and the multitude of Spectators on the right side of the Hall After Silence made the pretended Act for His Trial was read by their Clerk sitting at the side of the Table where the Sword and Mace lay An Act of Parliament of the House of Commons for Trial of Charles Stuart King of England WHereas it is notorious that Charles Stuart the now King of England not content with the many incroachments which his Predecessors had made upon the People in their Rights and Freedom hath had a wicked Design to subvert the Ancient and Fundamental Laws and Liberties of this Nation and in their place to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government and that besides all evil ways to bring his Design to pass he hath prosecuted it with Fire and Sword levied and maintained a Civil War in the Land against the Parliament and Kingdom whereby this Country hath been miserably wasted the publick Treasure exhausted Trade decaied thousands of People murthered and infinite other mischiefs committed for all which high Offences the said Charles Stuart might long since have been brought to exemplary and condign Punishment Whereas also the Parliament well hoping that the Restraint and Imprisonment of his Person after it had pleased God to deliver him into their hands would have quieted the Distempers of the Kingdom did forbear to proceed judicially against him but found by sad experience that such their Remissenss served only to encourage him and his Complices in the continuance of their evil practices and in raising new Commotions Rebellions and Invasions For prevention of the like and greater inconveniences and to the end no Chief Officer or Magistrate may hereafter presume Traiterously and maliciously to imagine or contrive the enslaving or destroying of the English Nation and to expect impunity Be it Enacted and Ordained by the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and it is hereby Enacted and Ordained that Thomas Lord Fairfax General Oliver Cromwell Lieutenant-General Commissary General Henry Ireton Major General Philip Skippon Sir Hardresse Waller Colonel Valentine Walton Colonel Thomas Harrison Colonel Edward Whaley Colonel Thomas Pride Colonel Isaac Ewer Colonel Richard Ingoldsby Sir Henry Mildmay Sir Thomas Honywood Thomas Lord Grey Philip Lord Lisle William Lord Mounson Sir John Danvers Sir Thomas Maleverer Sir John Bourchier Sir James Harrington Sir William Brereton Robert Wallop Esq William Heveningham Esquire Isaac Pennington Alderman Thomas Atkins Alderman Colonel Rowland Wilson Sir Peter Wentworth Colonel Henry Marten Colonel William Purefoy Colonel Godfrey Bosvile John Trenchard Esquire Colonel Herbert Morley Colonel John Berkstead Colonel Matthew Tomlinson John Blakeston Esq Gilbert Millington Esquire Sir William Constable Colonel Edward Ludlow Colonel John Lambert Colonel John Hutchinson Sir Arthur Hasilrig Sir Michael Livesey Richard Salway Esquire Humphrey Salway Esquire Colonel Robert Tichborne Colonel Owen Roe Colonel Robert Manwaring Colonel Robert Lilborn Colonel Adrian Scroope Colonel Richard Dean Colonel John Okey Colonel Robert Overton Colonel John Harrison Colonel John Disborough Colonel William Goffe Colonel Robert Duckenfield Cornelius Holland Esquire John Carew Esquire Sir William Armyne John Jones Esquire Miles Corbet Esquire Francis Allen Esquire Thomas Lister Esquire Benjamin Weston Esquire Peregrine Pelham Esq John Gourdon Esquire Serjeant Francis Thorp John Nutt Esquire Thomas Chaloner Esq Colonel Algernon Sidney John Anlaby Esquire Colonel John Moore Rich. Darley Esq William Say Esquire John Aldred Esquire John Fagge Esquire James Nelthrop Esquire Sir William Roberts Colonel Francis Lassels Colonel Alexander Rigby Henry Smith
Esq Edmond Wilde Esquire James Chaloner Esquire Josias Barners Esquire Dennis Bond Esq Humphry Edwards Esquire Gregory Clement Esquire John Fry Esquire Thomas Wogan Esq Sir Gregory Norton Serjeant John Bradshaw Colonel Edmund Harvey John Dove Esq Colonel John Venne John Foulk Alderman Thomas Scot Esquire Thomas Andrews Alderman William Cawley Esquire Abraham Burrell Esquire Colonel Anthony Stapely Roger Gratwicke Esquire John Downes Esquire Colonel Thomas Horton Colonel Thomas Hammond Colonel George Fenwick Serjeant Robert Nichols Robert Reynolds Esquire John Liste Esquire Nicholas Love Esquire Vincent Potter Sir Gilbert Pickering John Weaver Esquire John Lenthal Esquire Sir Edward Baynton John Corbet Esquire Thomas Blunt Esquire Thomas Boone Esquire Augustine Garland Esquire Augustine Skinner Esquire John Dixwel Esquire Colonel George Fleetwood Simon Maine Esquire Colonel James Temple Colonel Peter Temple Daniel Blagrave Esquire Sir Peter Temple Colonel Thomas Waite John Brown Esquire John Lowry Esquire shall be and are hereby appointed Commissioners and Judges for the hearing Trying and Judging of the said Charles Stuart And the said Commissioners or any twenty or more of them shall be and are hereby Authorized and constituted an High Court of Justice to meet at such convenient times and places as by the said Commissioners or the major part or twenty or more of them under their hands and seals shall be appointed and notified by publick Proclamation in the great Hall or Palace-yard of Westminster and to adjourn from time to time and from place to place as the said High Court or the major part thereof meeting shall hold fit and to take order for the charging of him the said Charles Stuart with the Crimes above mentioned and for the receiving His Personal Answer thereunto and for examination of Witnesses upon Oath if need be concerning the same and thereupon or in default of such Answer to proceed to final Sentence according to Justice and the merit of the Cause to be executed speedily and impartially And the said Court is hereby Authorized and required to chuse and appoint all such Officers Attendanrs and other circumstances as they or the major part of them shall in any sort judge necessary or useful for the orderly and good managing of the premisses and Thomas Lord Fairfax the General with all Officers of Justice and other well-affected persons are hereby Authorized and required to be aiding and assisting unto the said Commissioners in the due execution of the Trust hereby committed unto them Provided that this Ordinance and the Authority hereby granted do continue for the space of one Month from the Date of the making hereof and no longer After the reading of this the several Names of the Commissioners were called over every one who was present rising up and answering to his call The King having again placed Himself in the Chair with His face towards the Commissioners Silence was again ordered and Bradshaw with Impudence befitting his person and his place stood up and said CHARLES STUART King of England The Commons of England assembled in Parliament being deeply sensible of the Calamities that have been brought upon this Nation which is fixed upon you as the principal Author of it have resolved to make inquisition for Blood and according to that Debt and Duty they owe to Justice to God the Kingdom and themselves and according to the Fundamental Power that rests in themselves they have resolved to bring you to Trial and Judgment and for that purpose have constituted this High Court of Justice before which you are brought Then their Solicitor John Cook standing within a Bar on the right hand began My Lord in behalf of the Commons of England and of all the People thereof I do accuse CHARLES STUART here present of high Treason and high Misdemeanures and I do in the name of the Commons of England desire the Charge may be read unto him As he was speaking the King held up his Staffe and laying it on his shoulders two or three times bid him Hold a little But Bradshaw ordered him to go on and the Charge being delivered to their Clerk Bradshaw told the King Sir the Court Commands the Charge to be read If you have any thing to say afterwards you may be heard Then the Clerk being ordered to read began The Charge of the Commons of England against CHARLES STUART King of England of High Treason and other High Crimes exhibited to the High Court of Justice THat the said CHARLES STUART being admitted King of England and therein trusted with a limited Power to govern by and according to the Laws of the Land and not otherwise and by his Trust Oath and Office being obliged to use the Power committed to him for the good and benefit of the People and for the preservation of their Rights and Liberties yet nevertheless out of a wicked Design to erect and uphold in himself an unlimited and Tyrannical Power to Rule according to his Will and to overthrow the Rights and Liberties of the People yea to take away and make void the Foundations thereof and of all redress and remedy of Mis-government which by the Fundamental Constitutions of this Kingdom were reserved on the Peoples behalf in the Right Power of frequent and successive Parliaments or National Meetings in Council he the said Charles Stuart for accomplishment of such his Designs and for the protecting himself and his Adherents in his and their wicked practices to the same Ends hath traiterously and maliciously levied War against the present Parliament and the People therein Represented Particularly upon or about the thirtieth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and two at Beverly in the County of York and upon or about the thirtieth day of July in the year aforesaid in the County of the City of York and upon or about the twenty fourth day of August in the same year at the County of the Town of Nottingham when and where he set up his Standard of War and upon or about the twenty third day of October in the same year at Edge-Hill and Kineton field in the County of Warwick and upon or about the thirtieth day of November in the same year at Brainford in the County of Middlesex and upon or about the thirtieth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and three at Cavesham Bridge near Reading in the County of Berks and upon or about the thirtieth day of October in the year last mentioned at or near the City of Gloucester and upon or about the thirtieth day of November in the year last mentioned at Newbury in the County of Berks and upon or about the one and thirtieth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and four at Croperdy Bridge in the County of Oxon and upon or about the thirtieth day of September in the year last mentioned at Bodmin and other places near adjacent in the County of Cornwall and
upon or about the thirtieth day of November in the year last mentioned at Newbury aforesaid and upon or about the eighth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and five at the Town of Leicester and also upon the fourteenth day of the same month in the same year at Naseby-field in the County of Northampton At which several times and places or most of them and at many other places in this Land at several other times within the years aforementioned and in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and six he the said Charles Stuart hath caused and procured many thousands of the Free People of the Nation to be slain and by Divisions Parties and Infurrections within this Land by Invasions from Forein Parts endeavoured and procured by him and by many other evil ways and means he the said Charles Stuart hath not only maintained and carried on the said War both by Land and Sea during the years before mentioned but also hath renewed or caused to be renewed the said War against the Parliament and good People of this Nation in this present year one thousand six hundred forty and eight in the Counties of Kent Essex Surry Sussex Middlesex and many other places in England and Wales and also by Sea and particularly he the said Charles Stuart hath for that purpose given Commission to his Son the Prince and others whereby besides multitudes of other persons many such as were by the Parliament intrusted and imployed for the safety of the Nation being by him or his Agents corrupted to the betraying of their Trust and revolting from the Parliament have had entertainment and Commission for the continuing and renewing of War and Hostility against the said Parliament and People as aforesaid By which cruel and unnatural Wars by him the said Charles Stuart levied continued and renewed as aforesaid much innocent blood of the Free People of this Nation hath been spilt many Families have been undone the publick Treasury wasted and exhausted Trade obstructed and miserably decayed vast expence and damage to the Nation incurred and many parts of the Land spoiled some of them even to Desolation And for further prosecution of his said evil Designs he the said Charles Stuart doth still continue his Commissions to the said Prince and other Rebels and Revolters both English and Foreiners and to the Earl of Ormond and to the Irish Rebels and Revolters associated with him from whom further Invasions upon this Land are threatned upon the procurement and on the behalf of the said Charles Stuart All which wicked Designs Wars and evil Practices of him the said Charles Stuart have been and are carried on for the advancing and upholding of the Personal Interest of Will and Power and pretended Prerogative to himself and his Family against the Publick Interest Common Right Liberty Justice and Peace of the People of this Nation by and for whom he was intrusted as aforesaid By all which it appeareth that he the said Charles Stuart hath been and is the Occasioner Author and Contriver of the said unnatural cruel and bloody Wars and therein guilty of all the Treasons Murders Rapines Burnings Spoils Desolations Damage and Mischief to this Nation acted or committed in the said Wars or occasioned thereby And the said John Cook by Protestation saving on the behalf of the People of England the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other Charge against the said Charles Stuart and also of replying to the Answers which the said Charles Stuart shall make to the Premisses or any of them or any other Charge that shall be so exhibited doth for the said Treasons and Crimes on the behalf of the said People of England impeach the said Charles Stuart as a Tyrant Traitor Murtherer and a publick and implacable Enemy to the Commonwealth of England and pray that the said Charles Stuart King of England may be put to answer all and every the Premisses that such Proceedings Examinations Tryals Sentence and Judgment may be thereupon had as shall be agreeable to Justice His Majesty with His wonted Patience heard all these Slanders and Reproaches sitting in the Chair and looking sometimes on the pretended Court sometimes up to the Galleries and rising again turned about to behold the Guards and Spectators then he sate down with a Majestick and unmoved countenance and sometimes smiling especially at those words Tyrant Traitor and the like Also the silver head of His Staff happened to fall off at which He wondred and seeing none to take it up He stooped for it Himself The Charge being read Bradshaw began Sir you have now heard your Charge read containing such matters as appear in it you find that in the close of it it is prayed to the Court in the behalf of the Commons of England that you answer to your Charge The Court expects your Answer KING I would know by what Power I am called hither I was not long ago in the Isle of Wight how I came there is a longer story than I think is fit at this time for Me to speak of but there I entred into a Treaty with both Houses of Parliament with as much publick Faith as it 's possible to be had of any People in the World I treated there with a number of Honourable Lords and Gentlemen and treated honestly and uprightly I cannot say but they did very nobly with Me we were upon a conclusion of the Treaty Now I would know by what Authority I mean lawful there are many unlawful Authorities in the world Thieves and Robbers by the high-ways but I would know by what Authority I was brought from thence and carried from place to place and I know not what And when I know by what lawful Authority I shall answer Remember I am your King your lawful King and what sins you bring upon your heads and the Judgment of God upon this Land Think well upon it I say think well upon it before you go further from one sin to a greater Therefore let Me know by what lawful Authority I am seated here and I shall not be unwilling to answer In the mean time I shall not betray My Trust I have a Trust committed to Me by God by old and lawful Descent I will not betray it to answer to a new unlawful Authority Therefore resolve Me that and you shall hear more of Me. Bradshaw If you had been pleased to have observed what was hinted to you by the Court at your first coming hither you would have known by what Authority which Authority requires you in the name of the People of England of which you are elected King to answer KING No Sir I deny that Bradshaw If you acknowledge not the Authority of the Court they must proceed KING I do tell them so England was never an Elective Kingdom but an Hereditary Kingdom for near these thousand years therefore let Me know by what Authority I am called
you will I stand more for their Liberties For if Power without Law may make Laws may alter the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom I do not know what Subject he is in England that can be sure of his Life or any thing that he calls his own Therefore when that I came here I did expect particular Reasons to know by what Law what Authority you did proceed against Me here and therefore I am a little to seek what to say to you in this particular because the Affirmative is to be proved the Negative often is very hard to do But since I cannot perswade you to do it I shall tell you My Reasons as short as I can My Reasons why in Conscience and the Duty I owe to God first and My People next for the preservation of their Lives Liberties and Estates I conceive I cannot answer this till I be satisfied of the Legality of it All proceedings against any man whatsoever Bradshaw Sir I must interrupt you which I would not do but that what you do is not agreeable to the proceedings of any Court of Justice You are about to enter into Argument and Dispute concerning the Authority of this Court before whom you appear as a Prisoner and are charged as an high Delinquent If you take upon you to dispute the Authority of the Court we may not do it nor will any Court give way unto it you are to submit unto it you are to give a punctual and direct Answer whether you will answer your Charge or no and what you Answer is KING Sir by your favour I do not know the Forms of Law I do know Law and Reason though I am no Lawyer profess'd but I know as much Law as any Gentleman in England and therefore under favour I do plead for the Liberties of the People of England more than you do and therefore if I should impose a belief upon any man without Reasons given for it it were unreasonable but I must tell you that that Reason that I have as thus informed I cannot yield unto it Bradshaw Sir I must interrupt you you may not be permitted You speak of Law and Reason it is fit there should be Law and Reason and there is both against you Sir the Vote of the Commons of England assembled in Parliament it is the Reason of the Kingdom and they are these too that have given that Law according to which you should have ruled and reigned Sir you are not to dispute our Authority you are told it again by the Court Sir it will be taken notice of that you stand in contempt of the Court and your Contempt will be recorded accordingly KING I do not know how a King can be a Delinquent but by any Law that ever I heard of all men Delinquents or what you will let Me tell you they may put in Demurrers against any proceeding as Legal and I do demand that and demand to be heard with My Reasons If you deny that you deny Reason Bradshaw Sir you have offered something to the Court I shall speak something unto you the sense of the Court. Sir neither you nor any man are permitted to dispute that point you are concluded you may not demurr to the Jurisdiction of the Court if you do I must let you know that they over-rule your Demurrer They sit here by the Authority of the Commons of England and all your Predecessors and you are responsible to them KING I deny that shew Me one Precedent Bradshaw Sir you ought not to interrupt while the Court is speaking to you This point is not to be debated by you neither will the Court permit you to do it If you offer it by way of Demurrer to the Jurisdiction of the Court they have considered of their Jurisdiction they do affirm their own Jurisdiction KING I say Sir by your favour that the Commons of England was never a Court of Judicature I would know how they came to be so Bradshaw Sir you are not to be permitted to go on in that speech and these discourses Then the Clerk of the Court read Charles Stuart King of England you have been accused on the behalf of the People of England of High Treason and other High Crimes the Court have determined that you ought to answer the same KING I will answer the same so soon as I know by what Authority you do this Bradshaw If this be all that you will say then Gentlemen you that brought the Prisoner hither take charge of him back again KING I do require that I may give in My Reasons why I do not answer and give Me time for that Bradshaw Sir 't is not for Prisoners to require KING Prisoners Sir I am not an ordinary Prisoner Bradshaw The Court hath considered of their Jurisdiction and they have already affirmed their Jurisdiction If you will not answer we shall give order to record your Default KING You never heard My Reasons yet Bradshaw Sir your Reasons are not to be heard against the Highest Jurisdiction KING Shew Me that Jurisdiction where Reason is not to be heard Bradshaw Sir we shew it you here the Commons of England and the next time you are brought you will know more of the pleasure of the Court and it may be their final Determination KING Shew Me where ever the House of Commons was a Court of Judicature of that kind Bradshaw Serjeant take away the Prisoner KING Well Sir remember that the King is not suffered to give in His Reasons for the Liberty and Freedom of all His Subjects Bradshaw Sir you are not to have liberty to use this language How great a Friend you have been to the Laws and Liberties of the People let all England and the World judge KING Sir under favour it was the Liberty Freedom and Laws of the Subject that ever I took defended My self with Arms I never took up Armes against the People but for the Laws Bradshaw The Command of the Court must be obeyed No Answer will be given to the Charge KING Well Sir Then Bradshaw ordered the Default to be recorded and the Contempt of the Court and that no Answer would be given to the Charge The King was guarded forth to Sir Robert Cotton's house The Court adjourned to the Painted Chamber on Tuesday at twelve of Clock and from thence they intend to adjourn to Westminster-Hall at which time all persons concerned are to give their attendance His Majesty not being suffered to deliver His Reasons against the Jurisdiction of their pretended Court by word of mouth thought fit to leave them in writing to the more impartial judgment of Posterity as followeth HAving already made My Protestations not only against the Illegality of this pretended Court but also That no Earthly Power can justly call Me who am your King in question as a Delinquent I would not any more open My mouth upon this occasion more than to referr My self to what I have spoken were I in this Case alone
Court Your Lordship was pleased to give him a further day to consider and to put in his Answer which day being yesterday I did humbly move that he might be required to give a direct and positive Answer either by denying or confession of it But my Lord he was then pleased for to demur to the Jurisdiction of the Court which the Court did then over-rule and command him to give a direct and positive Answer My Lord besides this great delay of Justice I shall now humbly move your Lordship for speedy Judgment against him My Lord I might press your Lordship upon the whole that according to the known rules of the Law of the Land That if a Prisoner shall stand as contumacious in contempt and shall not put in an issuable Plea guilty or not guilty of the Charge given against him whereby he may come to a fair Tryal that as by an implicite confession it may be taken pro confesso as it hath been done to those who have deserved more favour than the Prisoner at the Bar has done But besides my Lord I shall humbly press your Lordship upon the whole fact The House of Commons the Supreme Authority and Jurisdiction of the Kingdom they have declared That it is notorious that the matter of the Charge is true as it is in truth my Lord as clear as Crystal and as the Sun that shines at noon day which if your Lordship and the Court be not satisfied in I have notwithstanding on the People of England's behalf several Witnesses to produce And therefore I do humbly pray and yet I must confess it is not so much I as the innocent blood that hath been shed the Cry whereof is very great for Justice and Judgment and therefore I do humbly pray that speedy Judgment be pronounced against the Prisoner at the Bar. Bradshaw went on in the same strain Sir you have heard what is moved by the Counsel on the behalf of the Kingdom against you Sir you may well remember and if you do not the Court cannot forget what dilatory dealings the Court hath found at your hands You were pleased to propound some Questions you have had your Resolution upon them You were told over and over again that the Court did affirm their own Jurisdiction That it was not for you nor any other man to dispute the Jurisdiction of the supreme and highest Authority of England from which there is no Appeal and touching which there must be no dispute yet you did persist in such carriage as you gave no manner of Obedience nor did you acknowledge any authority in them nor the High Court that constituted this Court of Justice Sir I must let you know from the Court that they are very sensible of these delays of yours and that they ought not being thus authorized by the supreme Court of England to be thus trifled withal and that they might in Justice if they pleased and according to the rules of Justice take advantage of these delays and proceed to pronounce Judgment against you yet nevertheless they are pleased to give direction and on their behalfs I do require you that you make a positive Answer unto this Charge that is against you Sir in plain terms for Justice knows no respect of Persons you are to give your positive and final Answer in plain English whether you be guilty or not guilty of these Treasons laid to your Charge The King after a little pause said When I was here yesterday I did desire to speak for the Liberties of the People of England I was interrupted I desire to know yet whether I may speak freely or not Bradshaw Sir you have had the Resolution of the Court upon the like Question the last day and you were told That having such a Charge of so high a nature against you your work was that you ought to acknowledge the Jurisdiction of the Court and to answer to your Charge Sir if you answer to your Charge which the Court gives you leave now to do though they might have taken the advantage of your Contempt yet if you be able to answer to your Charge when you have once answered you shall be heard at large make the best Defence you can But Sir I must let you know from the Court as their Commands that you are not to be permitted to issue out into any other discourses till such time as you have given a positive Answer concerning the matter that is charged upon you KING For the Charge I value it not a rush It is the Liberty of the People of England that I stand for For Me to acknowledge a new Court that I never heard of before I that am your King that should be an Example to all the People of England for to uphold Justice to maintain the old Laws indeed I do not know how to do it You spoke very well the first day that I came here on Saturday of the Obligations that I had laid upon Me by God to the maintenance of the Liberties of My People the same Obligation you spake of I do acknowledge to God that I owe to Him and to My People to defend as much as in Me lies the ancient Laws of the Kingdom therefore until that I may know that this is not against the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom by your favour I can put in no particular Charge If you will give Me time I will shew you My Reasons why I cannot do it and this Here being interrupted He said By your favour you ought not to interrupt Me. How I came here I know not there 's no Law for it to make your King your Prisoner I was in a Treaty upon the Publick Faith of the Kingdom that was the known two Houses of Parliament that was the Representative of the Kingdom and when that I had almost made an end of the Treaty then I was hurried away and brought hither and therefore Bradshaw Sir you must know the pleasure of the Court. KING By your favour Sir Bradshaw Nay Sir by your favour you may not be permitted to fall into those discourses you appear as a Delinquent you have not acknowledged the Authority of the Court The Court craves it not of you but once more they command you to give your positive Answer Clerk Do your Duty KING Duty Sir The Clerk reads Charles Stuart King of England you are accused in the behalf of the Commons of England of divers high Crimes and Treasons which Charge hath been read unto you the Court now requires you to give your positive and final Answer by way of Confession or Denial of the Charge KING Sir I say again to you so that I might give satisfaction to the People of England of the clearness of My Proceeding not by way of Answer not in this way but to satisfie them that I have done nothing against that Trust that hath been committed to Me I would do it but to acknowledge a new Court against their
Me but this Delay I doubt not but I shall give some satisfaction to you all here and to My People after that and therefore I do require you as you will answer it at the dreadful Day of Judgment that you will consider it once again Bradshaw Sir I have received direction from the Court. KING Well Sir Bradshaw If this must be re-inforced or any thing of this nature your Answer must be the same and they will proceed to Sentence if you have nothing more to say KING I have nothing more to say but I shall desire that this may be entred what I have said Bradshaw The Court then Sir hath something to say unto you which although I know it will be very unacceptable yet notwithstanding they are willing and are resolved to discharge their Duty Then Bradshaw went on in a long Harangue endeavouring to justifie their proceedings misapplying Law and History and raking up and wresting whatsoever he thought fit for his purpose alleging the Examples of former Treasons and Rebellions both at home and abroad as authentick proofs and concluding that the King was a Tyrant Traitor Murtherer and publick Enemy to the Commonwealth of England His Majesty having with His wonted Patience heard all these Reproaches answered I would desire only one word before you give Sentence and that is That you would hear Me concerning those great Imputations that you have laid to My charge Bradshaw Sir you must give me now leave to go on for I am not far from your Sentence and your time is now past KING But I shall desire you will hear Me a few words to you for truly whatever Sentence you will put upon Me in respect of those heavy Imputations that I see by your speech you have put upon Me. Sir it is very true that Bradshaw Sir I must put you in mind truly Sir I would not willingly at this time especially interrupt you in any thing you have to say that is proper for us to admit of but Sir you have not owned us as a Court and you look upon as a sort of people met together and we know what Language we receive from your Party KING I know nothing of that Bradshaw You disavow us as a Court and therefore for you to address your self to us not to acknowledge us as a Court to judge of what you say it is not to be permitted And the truth is all along from the first time you were pleased to disavow and disown us the Court needed not to have heard you one word for unless they be acknowledged a Court and engaged it is not proper for you to speak Sir we have given you too much Liberty already and admitted of too much Delay and we may not admit of any further Were it proper for us to do we should hear you freely and we should not have declined to have heard you at large what you could have said or proved on your behalf whether for totally excusing or for in part excusing those great and hainous Charges that in whole or in part are laid upon you But Sir I shall trouble you no longer your Sins are of so large a dimension that if you do but seriously think of them they will drive you to a sad consideration and they may improve in you a sad and serious repentance And that the Court doth heartily wish that you may be so penitent for what you have done amiss that God may have mercy at least-wise upon your better part Truly Sir for the other it is our parts and duties to do that that the Law prescribes We are not here Jus dare but Jus dicere we cannot be unmindful of what the Scripture tells us For to acquit the guilty is of equal abomination as to condemn the innocent we may not acquit the guilty What sentence the Law affirms to a Traitor Tyrant a Murtherer and a publick enemy to the Countrey that Sentence you are now to hear read unto you and that is the Sentence of the Court. Make an O yes and command Silence while the Sentence is read Which done their Clerk Broughton read the Sentence drawn up in Parchment WHereas the Commons of England in Parliament had appointed them an High Court of Justice for the Trial of Charles Stuart King of England before whom he had been three times convented and at the first time a Charge of High Treason and other Crimes and Misdemeanours was read in the behalf of the Kingdom of England Here the Charge was repeated Which Charge being read unto him as aforesaid he the said Charles Stuart was required to give his Answer but he refused so to do Expressing the several passages of His refusing in the former Proceedings For all which Treasons and Crimes this Court doth adjudge That he the said Charles Stuart as a Tyrant Traitor Murtherer and a publick Enemy shall be put to death by the severing of his Head from his Body Which being read Bradshaw added This Sentence now read and published it is the Act Sentence Judgment and Resolution of the whole Court To which they all expressed their Assent by standing up as was before agreed and ordered His Majesty then said Will you hear Me a word Sir Bradshaw Sir you are not to be heard after the Sentence KING No Sir Bradshaw No Sir by your favour Sir Guard withdraw your Prisoner KING I may speak after Sentence by your favour Sir I may speak after Sentence ever By your favour hold The Sentence Sir I say Sir I do I am not suffered to speak expect what Justice other People will have The Persons that sate when Judgment was given upon the Life of their KING were these Serjeant John Bradshaw Lieutenant General Cromwell Commissary General Ireton John Lisle Esquire William Say Esquire Sir Hardresse Waller Colonel Valentine Walton Colonel Thomas Harrison Colonel Edward Whaley Colonel Thomas Pride Colonel Isaac Ewer Thomas Lord Gray of Groby Sir John Danvers Knight Sir Thomas Maleverer Baronet Sir John Bourchier Knight William Heveningham Esquire Isaac Ponnington Alderman Colonel Henry Marten Colonel William Poresoy Colonel John Berksted John Blakeston Esquire Gilbert Millington Sir William Constable Baronet Colonel Edmund Ludlow Colonel John Hutchinson Sir Michael Livesey Baronet Colonel Robert Tichburne Colonel Owen Rowe Colonel Robert Lilburne Colonel Adrian Scroope Colonel Richard Deane Colonel John Okey Colonel John Hewson Colonel William Goffe Cornelius Holland Esquire John Carew Esquire Colonel John Jones Miles Corbet Esquire Francis Allen Esquire Peregrine Pelham Esquire Colonel John More Colonel John Alured Colonel Henry Smith Humphrey Edwards Esquire Gregory Clement Esquire Thomas Wogan Esquire Sir Gregory Norton Baronet Colonel Edmund Harvey Colonel John Venne Thomas Scot. Esquire Thomas Andrewes Alderman William Cawley Esquire Antony Stapely Esquire Colonel John Downes Colonel Thomas Horton Colonel Thomas Hammond Nicholas Love Esquire Vincent Potter Augustine Garland Esquire John Dixwell Esquire Colonel George Fleetwood Simon Mayne Esquire Colonel James Temple Peter Temple Daniel Blagrave Esquire
done and Signed and Sealed accordingly as followeth At the High Court of Justice for the Trying and Judging of CHARLES STUART King of England Januar. 29. 1648. WHereas Charles Stuart King of England is and standeth Convicted Attainted and Condemned of High Treason and other high Crimes and Sentence upon Saturday last was pronounced against him by this Court to be put to death by the severing of his Head from his Body of which Sentence Execution yet remains to be done These are therefore to will and require you to see the said Sentence executed in the open Street before White-hall upon the morrow being the 30. day of this instant Month of January between the hours of Ten in the Morning and Five in the Afternoon of the same day with full effect And so doing this shall be your sufficient Warrant And these are to require all Officers and Souldiers and other the good People of this Nation of England to be assisting unto you in this Service To Colonel Francis Hacker Colonel Huncks and Lieutenant Colonel Phayre and to every of them Given under our hands and seals John Bradshaw Thomas Gray Ol. Cromwel Edw. Whaley Mi. Livesey John Okey Jo. Danvers Jo. Bourchier Rich. Ingoldsby W. Cawley J. Barkestead Isaac Ewer J. Dixwell Val. Wauton Symon Meyne Tho. Horton H. Ireton Tho. Maleverer John Blakeston Jo. Hutchinson Will. Goffe Tho. Pride Pe. Temple Tho. Harrison Hen. Smith Per. Pelham Ri. Dean Rob. Tichburne Hum. Edwards Dan. Blagrave Owen Rowe William Purefoy Ad. Scroope James Temple A. Garland Edm. Ludlow Hen. Marten Vincent Potter W. Constable Jo. Jones Jo. Moore Ha. Waller Gilb. Millington G. Fleetwood J. Alured Rob. Lilburne W. Saye Anth. Stapeley Gre. Norton Tho. Chaloner Tho. Wogan Jo. Venne Greg. Clement Jo. Downes Tho. Waite Tho. Scott Jo. Carew Miles Corbet Tuesday the thirtieth of January the Fatal Day being come the Commissioners met and ordered four or five of their Ministers to attend upon the King at James's where they then kept Him but his Majesty well knowing what miserable comforters they were like to prove refused to have conference with them That Morning before his Majesty was brought thence the Bishop of London who with much ado was permitted to wait upon Him a day or two before and to assist Him in that sad instant read Divine Service in his presence in which the 27th of Saint Matthew the History of our Saviour's Crucifixion proved the second Lesson The King supposing it to have been selected on purpose thank'd him afterwards for his seasonable choice But the Bishop modestly declining that undue thanks told him that it was the Lesson appointed by the Calendar for that day He also then and there received of the Bishop the holy Sacrament and performed all His Devotions in preparation to His Passion Which ended about ten of the clock His Majesty was brought from Saint James's to White-Hall by a Regiment of Foot with Colours flying and Drums beating part marching before and part behind with a private guard of Partisans about Him the Bishop on the the one hand and Colonel Tomlinson who had the charge of Him on the other both bare-headed His Majesty walking very fast and bidding them go faster added That He now went before them to strive for an Heavenly Crown with less solicitude than He had often incouraged His Souldiers to fight for an Earthly Diadem Being come to the end of the Park He went up the Stairs leading to the long Gallery in White-Hall and so into the Cabinet Chamber where He used formerly to lodge There finding an unexpected delay in being brought upon the Scaffold which they had not as then fitted He past the time at convenient distances in Prayer About twelve of the clock His Majesty refusing to dine only eat a bit of Bread and drank a Glass of Claret and about an hour after Colonel Hacker with other Officers and Souldiers brought Him with the Bishop and Colonel Tomlinson through the Banqueting-house to the Scaffold to which the passage was made through a Window Divers Companies of Foot and Troups of Horse were placed on each side of the Street which hindred the approach of the very numerous Spectators and the King from speaking what He had premeditated and prepared for them to hear Whereupon His Majesty finding Himself disappointed omitted much of His intended matter and for what He meant to speak directed Himself chiefly to Colonel Tomlinson I Shall be very little heard of any body here I shall therefore speak a word unto you here Indeed I could hold My peace very well if I did not think that holding My peace would make some men think that I did submit to the Guilt as well as to the Punishment But I think it is My Duty to God first and to My Country for to clear My self both as an honest Man and a good King and a good Christian I shall begin first with My Innocency In troth I think it not very needful for Me to insist long upon this for all the World knows that I never did begin a War first with the two Houses of Parliament and I call God to witness to whom I must shortly make an account that I never did intend for to incroach upon their Privileges they began upon Me it is the Militia they began upon they confest that the Militia was Mine but they thought it fit for to have it from Me. And to be short if any body will look to the Dates of Commissions of their Commissions and Mine and likewise to the Declarations they will see clearly that they began these unhappy Troubles not I. So that as to the guilt of these enormous Crimes that are laid against Me I hope in God that God will clear Me of it I will not I am in Charity God forbid that I should lay it on the two Houses of Parliament there is no necessity of either I hope they are free of this Guilt For I do believe that ill Instruments between them and Me have been the chief cause of all this blood-shed So that by way of speaking as I find my self clear of this I hope and pray God that they may too Yet for all this God forbid that I should be so ill a Christian as not to say that God's Judgments are just upon Me many times he does pay Justice by an unjust Sentence that is ordinary I will only say this That an unjust Sentence that I suffered for to take effect is punished now by an unjust Sentence upon Me. That is So far I have said to shew you that I am an innocent man Now for to shew you that I am a good Christian I hope there is a good man that will bear Me witness that I have forgiven all the World and even those in particular that have been the chief causers of My Death Who they are God knows I do not desire to know I pray God forgive them But this is not all My Charity must go further I
of the Archbishop Abbot who was then with the Prince and the Duke and other of the Nobility waiting in the Privy Chamber for the King 's coming out on his Brother's head adding That if He continued a good Boy and followed His Book he would make him one Day Archbishop of Canterbury Which the Child took in such disdain that He threw the Cap on the Ground and trampled it under His Feet with so much eagerness that he could hardly be restrained Which Passion was afterward taken by some over-curious as a presage of the ruine of Episcopacy by His Power But the event shewed it was not ominous to the Order but to the Person of the Archbishop whom in his Reign he suspended from the Administration of his Office An. 1611 In his eleventh Year he was made Knight of the Garter An. 1612 and in the twelfth Prince Henry dying Novemb. 6. He succeeded him in the Dukedome of Cornwal and the Regalities thereof and attended his Funeral as Chief Mourner on Decemb. 7. On the 14th of Feb. following He performed the Office of Brideman to the Princess Elizabeth his Sister who on that Day was Married to Frederick V. Prince Elector Palatine the Gayeties of which Day were afterwards attended with many fatal Cares and Expences His Childhood was blemished with a supposed Obstinacy for the weakness of his Body inclining him to retirements and the imperfection of His Speech rendring Discourse tedious and unpleasant He was suspected to be somewhat perverse But more age and strength fitting Him for Manlike Exercises and the Publick Hopes inviting Him from his Privacies He delivered the World of such Fears for applying Himself to Action he grew so perfect in Vaulting riding the great Horse running at the Ring shooting in Cross-bows Muskets and sometimes in great Pieces of Ordnance that if Principality had been to be the Reward of Excellency in those Arts He would have had a Title to the Crown this way also being thought the best Marks-man and most graceful Manager of the great Horse in the three Kingdoms His tenacious humour He left with his Retirements none being more desirous of good Counsel nor any more Obsequious when he found it yea too distrustful of his own Judgment which the issue of things proved always best when it was followed When he was sixteen Years old An. 1616 on Nov. 3. He was created Prince of Wales Earl of Chester and Flint the Revenues thereof being assigned to maintain his Court which was then formed for Him And being thus advanced in Years and State it was expected that He should no longer retain the Modesty which the Shades of his Privacy had accustomed Him unto but now appear as the immediate Instrument of Empire and that by Him the Favours and Honours of the Court should be derived to others But though Providence had changed all about yet it had changed nothing within Him and He thought it Glory enough to be great without the diminution of others for He still permitted the Ministry of State to His Father's Favourites which gave occasion of Discourse to the Speculativi Some thought He did it to avoid the Jealousies of the Old King which were conceived to have been somewhat raised by the popularity of Prince Henry whose breast was full of forward Hopes For Young Princes are deemed of an impatient Ambition and Old ones to be too nice and tender of their Power in which though they are contented with a Successor as they must have yet are afraid of a Partner And it was supposed that therefore King James had raised Car and Buckingham like Comets to dim the lustre of these rising Stars But these were mistaken in the nature of that King who was enclined to contract a private friendship and was prodigal to the Objects of it before ever he had Sons to divert his Love or raise his Fears Some that at a distance looked upon the Prince's actions ascribed them to a Narrowness of Mind and an Incapacity of Greatness while others better acquainted with the frame of his Spirit knew His prudent Modesty enclined Him to learn the Methods of Commanding by the practice of Obedience and that being of a peaceful Soul He affected not to embroil the Court and from thence the Kingdom in Factions the effects of impotent minds which He knew were dangerous to a State and destructive to that Prince who gives Birth unto them that therefore He chose to wait for a certain though delayed Grandeur rather then by the Compendious way of Contrasts get a precocious Power and leave too pregnant an Example of Ruine Others conceived it the Prudence of the Father with which the Son complyed who knew the true use of Favourites was to make them the objects of the People's impatience the sinks to receive the Curses and Anger of the Vulgar the Hatred of the Querulous and the Envy of unsatisfied Ambition which he would rather have fall upon Servants that His Son might ascend the Throne free and unburthened with the discontents of any This was the rather believed because He could dispence Honours where and when He pleased as He did to some of His own Houshold as Sir Robert Cary was made Lord Cary of Lepington Sir Thomas Howard Viscount Andover and Sir John Vaughan Lord of Molingar in Ireland The Evenness of His Spirit was discovered in the loss of His Mother An. 1618 whose Death presaged as some thought by that notorious Comet which appeared Nov. 18. before happened on March 2. Anno 1618. which He bewailed with a just measure of Grief without any affected Sorrows though she was most affectionate to Him above all her other Children and at her Funeral he would be chief Mourner The Death of the Queen was not long after followed with a sharp Sickness of the King wherein his Life seeming in danger the consequences of his Death began to be lamented Dr Andrews then Bishop of Ely bewailed the sad Condition of the Church if God should at that time determine the days of the King The Prince being then only conversant with Scotch men which made up the greatest part of his Family and were ill-affected to the Government and Worship of the Church of England Of this the King became so sensible that he made a Vow If God should please to restore his Health he would so instruct the Prince in the Controversies of Religion as should secure His affections to the present Establishment Which he did with so much success as he assured the Chaplains who were to wait on the Prince in Spain that He was able to moderate in any emergent Disputations which yet he charged them to decline if possible At which they smiling he earnestly added That CHARLES should manage a Point in Controversy with the best-studied Divine of them all In His 19th Year An. 1619 on March 24. which was the Anniversary of King James's coming to the Crown of England He performed a Justing at White-hall together with several of
lawful Government while the Almighty secured the Glory of the King even in His Sufferings provided for the Support and Honour of the Royal Family in its lowest Estate and miraculously preserved the Chief of it from innumerable dangers and made us to see afterwards in the Series of his Providences that he had not withdrawn his loving-kindness from the House of King CHARLES by restoring it to its primitive Grandeur And this he was pleased to signifie to the King by a Passage that appeared little less than a Miracle For while He was at Oxford and the Earl of Southampton now Lord High-Treasurer of England a Person of unquestionable Honour and Veracity of an eminent Integrity above the Flattery of Princes who doth attest this Occurrence as Gentleman of the Bed-chamber lay one Night in the same Chamber with Him the Wax Mortar which according to Custom the King always had in His Chamber was in the night as they both conceived and took notice of fully extinguished But my Lord rising in the Morning found it lighted and said to the KING Sir this Mortar now burns very clearly at which they both exceedingly wondred as fully concluding it had been out in the Night and they could not imagine how any of the Grooms or any other could possibly light it the Door being locked with a Spring within This busying the wonder of both for the present the King afterwards when He saw the Malice of His Enemies press hard upon His Life and Ruine reflecting upon this Occurrence drew it into this Presage That though God would permit His Light to be extinguished for a time yet He would at last light it again which was verified in the Event for though God suffered the Faction to spill His blood yet after many years of Troubles and when he had permitted those Monsters to bring us to the brinks of destruction he restored His Son to the Crown in as much Splendour and Greatness as any of His Predecessors As His Abilities for the Publick administration of Government were all apt to raise Admiration so His Recreations and Privacies gave a Delight to such as communicated in the sight of them and there needed no more to beget an Honour of Him than to behold Him in His Diversions which were all serious and there was no part of His time which either wanted benefit or deserved not Commendation In His younger days His pleasures were in Riding and sometimes in breaking the great Horse and He did it so gracefully that He deserved that Statue of Brass which did represent Him on Horse-back Besides this He delighted in Hunting an active and stirring Exercise to accustom Him to toils and harden that body whose mind abhorred the softness of Luxury and Ease which Vicious Princes think a part of Power and the Rewards of Publick Cares but He used this as the way whereby the Antient Heroes were habituated to Labours and by contending with some beasts in Strength and others in Swiftness first to rout then to chase their flying Enemies When the season of the year did not permit this sport then Tennis Gough Bowls were the ways of His Diversions and in all these He was wonderfully active and excellent His softer pleasures were Books and of His time spent in these there were many Monuments In His Library at St James's there was kept a Collection of His of the excellent Sayings of Authors written with His own hand and in his Youth presented to His Father King JAMES and there is yet extant in the hands of a Worthy Person His Extracts written with His own hand out of My Lord of Canterbury's Book against Fisber of all the Arguments against the Papists digested into so excellent a Method that He gave Light and Strength to them even while He did epitomise them into a sheet or two of Paper The same Care and Pains He had bestowed in reading the most Judicious Hooker and the learned Works of Bishop Andrews out of all which He had gathered whatsoever was excellent in them and fitted them for His ready use When He was tired with Reading then He applied Himself to Discourse wherein He both benefited Himself and others and He was good at the relation of a Story or telling of an Occurrence When these were tedious by continuance He would either play at Chess or please Himself with His Pictures of which He had many choice Pieces of the best Masters as Titian Rafael Tintoret and others with which He had adorned His most frequented Palaces as also with most antique Pieces of Sculpture so that to those that had travelled it seemed that Italy was translated to His Court. As His Spirit was thus accomplished so His Body had its Elegancies His Stature was of a just height rather decent than tall His Body erect and not enclining to a Corpulency nor meager till His Afflictions wrought too strongly upon it to a Leanness His Limbs exactly proportioned His Face full of Majesty and His Brow large and fair His Eyes so quick and piercing that they went farther than the Superficies of men and searched their more Inward parts for at the first sight He would pass a judgment upon the frame of a man's Spirit and Faculties and He was not often mistaken having a strange happiness in Physiognomy and by reason of this He would remember any one He had seen but once many years after His Complexion was enclining to a Paleness His Hair a brown which He wore of a moderate length ending in gentle and easie curles upon His left side He indulged one Lock to a greater length in the youthful part of His Life His Beard He wore picked but after the Faction had passed those Votes of No Addresses He permitted it to grow neglectedly and to cover more of His face His Gestures had nothing of affectation but full of Majestick gravity His motions were speedy and His gate fast which shewed the Alacrity and Vigour of His Mind for His Affections were temperate He was of a most healthful Constitution and after the infirmities of His Childhood was never sick Once He had the small Pox but the Malignity of it was so small that it altered not His Stomach nor put Him to the abstinence of one Meal neither did it detain Him above a fortnight under the Care of His Physicians He was Father of four Sons and five Daughters 1. Charles James born at Greenwich on Wednesday May 13th 1628. but died almost as soon as born having been first christned 2. Charles Duke of Cornwall and Prince of Wales born at St. James's May 29th 1630. whom after a fellowship in the Sufferings of His Father some brave but unsuccessful attempts to recover the Rights of His Inheritance and twelve years various fortune abroad God was pleased by a wonderful Providence without blood or ruine to conduct to His Native Throne and make Him the Restorer of Peace to a People wearied and wasted almost to a Desolation by several
of War And Justice stands a Prisoner at the Bar. This Scene was like the Passion-Tragedy His Saviour's Person none could Act but He. Behold what Scribes were here what Pharisees What Bands of Souldiers what false Witnesses Here was a Priest and that a Chief one who Durst strike at God and His Vicegerent too Here Bradshaw Pilate there This makes them twain Pilate for Fear Bradshaw condemn'd for Gain Wretch couldst not thou be rich till Charles was dead Thou might'st have took the Crown yet spar'd the Head Th' hast justifi'd that Roman Judge He stood And washt in Water thou hast dipt in Blood And where 's the Slaughter-House White-hall must be Lately His Palace now His Calvary Great CHARLES is this Thy dying-place And where Thou wer 't our KING art Thou our MARTYR there Thence thence Thy Soul took flight and there will we Not cease to Mourn where Thou didst cease to Be. And thus blest Soul He 's gone a Star whose fall As no Eclipse proves Oecumenical That Wretch had skill to sin whose Hand did know How to behead three Kingdoms at one blow England hath lost the Influence of her KING No wonder that so backward was her Spring O dismal Day but yet how quickly gone It must be short Our SUN went down at Noon And now ye Senators is this the Thing So oft declar'd is this your Glorious King Did you by Oaths your God and Country mock Pretend a Crown and yet prepare a Block Did you that swore you 'd Mount CHARLES higher yet Intend the Scaffold for His Olivet Was this Hail Master Did you bow the knee That you might murther Him with Loyalty Alas two Deaths what Cruelty was this The Axe design'd you might have spar'd the Kiss London didst thou Thy Prince's Life betray What could Thy Sables vent no other way Or else didst thou bemoan His Cross then ah Why would'st thou be the cursed Golgotha Thou once hadst Men Plate Arms a Treasury To bind thy KING and hast thou none to free Dull beast thou should'st before thy Head did fall Have had at least thy Spirits Animal Did You Ye Nobles envy CHARLES His Crown Jove being fal'n the Puny-gods must down Your Raies of Honour are eclip'st in Night The Sun is set from whence You drew your Light Religion Veils her self and Mourns that she Is forc'd to own such horrid Villany The Church and State do shake that Building must Expect to fall whose Prop is turn'd to Dust But cease from Tears-CHARLES is most blest of men A God on Earth more than a Saint in Heav'n THE END A COLLECTION OF DECLARATIONS TREATIES AND OTHER Principal Passages concerning the DIFFERENCES BETWIXT King Charles I. AND HIS TWO HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT Clearly Manifesting The Justice of His Cause His Sincerity in Religion His Constant Endeavours for Peace Bona agere mala pati Regium est LONDON Printed MDCLXXXVII THE PREFACE TO THE NOBILITY and GENTRY OF ENGLAND I Might call this Collection A Complete Body of English Politicks as comprehending both the Duty and the Interest of all true English-men and those largely set forth in some of the most excellent Discourses that were ever written in this kind Which for their own sakes might claim some better respect from the present Age than to be cast aside as out-dated Pamphlets or at the best confusedly scattered like the Leaves of Sibylla without any care of conserving and transmitting them to Posterity The sad Experience of so many years hath taught this Nation to their cost how miserable even the greatest Subjects make themselves by incroaching upon that Soveraignty which alone can protect them from the Injuries and the Scorn of their Inferiours Here you will discover the Arts the Means and the Degrees by which those Mischiefs were attempted and atchieved Which whensoever you see repeated you will know the Plot is as well against your Privilege and the Liberty of your Countrey as the Prerogative of your Prince Indeed If it were as easie to root out the remembrance of the ill Examples as it is to remit the punishment of the Crimes by Acts of Grace and Pardon and Oblivion it were perhaps no Imprudence to let those Mischiefs sleep with their Authors and leave their Memories buried in the Ruines they have made But since many that are content to take the utmost advantage of a Pardon are yet too good to acknowledge they ever stood in need of any since most will remember only What hath been done and few trouble themselves to inquire How or Why it cannot be thought impertinent together with the Actions to represent also the true Causes that have produced such Effects and the Circumstances that attended them which may remain as Marks to warn Posterity of those Errors which have cost the present Age so dear This is here done not from the private phancies or observations of any one Person or Party but from the Publick and Authentick Writings of Both digested in such order that the Reader may compare what both sides had to say for themselves and thereby discern whose Designs and what Counsels tended most to the Peace and Welfare of the Nation A study most proper for those Ranks of men whom the Favour of Princes hath raised above the Common Multitude to this one End that they may assist Them in the administration of Their Government and in keeping Peace and good order in their Countries To have Collected all that passed in these great Contests would have been the Work of many Volumes But the most material and most necessary to carry on the Series of Times and Things which in a manner comprehend the Sum or at least shew the Result of all the rest are here disposed according to their most natural order of time under these few heads I. His Majesties Declarations concerning His Proceedings in His Four first Parliaments p. 217. II. Declarations and Papers concerning the Differences betwixt His Majesty and His Fifth Parliament p. 241. III. Declarations and Paper concerning the Treaty of Peace at Oxford MDCXLII III. p. 325. IV. A Declaration concerning the Cessation in Ireland Also Declarations and Passages of the Parliament at Oxford p. 401. V. Papers and Passages concerning the Treaty of Peace at Vxbridge p. 437. VI. Messages Propositions and Treaties for Peace With divers Resolutions and Declarations thereupon MDCXLV VI. VII VIII p. 547. HIS MAJESTIES DECLARATIONS CONCERNING HIS PROCEEDINGS IN HIS FOUR FIRST PARLIAMENTS A Declaration of the true Causes which moved His MAJESTY to Assemble and after inforced Him to Dissolve the First and Second Meetings in Parliament THE King 's most Excellent Majesty since His happy access to the Imperial Crown of this Realm having by His Royal Authority summoned and assembled two several Parliaments the first whereof was in August last by adjournment held at Oxford and there dissolved and the other begun in February last and continued until the fifteenth day of this present month of June and then to the unspeakable grief
the whole Kingdom And if any factious Merchant will affront Us in a thing so reasonable and wherein We require no more nor in no other manner than so many of our Predecessors have done and have been dutifully obeyed let them not deceive themselves but be assured that We shall find Honourable and just means to support Our Estate vindicate Our Sovereignty and preserve that Authority which God hath put into Our hands And now having laid down the truth and clearness of Our proceedings all wise and discreet men may easily judge of those rumors and jealous fears that are maliciously and wickedly bruited abroad and may discern by examination of their own hearts whether in respect of the free passage of the Gospel indifferent and equal administration of Justice freedom from Oppression and the great Peace and quietness which every man enjoyeth under his own vine and fig-tree the Happiness of this Nation can be parallel'd by any other of Our neighbour Countries and if not then to acknowledge their own blessedness and for the same be thankful to God the Author of all goodness By the KING A Proclamation for suppressing of false Rumours touching Parliaments WHereas notwithstanding Our late Declaration for satisfying of the minds and affections of Our loving Subjects some ill-disposed persons do spread false and pernicious Rumours abroad as if the scandalous and seditious Proposition in the House of Commons made by an outlawed man desperate in mind and fortune which was tumultuously taken up by some few after that by Our Royal Authority We had commanded their Adjournment had been the Vote of the whole House whereas the contrary is the truth for it was then decried by the wisest and best affected and is since disavowed upon examination by such as were suspected to have consented thereunto and affirmed as well by them as others who served in the House that day to be a thing of a most wicked and dangerous consequence to the good estate of this Kingdom which appeareth to be so by those impressions which this false Rumour hath made in mens minds whereby out of causeless fears the Trade of the Kingdom is disturbed and Merchants discouraged to continue in their wonted Traffique We have thought it expedient not only to manifest the truth hereof but to make known Our Royal pleasure that those who raise or nourish such false reports shall be severely punished and such as chearfully go on with their Trade have all good incouragement not purposing to overcharge Our Subjects by any new burthens but to satisfie Our selves with those Duties that were received by the King Our Father of blessed memory which We neither can nor will dispense withal but shall esteem them unworthy of Our Protection who shall deny the same We intending to imploy it for defence of Our Kingdoms Dominion of Our Seas and safeguard of Our Merchants specially by such Shipping as are now making ready and such further preparation for aid of Our Friends and Allies as need shall require And whereas for several ill ends the calling again of a Parliament is divulged howsoever We have shewed by Our frequent meeting with Our People Our love to the use of Parliaments yet the late abuse having for the present driven Us unwillingly out of that course We shall accompt it presumption for any to prescribe any time unto Us for Parliaments the Calling Continuing and Dissolving of which is always in Our own power and We shall be more inclinable to meet in Parliament again when Our People shall see more clearly into our Intents and Actions when such as have bred this interruption shall have received their condign punishment and those who are mis-led by them and by such ill reports as are raised upon this occasion shall come to a better understanding of Us and themselves Given at Our Court of White-hall this seven and twentieth day of March in the fifth year of Our Reign of Great Britain France and Ireland God save the KING MDCXXIX His MAJESTIE's Letter to the Judges concerning Ship-money To Our Trusty and Well-beloved Sir John Bramston Knight Chief Justice of Our Bench Sir John Finch Knight Chief Justice of Our Court of Common Pleas Sir Humphrey Davenport Knight Chief Baron of Our Court of Exchequer and to the rest of the Judges of Our Courts of Kings Bench Common Pleas and the Barons of Our Court of Exchequer CHARLES R. TRusty and Well-beloved We greet you well Taking into Our Princely consideration that the Honour and Safety of this Our Realm of England the preservation whereof is only entrusted to Our care was and is more nearly concerned in late than former times as well by divers counsels and attempts to take from us the Dominion of the Seas of which We are sole Lord and rightful Owner or Proprietor and the loss whereof would be of greatest danger and peril to this Kingdom and other Our Dominions as many other ways We for the avoiding of these and the like dangers well weighing with Our self that where the good and safety of the Kingdom in general is concerned and the whole Kingdom in danger there the charge and defence ought to be born by all the Realm in general did for the preventing so publick a mischief resolve with Our self to have a Royal Navy prepared that might be of force and power with Almighty God's blessing and assistance to protect and defend this Our Realm and Our Subjects therein from all such perils and dangers and for that purpose We issued forth Writs under Our Great Seal of England directed to all Our Sheriffs of Our several Counties of England and Wales commanding thereby all Our said Subjects in every City Town and Village to provide such a number of Ships well furnisht as might serve for this Royal purpose and which might be done with the greatest equality that could be In performance whereof though generally throughout all the Counties of this Our Realm We have found in Our Subjects great chearfulness and alacrity which We graciously interpret as a testimony as well of their dutiful affection to Us and Our service as of the respect they have to the Publick which well becometh every good Subject nevertheless finding that some few haply out of ignorance what the Laws and Customs of this Realm are or out of a desire to be eased in their particulars how general soever the charge be or ought to be have not yet paid and contributed to the several Rates and Assessments that were set upon them and foreseeing in Our Princely Wisdom that from thence divers Suits and Actions are not unlikely to be commenced and prosecuted in Our several Courts at Westminster We desirous to avoid such inconveniences and out of Our Princely love and affection to all Our People being willing to prevent such errors as any of Our loving Subjects may happen to run into have thought fit in a case of this nature to advise with you Our Judges who We doubt not are well studied
and informed in the Rights of Our Sovereignty And because the Trials in Our several Courts by the formalities in pleading will require a long protraction We have thought fit by this Letter directed to you all to require your Judgment in the Case as it is set down in the inclosed Paper which will not only gain time but also be of more authority to over-rule any prejudicate opinions of others in the point Given under Our Signet at Our Court of White-hall the second day of February in the twelfth year of Our Reign 1636. C. R. CHARLES R. WHen the good and safety of the Kingdom in general is concerned and the whole Kingdom in danger whether may not the King by Writ under the Great Seal of England command all the Subjects in His Kingdom at their charge to provide and furnish such number of Ships with Men Victuals and Munition and for such time as He shall think fit for the defence and safeguard of the Kingdom from such danger and peril and by Law compel the doing thereof in case of refusal or refractoriness And whether in such case is not the King the sole judge both of the Danger and when and how the same is to be prevented and avoided The Answer of the Judges MAY it please Your most Excellent Majesty We have according to Your Majestie 's command severally and every man by himself and all of us together taken into serious consideration the Case and Questions signed by Your Majesty and inclosed in Your Letter And We are of opinion That when the good and safety of the Kingdom in general is concerned and the whole Kingdom in danger Your Majesty may by Writ under Your Great Seal of England command all the Subjects of this Your Kingdom at their charge to provide and furnish such number of Ships with Men Victual Munition and for such time as Your Majesty shall think fit for the defence and safeguard of the Kingdom from such peril and danger And that by Law Your Majesty may compel the doing thereof in case of refusal or refractoriness And we are also of opinion that in such case Your Majesty is the sole judge both of the Danger and when and how the same is to be prevented and avoided John Bramston John Finch Humphrey Davenport John Denham Richard Hutton William Jones George Crook Thomas Trevor George Vernon Robert Barkly Francis Crauley Richard Weston His MAJESTIE's Declaration to all His loving Subjects of the Causes which moved Him to dissolve His Fourth Parliament THE King 's most Excellent Majesty well knoweth that the Calling Adjourning Proroguing and Dissolving of Parliaments are undoubted Prerogatives inseparably annexed to His Imperial Crown of which He is not bound to render any account but to God alone no more than of His other Regal actions Nevertheless His Majesty whose Piety and Goodness have made Him ever so order and govern all things that the clearness and Candor of His Royal heart may appear to all His Subjects especially in those great and publick matters of State that have relation to the weal and safety of His People and the Honour of His Royal Person and Government hath thought fit for avoiding and preventing all sinister constructions and misinter pretations which the Malice of some persons ill-affected to His Crown and Soveraignty hath or may practise to infuse into the minds an ears of His good and faithful Subjects to set down by way of Declaration the true Causes as well of His Assembling as of His Dissolving the late Parliament IT is not unknown to most of His Majestie 's loving Subjects what discouragements He hath formerly had by the undutiful and seditious carriage of divers of the lower House in preceding Assemblies of Parliament enough to have made Him averse to those ancient and accustomed ways of calling His People together when in stead of dutiful expressions towards His Person and Government they vented their own Malice and disaffections to the State and by their subtle and malignant courses endeavoured nothing more than to bring into contempt and disorder all Government and Magistracy Yet His Majesty well considering that but few were guilty of that seditious and undutiful behaviour and hoping that time and experience had made His loving Subjects sensible of the distemper the whole Kingdom was in danger to be put into by the ill-govern'd actions of those men and His Majesty being ever desirous to tread in the steps of His most noble Progenitors was pleased to issue forth His Writs under the great Seal of England for a Parliament to be holden on the thirteenth day of April last At which day His Majesty by the Lord Keeper of His great Seal was graciously pleased to let both Houses of Parliament know how desirous He was that all His people would unite their hearts and affections in the execution of those Counsels that might tend to the Honour of His Majesty the Safety of His Kingdoms and the good and preservation of all His people and withal how confident He was that they would not be failing in their duties and affections to Him and to the publick He laid open to them the manifest and apparent mischiefs threatned to this and all His other Kingdoms by the mutinous and rebellious behaviour of divers of the Scotish nation who had by their examples drawn many of His Subjects there into a course of disloyalty and disobedience not fit for His Majesty in Honour Safety or Wisdom to endure How to strengthen themselves in their disloyal courses they had addrest themselves to forein States and treated with them to deliver themselves up to their protection and defence as was made apparent under the proper hands of the prime Ring-leaders of that Rebellious Faction These courses of theirs tending so much to the ruine and overthrow of this famous Monarchy united by the descent of the Crown of England upon His Majesty and his Father of blessed Memory His Majesty in His great Wisdom and in discharge of the trust reposed in Him by God and by the Fundamental Laws of both Kingdoms for the protection and government of them resolved to suppress and thereby to vindicate that Sovereign power entrusted to Him He had by the last Summers trial found that his Grace and Goodness was abused and that contrary to his expectation and their faithful promises they had since his being at Berwick and the Pacification there made pursued their former rebellious designs and therefore it was necessary now for his Majesty by power to reduce them to the just and modest condition of their Obedience and subjection which whenever they should be brought unto or seeing their own Errors should put themselves into a way of Humility and Obedience becoming them his Majesty should need no other Mediatours for Clemency and Mercy to them than his own Piety and Goodness and the tender affection he hath ever born to that his native Countrey This being of so great weight and consequence to the whole Kingdo
have said in that Protestation you mention and We thank you for being satisfied with it in which God knows Our Resolution to be so firm and stedfast that We will give any Security under Heaven for the observation of it And as Our greatest desire at this present is to meet in a full and free Convention of Parliament which We are confident would quickly put an end to all these Troubles So when it shall please God to restore that Blessing to Us We shall value and esteem that Council and frequently consult with it and be advised by it as the best means to make both King and People truly happy and We shall then by an Act given wipe out the footsteps of these extraordinary Supplies which nothing but this real visible Necessity which oppresses us all could have compelled Us to make use of and which shall never be mentioned or remembred by Us to the least Prejudice of your Rights and Liberties And in the mean time We shall leave nothing undone for the preservation of particular Contracts and prevention of the disorder and licence of the Souldier which is in Our Power to do no particular Person enduring half that sadness of heart for those Breaches and Pressures which We Our Self do For the prevention and suppression whereof We shall proceed with all Rigour and Severity Lastly as the support and maintenance of the Religion Laws and Privileges of Parliament is as you well know the only Argument of Our defensive Arms so those being secured We shall with all imaginable Joy lay down those Arms And as you have been Our Witnesses and Our Assistants in Our earnest desires of Peace so We promise you We shall not only with the same earnestness always embrace it if it shall be offered but pursue and press it upon the least likelihood of Opportunity And this Our Resolution by God's Blessing shall never be altered by any Advantages or prosperous Success His MAJESTY'S Protestation I DO Promise in the presence of Almighty God and as I hope for his Blessing and Protection That I will to the utmost of My Power defend and maintain the true Reformed Protestant Religion established in the Church of England and by the Grace of God in the same will live and die I desire to Govern by the known Laws of the Land and that the Liberty and Property of the Subject may be by them preserved with the same care as My own just Rights And if it please God by His blessing upon this Army raised for My necessary defence to preserve Me from this Rebellion I do solemnly and faithfully Promise in the sight of God to maintain the just Privileges and Freedom of Parliament and to govern by the known Laws of the Land to My utmost Power and particularly to observe inviolably the Laws consented to by Me this Parliament In the mean while if this time of War and the great necessity and streights I am now driven to beget any violation of those I hope it shall be imputed by God and Man to the Authors of this War and not to Me Who have so earnestly laboured for the preservation of the Peace of this Kingdom When I willingly fail in these particulars I will expect no Aid or Relief from any Man or Protection from Heaven But in this Resolution I hope for the chearful Assistance of all good Men and am confident of God's Blessing MDCXLIV The Declaration of the most Excellent and Potent Prince CHARLES King of Great Britain sent to the Protestant Churches beyond the Seas CHARLES by the Providence of Almighty God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith To all those who profess the true Reformed Protestant Religion of what Nation degree and condition soever they be to whom this present Declaration shall come Greeting Whereas We are given to understand that many false Rumors and Scandalous Letters are spread up and down amongst the Reformed Churches in Foreign parts by the politick or rather the pernicious industry of some ill-affected Persons that We have an inclination to recede from that Orthodox Religion which We were born baptized and bred in and which We have firmly professed and practised throughout the whole course of Our Life to this moment and that We intend to give way to the introduction and publick Exercise of Popery again in Our Dominions Which Conjecture or rather most detestable Calumny being grounded upon no imaginable foundation hath raised these horrid Tumults and more than barbarous Wars throughout this flourishing Island under pretext of a kind of Reformation which would not only prove incongruous but incompatible with the Fundamental Laws and Government of this Kingdom We desire that the whole Christian World should take notice and rest assured that We never entertained in Our Imagination the least thought to attempt such a thing or to depart a jot from that holy Religion which when we received the Crown and Sceptre of this Kingdom We took a most Solemn and Sacramental Oath to profess and protect Nor doth Our most constant practice and quotidian visible presence in the exercise of this sole Religion with so many Asseverations in the head of Our Armies and the publick Attestation of Our Barons with the circumspection used in the Education of Our Royal Off-spring besides divers other undeniable Arguments only demonstrate this but also that happy Alliance of Marriage We contracted betwixt Our Eldest Daughter and the Illustrious Prince of Orange most clearly confirms the reality of Our Intentions herein by which Nuptial Engagement it appears further that Our endeavours are not only to make a bare Profession thereof in Our Own Dominions but to inlarge and corroborate it abroad as much as lyeth in Our Power This most holy Religion of the Anglicane Church ordain'd by so many Convocations of Learned Divines confirm'd by so many Acts of National Parliaments and strengthned by so many Royal Proclamations together with the Ecclesiastick Discipline and Liturgy thereunto appertaining which Liturgy and Discipline the most eminent of Protestant Authors as well Germans as French as well Danes as Swedes and Switzers as well Belgians as Bohemians do with many Elogies and not without a kind of envy approve and applaud in their publick Writings particularly in the Transactions of the Synod of Dort wherein besides other of Our Divines who afterwards were Prelates one of Our Bishops assisted to whose Dignity all due respects and precedency was given this Religion We say which Our Royal Father of blessed Memory doth publickly assert in that His famous Confession address'd as We also do this Our Protestation to all Christian Princes this this most holy Religion with the Hierarchy and Liturgy thereof We solemny protest that by the help of Almighty God We will endeavour to Our utmost Power and last period of Our Life to keep entire and inviolable and will be careful according to Our duty to Heaven and the tenor of the aforesaid most sacred Oath at Our
from His Majesty's Loyal Subjects assembled in the Parliaments of both His Kingdoms are mentioned to be sent to His Majesty from the Lords and Commons of Parliament assembled at Westminster and upon His Majesty's Answers Messages and Propositions to them and their Returns to His Majesty that a Treaty is to begin and wherein we also observe you have no Power thereby to Treat upon the Propositions sent to His Majesty from His humble and Loyal Subjects assembled in the Parliaments of both Kingdoms and the Answers Messages and Propositions sent from His Majesty to the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England at Westminster and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland then at London and their Returns to His Majesty We desire those defects may be cleared and speedily amended The King's Commissioners Answer 31. January VVE conceive our Power being to Treat upon the Propositions brought by the Earl of Denbigh and others and those Propositions being sent from the Parliaments of both Kingdoms there need no mention of the Parliaments of both Kingdoms in that place but that our Power is ample to Treat with your Lordships upon the whole both by express words and by other general words in the Commission which give power to Treat upon those Propositions or any other which general words are not observed by your Lordships in your Paper and our Power is to Treat with the Lords and others authorized for the Estates of the Parliament of Scotland by name yet since you insist upon it it shall be altered by Tuesday next And in the mean time if your Lordships please we desire the Papers promised yesterday in the Paper delivered by the Earl of Northumberland may be delivered unto us that there may be as little loss of time as may be Their Reply 31. January IN Answer to your Lordships Paper concerning your power to Treat we are content to proceed in the Treaty with your Lordships in expectation that the Defects mentioned by us in our Paper shall be supplied by Tuesday next On Munday the third of February the King's Commissioners did deliver their Commission renewed as followeth CHARLES R. VVHereas certain Propositions were sent unto Us from the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England at Westminster and from the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland which were brought unto Us at Oxford in November last by the Earl of Denbigh and others and upon Our Answers c. as followeth verbatim in His Majesty's former Commission Touching the Manner of the Treaty The King's Commissioners Paper 31. January WE desire to the end there may be a greater freedom in debate which we conceive will much conduce to the happy conclusion of this Treaty that nothing may be understood to be concluded on either side but what is delivered in writing according as your Lordships have begun And we declare That what shall be delivered in writing upon any Proposition or upon any part of a Proposition is not to be binding or prejudicial to either Party if the Treaty break off upon any other Proposition or part of any other Proposition Their Answer 31. Jan. WE shall deliver our demands and Answers in writing and desire your Lordships to do the like The King's Commissioners Reply 1. February WE desire a full Answer of our Paper that nothing shall be taken as agreed upon but what is put in writing and your Concurrence in declaring That what shall be delivered in writing upon any Proposition or upon any part of a Proposition shall not be binding or prejudicial to either Party if the Treaty break off Their further Answer 1. February ACcording to our former Paper we shall deliver our Demands and Answers in writing and we desire your Lordships to do the like and nothing shall be taken as agreed upon but what is put in writing And we shall acquaint the Houses of Parliament that you have declared what shall be delivered in writing upon any Proposition or upon any part of a Proposition is not to be binding or prejudicial to either Party if the Treaty break off 3. February IN Answer to Your Lordships Paper formerly delivered we do declare that what shall be delivered in writing upon any Proposition or upon any part of a Proposition is not to be binding or prejudicial to either Party if the Treaty break off upon any other Propositions or part of any Proposition Touching the Seditious Sermon The King's Commissioners Paper 31. January WE have certain Information from divers Persons present in Vxbridge Church yesterday that there was then a Sermon preached by one Mr. Love in which were many passages very Scandalous to His Majesty's Person and derogatory to His Honour stirring up the People against this Treaty and incensing them against us telling them That we come with hearts full of Blood and that there is as great distance between this Treaty and Peace as between Heaven and Hell or words to that effect with divers other Seditious passages both against His Majesty and this Treaty We know His Majesty's hearty desire of a happy and well-grounded Peace such as may be for Gods Honour and the good of all His Subjects as well as Himself and we that are entrusted by His Commission come with clear Intentions to serve Him in it according to our Consciences and the best of our Judgments And this being preached in your Quarters where we are now under safe Conduct we desire your Lordships to consider how much this may reflect upon our Safety how much it may prejudice and blast the blessed hopes of this Treaty and how just offence and distrust it may beget in His Majesty And therefore we desire Justice against the Man that he may have exemplary Punishment Their Answer 31. Jan. TO the Paper delivered in by your Lordships this day concerning the Information received of several Scandalous passages preached in a Sermon in Vxbridge Church by one Master Love we do return this Answer That the said Master Love is none of our Retinue nor came hither by any privity of ours That we conceive it most reasonable and agreeable to the business we are now upon that all just occasions of Offence on either part be avoided and as it hath been our desire so it shall be our endeavour to take the best care we can to prevent all prejudices upon the present Treaty which may blast the blessed hopes thereof or may beget any just offence and distrust in His Majesty and shall be as tender of the Safety of your Lordships Persons according to the safe Conduct as of our own We shall represent your Lordships Paper concerning this business if your Lordships so desire unto the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England who will proceed therein according to Justice The King's Commissioners Reply 1. February VVE insist upon our former desire concerning the Sermon preached by Mr. Love and must refer the way of doing Justice to your Lordships and if
intention to continue this War any longer or to make any Division between His two Kingdoms but to give such contentment to both as by the blessing of God He might see a happy and well-grounded Peace thereby to bring Prosperity to these Kingdoms answerable to the best times of His Progenitors And since the setling of Religion ought to be the chiefest care of all Counsels His Majesty most earnestly and heartily recommends to His two Houses of Parliament all the ways and means possible for speedy finishing this pious and necessary work and particularly that they take the advice of the Divines of both Kingdoms assembled at Westminster Likewise concerning the Militia of England for securing His People against all pretensions of Danger His Majesty is pleased to have it setled as was offered at the Treaty at Vxbridge all the persons being to be named for the trust by the two Houses of the Parliament of England for the space of seven years and after the expiring of that term that it be regulated as shall be agreed upon by His Majesty and His two Houses of Parliament And the like for the Kingdom of Scotland Concerning the Wars in Ireland His Majesty will do whatsoever is possible for Him to give full satisfaction therein And if these be not satisfactory His Majesty then desires that all such of the Propositions as are already agreed upon by both Kingdoms may be speedily sent unto Him His Majesty being resolved to comply with His Parliament in every thing that shall be for the Happiness of His Subjects and for the removing of all unhappy Differences which have produced so many sad effects His Majesty having made these offers he will neither question the thankful acceptation of them nor doth He doubt but that His two Kingdoms will be careful to maintain Him in His Honour and in His just and lawful Rights which is the only way to make a happy composure of these unnatural Divisions and likewise will think upon a solid way of conserving the Peace between the two Kingdoms for the time to come and will take a speedy course for easing and quieting His afflicted People by satisfying the publick Debts by disbanding of all Armies and whatsoever else shall be judged conducible to that end that so all hindrances being removed He may return to His Parliament with mutual comfort Southwell May 18. 1646. POSTSCRIPT HIS Majesty being desirous to shun the further effusion of Blood and to evidence His real intentions to Peace is willing that His Forces in and about Oxford be disbanded and the Fortifications of the City dismantled they receiving honorable Conditions Which being granted to the Town and Forces there His Majesty will give the like Order to the rest of the Garrisons XXIV From NEW CASTLE Jun. 10. MDCXLVI For Propositions for Peace and a Personal Treaty For the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore to be communicated to the two Houses of Parliament at Westminster and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland CHARLES R. HIS Majesty looking with grief of heart upon the sad sufferings of His People in His three Kingdoms for some years past and being afflicted with their distresses and unquiet conditions through the distractions about Religion the keeping of Forces on foot in the Fields and Garrisons the not satisfying of publick Debts and the fears of the further effusion of blood by the continuance of an unnatural War in any of these Kingdoms or by rending and dividing these Kingdoms so happily united and having sent a gracious Message unto both Houses of Parliament and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland expressing the necessary causes of His coming from Oxford unto the Scotish Army without any intention to make a Division where He is in freedom and right capacity to settle a true Peace and containing such offers as He conceived would have been accepted with a general clause of complying with their desires and being impatient of delays and not acquainted with the particulars which may give contentment to them His Majesty doth earnestly desire That the Propositions of Peace so often promised and so much expected may be speedily sent unto Him that upon consideration of them He may apply Himself to give such satisfaction as may be the foundation of a firm Peace And for the better and more speedy attaining thereunto His Majesty doth further propound That He may come to London with Safety Freedom and Honour where He resolves to comply with His Houses of Parliament in every thing which may be most for the good of His Subjects and perfect what remains for setling both Kingdoms and People in a happy condition being likewise most confident that they according to their reiterated Declarations and solemn Protestations will be zealous in the maintenance of His Honour and just and lawful Rights And as His Majesty desires the Houses of Parliament to disburthen the Kingdom of all Forces and Garrisons in their power except such as before these unhappy times have been maintained for the necessary defence and safety of this Kingdom so He is willing forthwith to disband all His Forces and Garrisons within the same as the inclosed Order herewith sent will evidence And if upon these offers His Majesty shall have such satisfaction as He may be confident a firm Peace shall ensue thereon His Majesty will then give order for His Son the Prince his present return Newcastle the tenth of June 1646. To Our Trusty and Well-beloved Sir Thomas Glenham Sir Thomas Tildesley Col. H. Washington Col. Thomas Blagge Governours of Our Cities and Towns of Oxford Lichfield Worcester and Wallingford and all other Commanders of any Towns Castles and Forts in Our Kingdom of England CHARLES R. HAving resolved to comply with the desires of Our Parliament in every thing which may be for the good of Our Subjects and leave no means unassayed for removing all Differences amongst us therefore We have thought fit the more to evidence the reality of Our intentions of setling a happy and firm Peace to require you upon honourable terms to quit those Towns Castles and Forts intrusted to you by Vs and to disband all the Forces under your several Commands Newcastle the tenth of June 1646. XXV From NEWCASTLE Aug. 1. MDCXLVI For a Personal Treaty upon the Propositions sent Him To the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore to be communicated to the two Houses of Parliament at Westminster and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland CHARLES R. THE Propositions tendered to His Majesty by the Commissioners from the Lords and Commons of the Parliament of England assembled at Westminster and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland to which the Houses of Parliament have taken twice so many months for deliberation as they have assigned days for His Majesties Answer do import so great alterations in Government both in Church and Kingdom as it is very difficult to return a particular and positive Answer before a full
not been seen read and delivered it open unto them whereupon what hath since passed either by the Governour in discharging most of My Servants redoubling the Guards and restraining Me of My former Liberty and all this as himself confess'd merely out of his own dislike of My Answer notwithstanding his beforesaid Engagement or afterwards by the two Houses as the Governour affirms in confining Me within the Circuit of this Castle I appeal to God and the World whether My said Answer deserved the reply of such proceedings besides the unlawfulness for Subjects to imprison their King That by the permission of Almighty God I am reduced to this sad condition as I no way repine so I am not without hope but that the same God will in due time convert these Afflictions into My advantage In the mean time I am confident to bear these crosses with Patience and a great Equality of Mind But by what means or occasion I am come to this Relapse in My Affairs I am utterly to seek especially when I consider that I have sacrificed to My two Houses of Parliament for the Peace of the Kingdome all but what is much more dear to Me than My life My Conscience and Honour desiring nothing more than to perform it in the most proper and natural way a Personal Treaty But that which makes Me most at a loss is the remembring My signal compliance with the Army and their Interests and of what importance My compliance was to them and their often-repeated Professions and Engagements for My just Rights in general at Newmarket and S. Albans and their particular explanation of those Generals by their voted and re-voted Proposals which I had reason to understand should be the utmost extremity would be expected from Me and that in some things therein I should be eased herein appealing to the Consciences of some of the chiefest Officers in the Army if what I have said be not punctually true and how I have failed of their expectations or My professions to them I challenge them and the whole World to produce the least colour of Reason And now I would know what it is that is desired Is it Peace I have shewed the way being both willing and desirous to perform My part in it which is a just compliance with all chief Interests Is it Plenty and Happiness They are the inseparable effects of Peace Is it Security I who wish that all Men would forgive and forget like Me have offered the Militia for My time Is it Liberty of Conscience He who wants it is most ready to give it Is it the right administration of Justice Officers of trust are committed to the choice of My two Houses of Parliament Is it frequent Parliaments I have legally fully concurr'd therewith Is it the Arrears of the Army Upon a settlement they will certainly be payed with much ease but before there will be found much difficulty if not impossibility in it Thus all the World cannot but see my reall and unwearied endeavours for Peace the which by the grace of God I shall neither repent Me of nor ever be slackned in notwithstanding My past present or future sufferings but if I may not be heard let every one judge who it is that obstructs the good I would or might do What is it that Men are afraid to hear from Me It cannot be Reason at least none will declare themselves so unreasonable as to confess it and it can less be impertinent or unreasonable Discourses for thereby peradventure I might more justifie this My Restraint than the causers themselves can do so that of all wonders yet this is the greatest to Me. But it may be easily gathered how those men intend to govern who have used Me thus And if it be My hard Fate to fall together with the Liberty of this Kingdom I shall not blush for My self but much lament the future Miseries of My People the which I shall still pray to God to avert whatever becomes of Me. CHARLES R. II. An Answer to a Pamphlet entitled A Declaration of the Commons of England in Parliament assembled expressing their Reasons and Grounds of passing the late Resolutions touching no farther Address or Application to be made to the KING Published by His Majestie 's appointment I Believe that it was never heard of until now that heavy Imputations were laid on any man I speak not now of Kings which I confess makes the case yet more strange and unjust and He not permitted to see much less to answer them but so it is now with the King which does though silently yet subject Him to as great an Imputation as there is any in the said Declaration for those who know no better may think that He cannot because He does not answer it Wherefore I hold it my Duty knowing these things better than every ordinary man to do my best that the King should not be injured by the Ignorance of His People and albeit I lying under Persecution for My Conscience and love to Regal Authority have not the means in every thing to make full Probations yet I am confident in all the most material Points so to make the truth of the King's Innocency appear that I shall satisfie any impartial judicious Reader What the Issue of former Addresses to the King hath been is most certainly known to all the World but where the fault rests whereby Peace hath not ensued bare Asseverations without Proofs cannot I am sure satisfie any judicious Reader And indeed it seems to me that the Penner of these seeks more to take the ears of the ignorant Multitude with big words and bold Assertions than to satisfie Rational men with real proofs or true Arguments For at the very first he begs the Question taking it for granted that the King could ease the Sighs and Groans dry the Tears and stanch the Blood of His distressed Subjects Alas Is it He that keeps Armies on foot when there is none to oppose Is it He that will not lay down Excise Taxations and Free-quarterings But it is He indeed who was so far from Power even at that time being far worse since that in most things He wanted the Liberty of any free-born man It is He who never refused to ease His People of their Grievances witness more Acts of Grace passed in His Reign than to speak within my compass in any five Kings or Queens Times that ever were before Him Moreover it is He who to settle the present unhappy Distractions and as the best means to it to obtain a Personal Treaty hath offered so much that to say truth during His own time He hath left Himself little more than the Title of a King as it plainly appears by His Message from the Isle of Wight concerning the Militia and chusing the Officers of State and Privy-Counsellours besides other points of Compliance which it is needless here to mention Good God! are these Offers unfit for them to receive Have they
be Treason are so accused and others warned from involving themselves in their Guilt and except We will take down Our Standard that Our good Subjects may not repair to Us for Our Defence when so many Armies are raised against Us in several parts of the Kingdom and ready to destroy Us and such of Our good Subjects who dare continue loyal to Us and except We will return to London from whence with Violence We have been driven We must not be treated with or receive any Answer to so gracious a Message It can no longer be doubted by any Man who hath not wilfully forsaken his Understanding that it is no more a Quarrel undertaken by the Parliament but contrived and somented by the persons We have named and now continued solely in their defence to whose Ambition Faction and Malice the true Reformed Protestant Religion the just Right Honour Safety and Life of Us and Our Posterity the Law of the Land which hath so long preserved this Nation Happy the Liberty of the Subject established by that Law and the glorious Frame and Constitution of this Kingdom must be sacrificed But as We have hitherto left no Action unperformed which in Honour Justice and Conscience We were obliged to do or in Christian Policy and Prudence We could conceive might probably prevent these Calamities so We thank God he hath given Us a full Courage and Resolution to run the utmost hazard of Our Life for the suppression of this Horrible Rebellion in the which no disproportion of Power Arms or Money shall discourage Us. And We hope that all Our good Subjects besides by the common Duty of Allegiance will be stirred up for their own sakes for the preservation of the blessed Protestant Religion and for the upholding this whole admirable Frame of Government which being dissolved all their private and particular Rights and Interests must be immediately confounded to bring in their utmost power and Assistance unto Us in this desperate Exigent And We do declare that whosoever shall lose his life in this Service for Our defence the Wardship of his Heir shall be granted by Us without Rent or Fine to his own use and We shall hold Our Self obliged to take all possible care for the support relief and protection of all their Wives and Children who shall have the hard fortune to dye in this Service CHARLES R. Our express pleasure is That this Our Declaration be published in all Churches and Chappels within the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales by the Parsons Vicars or Curates of the same MDCXLII His MAJESTY's Declaration to all His loving Subjects after His late Victory against the Rebels on Sunday the 23. of October AS We must wholly attribute the Preservation of Us and Our Children in the late bloody Battel with the Rebels to the Mercy and Goodness of Almighty God who best knowing the Justice of Our Cause and the Uprightness of Our Heart to his Service and to the good and welfare of Our People would not suffer Us and this whole Kingdom to be made a Prey to those desperate Persons so We hold it Our Duty still to use all possible means to remove that Jealousie and Mis-understanding from Our good Subjects which by the Industry and Subtilty of that Malignant Party which hath brought this Mischiefand Confusion upon the Kingdom hath been infused into them and to that purpose thugh even those Scandals are sufficiently answered by many of Our Declarations and Messages and by Our late Protestation made in the head of Our Army which We shall always by the help of God stedfastly and solemnly observe We shall take notice of those subtile Insinuations by which at this present according to that observation We can make and Information We can receive they endeavour to poyson the hearts and corrupt the Allegiance of such of Our good Subjects who cannot so clearly discern their Malice and Impostures First by urging and pressing that false groundless Imputation of Our favouring Popery and Our imploying many of that Religion now in Our Army secondly by seducing Our good People to believe that this Army raised and kept for Our necessary Defence and without which in all probability the Malice of these Men had before this taken Our Life from Us is to fight against and subdue the Parliament to take away the Privileges thereof and thereby to root out Parliaments If either of which were true We should not have the courage with an Army much greater than Ours to hope for success For the First for Our Affection to that Religion Our continual Practice Our constant Profession and several Protestations will satisfie all the World against which Malice and Treason it self cannot find the least probable Objection We wish from Our heart the zeal and affection of these Men to the true Protestant Religion were as apparent as Ours For the imploying Men of that Religion in Our present Service in the Army whosoever considers the hardness and streights the Malice and Fury of these Men have driven Us to their stopping all passages and ways that neither Men nor money might come to Us their declaring all such to be Traitours who shall assist Us their entertaining Men of all Countries all Religions to serve against Us would not wonder if We had been very well contented to have received the service and assistance of any of Our good Subjects who had Loyalty enough whatsoever their Religion is to bring them to Our Succour All Men know the great number of Papists which serve in their Army Commanders and others the great Industry they have used to corrupt the Loyalty and Affection of all Our Subjects of that Religion the private Promises and Undertakings they have made to them that if they would assist them against Us all the Laws made in their prejudice should be repealed yet neither the weakness of Our own condition nor the other Arts used against Us could prevail with Us to invite those of that Religion to come to Our succour or to recal Our Proclamation which forbad them to do so And We are confident though We know of some few whose eminent Abilities in Command and Conduct and moderate and unfactious Dispositions hath moved Us in this great Necessity to imploy them in this Service that a far greater number of that Religion is in the Army of the Rebels than in Our own And We do assure Our good Subjects though We shall always remember the particular services which particular Men have or shall in this Exigent of Ours perform to Us with that Grace and Bounty which becomes a just Prince yet We shall be so far from ever giving the least countenance or encouragement to that Religion that We shall always use Our utmost endeavour to suppress it by the execution of those good and wholsome Laws already in force against Papists and concurring in such further Remedies as the care and wisdom of Us and both Houses of Parliament shall think most necessary for the
Advancement of God's Service For the Second of Our Intention to make War upon Our Parliament and so to root out Parliaments the Scandal is so senseless when Our Accusation of a few particular Persons for particular Crimes notoriously committed adjudged by the known Laws of the Land to be Treason is evident that no Man can be moved with it who doth not believe a dozen or twenty Factious Seditious Persons to be the High Court of Parliament which consists of KING Lords and Commons And for the Privileges of it whoever doth not believe that to raise an Army to murther and depose the King to alter the whole frame of Government and established Laws of the Land by extemporary extravagant Votes and Resolutions of either or both Houses to force and compel the Members to submit to the Faction and Treason of a few and to take away the Liberty and Freedom of consultation from them be the Privileges of Parliament must confess that the Army now raised by Us is no less for the Vindication and Preservation of Parliaments than for Our own necessary Defence We have often said and We still say that We believe many Inconveniences have grown upon this Kingdom by the too long intermission of Parliaments that Parliaments are the only necessary sovereign Remedies of the growing Mischiefs which Time and Accidents have and will always beget in this Kingdom that without Parliaments the Happiness cannot be lasting to King or People We have prepared for the frequent assembling of Parliaments and will be always as careful of their just Privileges as of Our Life Honour or Interest But that those Privileges should extend so far as hath been lately declared that it should not be lawful for Us to apprehend the Lord Saint-John Captain Wingate or Captain Walton when they came to destroy Us because they were Members of Parliament without the consent of that House of which they were Members is so ridiculous that there need no more to be said in this Argument than the giving these instances In a word as whoever knows in what Danger Our Person was on Sunday the 23. of October can never believe that the Army which gave Us Battel was raised for Our Defence and Preservation so when they consider how much the Liberty of the Subject is invaded by their Rapine and Imprisoning and that four parts at the least of five of the Members of both Houses are by Violence driven from being present in that Council that the Book of Common-Prayer is rejected and no countenance given but to Anabaptists and Brownists they will easily find the pretences of care of the Protestant Religion the Liberty of the Subject and of the Privilege of Parliament to be as vain and pretended as those which refer to the Safety of Our Person and preservation of Our Posterity We cannot omit the great pains and endeavours these great pretenders to Peace and Charity have taken to raise an implacable Malice and Hatred between the Gentry and Commonalty of the Kingdom by rendring all Persons of Honour Courage and Reputation odious to the Common People under the style of Cavaliers insomuch as the High-ways and Villages have not been safe for Gentlemen to pass through without Violence or Affronts and by infusing into them that there was an intention by the Commission of Array to take away a part of their Estates from them a Scandal so senseless and impossible that the Contrivers of it well know that they might with equal Ingenuity have charged Us with a purpose of introducing Turcisme or Judaisme amongst them and We hope when Our good Subjects have well weighed the continual Practices of these Men to reject all offers of Treaty and to suppress Truth and to mislead them by bold and monstrous Falsehoods they will not think such arts and ways to lead to Peace and Unity And We desire Our good Subjects of all Conditions to believe that We hold Our Self bound no less to defend and protect the meanest of Our People who are born equally free and to whom the Law of the Land is an equal Inheritance than the greatest Subject and that as the Wealth and Strength of this Kingdom consists in the Number and Happiness of Our People which is made up of Men of all Conditions so We shall to the utmost of Our Power endeavour without distinction to give every one of them that Justice and Protection which is due to them and We do exhort them all to that charitable and brotherly Affection one towards another that they may be reconciled in a just Duty and Loyalty to Us which may enable Us for that Protection To conclude We would have all the World know that We shall never forget the Protestations and Vows We have made to Almighty God in Our several Declarations and Messages to both Our Houses of Parliament And We are too much a Christian to believe that We can break those Promises and avoid the Justice of Heaven CHARLES R. Our express pleasure is That this Our Declaration be published in all Churches and Chappels within the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales by the Parsons Vicars or Curates of the same DECLARATIONS and PAPERS Concerning the TREATY of PEACE AT OXFORD MDCXLII III. MDCXLII Novemb. His MAJESTY's Declaration to all His loving Subjects of His true Intentions in advancing lately to Brainceford THough Our Reputation be most dear to Us and especially in those cases wherein the truth of Our most solemn Professions and by consequence of Our Christianity is questioned yet it is not only for the Vindication of that and to clear Our self from such Aspersions but withal to preserve Our Subjects in their just Esteem of and Duty to Us and from being engaged into Crimes and Dangers by those malicious Reports so spightfully framed and cunningly spread against Us concerning Our late advancing to Brainceford that We have resolved to publish this Our following Declaration AT Colebrook on Friday the 11. of November We received a Petition from both Our Houses of Parliament by the Earl of Northumberland the Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery the Lord Wenman Master Pierrepont and Sir John Hippesly And indeed We were well pleased to see it so much liker a Petition than the other Papers We had often of late received under that name and return'd to it the next day so gracious an Answer that We assure Our selves could not but be very satisfactory to all that were truly lovers of Peace The Copies of both do here follow To the KING 's most Excellent MAJESTY The humble Petition of the Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament WE Your Majesty's most loyal Subjects the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled being affected with a deep and piercing sense of the Miseries of this Kingdom and of the Dangers to Your Majesty's Person as the present Affairs now stand and much quickned therein with the sad consideration of the great effusion of Blood at the late Battel and of the loss of so
D. in Physick Will. Constantine Esq Hen. Killegrew Esq Ric. King Esq John Dutton Esq Hen. Bret Esq Will. Chadwel Esq Sir Theobald Gorges John George Esq Sir Tho. Fanshaw Humf. Conningesby Esq Ri. Seaborne Esq Arth. Lord Ranelaugh Tho. Tomkins Esq Sir Sampson Evers Sir John Culpeper Jeffrey Palmer Esq Sir John Harrison Tho. Fanshaw Esq Sir Rog. Palmer Sir Orlando Bridgman Will. Watkins Esq John Smith Esq Sir Tho. Bludder Sir Ed. Littleton Sir Harvy Bagot Sir Ri. Leveson Sir Ri. Cave Ri. Weston Esq Sir Ri. Lee. Sir Tho. Whitmore Sir Ed. Acton C. Baldwin Esq R. Goodwin Esq Tho. Howard Esq Tho. Littleton Esq Sir Ro. Howard Sir John Meux Matthew Davis Esq Sir F. Cornwallis Tho. Jermyn Esq John Taylor Esq William Basset Esq Sir William Portman Sir Edw. Rodney Tho. Hanham Esq Ed. Phelips Esq John Digby Esq Ed. Kirton Esq Christ. Leuknor Esq Sir Edw. Alford John White Esq John Ashburnham Esq Will. Smith Esq Tho. Leedes Esq Sir Ja. Thynne W. Pleydell Esq Ro. Hyde Serjeant at Law Sir Ed. Griffin Sir Walter Smith Geo. Lawe Esq Ric. Harding Esq Sir Hen. Herbert End Porter Esq Sam. Sandys Esq John Bodvill Esq Will. Morgan Esq Will. Thomas Esq Jo. Mostyn Esq Hen. Bellasis Esq Sir Geo. Wentworth Will. Mallory Esq Ri. Aldburgh Esq John Salisbury Esq Will. Herbert Esq William Price Esq Sir John Price Sir Ri. Herbert Charles Price Esq Phil. Warwick Esq Tho. Cooke Esq Sir Rob. Crooke Herb. Price Esq John Whistler Esq These Peers following being disabled by several accidents to appear sooner have since attended the Service and concurred with us Viscount Cambden Lord Abergavenny Lord Arundell Lord Capell Lord Newport Peers imployed in His Majesty's Service or absent with leave Marquess of Winchester Marquess of Worcester Marquess of New-castle Earl of Darby Earl of Huntingdon Earl of Clare Earl of Marleborough V. Falconbridge L. Morly L. Darcy and Coniers L. Stourton L. Evers L. Daincourt L. Pawlet L. Brudenel L. Powys L. Herbert of Cherbury L. Hopton L. Loughborough L. Byron L. Vaughan L. Widderington Peers absent in the parts beyond the Seas Earl of Arundell Earl of St. Albans L. Viscount Montague L. Viscount Stafford L. Stanhope L. Coventry L. Goring L. Craven of Hamsted L. Craven of Ryton Peers in Prison for their Loyalty to His Majesty Earl of Chesterfield L. Mountague of Boughton Whoever views these numbers and considers how many Peers are at this time under Age will quickly know who and how many are privy or consenting to the Counsels at Westminster These Members of the Commons House following being disabled by several accidents to appear sooner have since attended the Service and concurred with us Peter Venables Esquire Sir John Pawlet Edward Bagshaw Esq Sir John Burlasey Francis Newport Esquire Anthony Hungerford Esq John Russel Esquire Thomas Chichley Esquire Earl of Cork Sir Gervase Clifton Sir Guy Palmes Robert Sutton Esquire Gervase Hollis Esquire Sir Patricius Curwen Sir Henry Bellingham Sir George Dalston Sir Thomas Sandford Sir William Dalston Michael Wharton Esquire Sir Robert Hatton James Scudamore Esq Sir John Brooke Sir John Stepney Imployed in His Majesty's Service or absent with leave or by Sickness Sir John Fenwick Hugh Potter Esquire Walter Kirle Esquire William Stanhope Esquire Sir William Carnaby Sir Thomas Danby John Fenwick Esquire Ralph Sneade Esquire Sir William Ogle Sir Thomas Jermyn Sir John Stowell Sir Robert Strickland Sir Philip Musgrave John Cowcher Esquire John Coventry Esquire Sir Henry Slingsby Sir John Mallory John Bellassis Esquire Sir Thomas Ingram Lord Mansfield Thomas Heblethwayte Esquire Sir Hugh Cholmely Sir George Wentworth Sir Walter Lloyd Sir Henry Vaughan Francis Lloyd John Vaughan Esquire Richard Ferrers Esq George Hartnoll Esq Sir William Vdall Robert Hunt Esquire Thomas May Esquire Sir Thomas Bowyer Sir Thomas Roe Whoever now considers how many have retired themselves unto several Counties and so are absent from Westminster and yet cannot through the danger of Travelling be present at Oxford how many have withdrawn themselves into the parts beyond the Seas how many of their own principal Instruments are Voted out of the House by themselves as Sir John Hotham and his Son Sir Alexander Carew Mr. Martin Mr. Fiennes and many others and how many now are Imprisoned by them how many Members from the beginning have been factiously kept from the House upon questions of Election and how many without any colour are kept in by not suffering their Elections to be reported and that there are Thirty five Members dead into whose rooms no new Persons are chosen how many since are become Barons by descent or Creation will easily conclude how small the number is which remains and of those how few in truth have Right in sit there CHARLES R. March 19. 1643. Our express Pleasure is That this Declaration of the Lords and Commons of Parliament assembled at Oxford be read by the Parson Vicar or Curate in every Church and Chapel within Our Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales The Declaration of the Lords and Commons of Parliament assembled at Oxford according to His MAJESTY'S Proclamation Concerning their Endeavours since they came thither for the Peace of the Kingdom and the Reasons enforcing their Abscence from Westminster VVE the Lords and Commons of Parliament being upon just and important reasons absent from the City of Westminster whither we were Legally called or sent by the Power and Authority of His Majesty's Writ when He summoned His Parliament and being by His gracious Proclamation of the two and twentieth day of December convened at Oxford with full liberty to present our humble Advice to His Majesty for the preservation of the Religion Laws and Safety of the Kingdom thought it most agreeable to our Duty to God our zeal and tenderness of His Majesty's Honour and Safety and our Affection and Compassion of the bleeding condition of our miserable Country to use our utmost and earliest endeavours to prevent the effusion of more Christian English Blood and to close those Wounds through which this Kingdom is in danger in a short time to languish even to Desolation And finding the ill success which had attended all the Overtures of Treaty and Accommodation made by His Majesty His Majesty's most gracious Message from Nottingham being with so much contempt rejected which being sent by Members of both Houses those Messengers were not suffered to deliver it as Members or to sit in the House whilst the same was debated contrary to the Privilege of Parliament and that to the two last Messages sent by Him of the twelfth of April and nineteenth of May in both which are most gracious expressions of His Princely and passionate inclinations to Peace as may appear by those Messages herewith again re-printed there hath not been the least Answer returned to His Majesty but on the contrary His Messenger imprisoned and to this day detained and an Order that on pain of Death none should presume to come thither from His Majesty upon
Parliament as they had upon the first of January 1641. the same of right belonging unto them by their Birth-rights and the free Election of those that sent them and having been Voted from them for adhering to His Majesty in these Distractions His Majesty not intending that this should extend either to the Bishops whose Votes have been taken away by Bill or to such in whose places upon new Writs new Elections have been made 3. As soon as His Majesty and both Houses may be secured from such tumultuous Assemblies as to the great breach of the Privileges and the high Dishonour of Parliaments have formerly assembled about both Houses and awed the Members of the same and occasioned two several complaints from the Lords House and two several desires of that House to the House of Commons to joyn in a Declaration against them the complying with which desire might have prevented all these miserable Distractions which have ensued which Security His Majesty conceives can be only settled by Adjourning the Parliament to some other place at the least twenty Miles from London the choice of which His Majesty leaves to both Houses His Majesty will most chearfully and readily consent that both Armies be immediately disbanded and give a present meeting to both His Houses of Parliament at the time and place at and to which the Parliament shall be agreed to be Adjourned His Majesty being most confident that the Law will then recover the due credit and estimation and that upon a free debate in a full and peaceable Convention of Parliament such Provisions will be made against Seditious Preaching and Printing against His Majesty and the established Laws which hath been one of the chief causes of the present Distractions and such care will be taken concerning the Legal and known Rights of His Majesty and the Property and Liberty of His Subjects that whatsoever hath been published or done in or by colour of any illegal Declaration Ordinance or Order of one or both Houses or any Committee of either of them and particularly the Power to raise Arms without His Majesty's Consent will be in such manner recalled disclaimed and provided against that no seed will remain for the like to spring out of for the future to disturb the Peace of the Kingdom and to endanger the very Being of it And in such a Convention His Majesty is resolved by His readiness to consent to whatsoever shall be proposed to Him by Bill for the Real good of His Subjects and particularly for the better discovery and speedier conviction of Recusants for the Education of the Children of Papists by Protestants in the Protestant Religion for the prevention of practices of Papists against the State and the due execution of the Laws and true levying of the Penalties against them to make known to all the World how causeless those fears and jealousies have been which have been raised against Him and by that so distracted this miserable Kingdom And if this Offer of His Majesty be not consented to in which He asks nothing for which there is not apparent Justice on His side and in which He defers many things highly concerning both Himself and People till a full and peaceable Convention of Parliament which in Justice He might now require His Majesty is confident that it will then appear to all the World not only who is most desirous of Peace and whose fault it is that both Armies are not now disbanded but who have been the true and first cause that this Peace was ever interrupted or these Armies raised and the beginning or continuance of the War and the Destruction and Desolation of this poor Kingdom which is too likely to ensue will not by the most interessed passionate or prejudicate Person be imputed to His Majesty His MAJESTY'S Message to both Houses May 19. in pursuance of the foregoing Message SInce His Majesty's Message of the twelfth of April in which he conceived He had made such an Overture for the immediate Disbanding of all Armies and Composure of these present miserable Distractions by a full and free Convention in Parliament that a perfect and settled Peace would have ensued hath in all this time above a full Month procured no Answer from both Houses His Majesty might well believe Himself absolved before God and Man from the least possible Charge of not having used His utmost endeavour for Peace Yet when He considers that the Scene of all this Calamity is in the Bowels of His own Kingdom that all the Blood which is spilt is of His own Subjects and that what Victory soever it shall please God to give Him must be over those who ought not to have lifted up their hands against Him when He considers that these desperate civil Dissentions may encourage and invite a Foreign Enemy to make a Prey of the whole Nation that Ireland is in present danger to be totally lost that the heavy Judgments of God Plague Pestilence and Famine will be the inevitable Attendants of this unnatural Contention and that in a short time there will be so general a habit of uncharitableness and Cruelty contracted throughout the Kingdom that even Peace it self will not restore His People to their old Temper and Security His Majesty cannot but again call for an Answer to that His Message which gives so fair a Rise to end these unnatural Distractions And His Majesty doth this with the more earnestness because He doubts not the condition of His Armies in several parts His strength of Horse Foot and Artillery His plenty of Ammunition which some Men lately might conceive He wanted is so well known and understood that it must be confessed that nothing but the Tenderness and Love to His People and those Christian Impressions which always have and He hopes always shall dwell in His heart could move Him once more to hazard a Refusal And He requires them as they will answer to God to Himself and all the World That they will no longer suffer their fellow-Subjects to welter in each others Blood that they will remember by whose Authority and to what end they met in that Council and send such an Answer to His Majesty as may open a door to let in a firm Peace and Security to the whole Kingdom If His Majesty shall again be disappointed of His Intentions herein the Blood Rapine and Distraction which must follow in England and Ireland will be cast upon the Account of those who are deaf to the motion of Peace and Accommodation CHARLES R. May 19. 1643. OUR express Pleasure is That this Declaration of the Lords and Commons of Parliament assembled at Oxford be read by the Parson Vicar or Curate in every Church and Chapel within Our Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales MDCXLIV April 15. The Petition of the Lords and Commons of Parliament assembled at Oxford Presented to His MAJESTY the day before the Recess And His MAJESTY'S Gracious Answer to the same To the Kings most excellent
John Earl of Lowdon Lord Chancellour of Scotland Archibald Marquess of Argyle John Lord Maitland John Lord Balmerino Sir Archibald Johnston Sir Charles Erskin George Dundas Sir John Smith Mr. Hugh Kennedy and Mr. Robert Barclay for the Estates of the Parliament of Scotland together with Master Alexander Henderson upon the Propositions concerning Religion or with any Ten or more of them upon and touching the matters contained in the said Propositions Answers and Messages or any other according to the manner and agreement therein specified or otherwise as they or any Ten or more of them shall think fit and to take all the premises into their serious considerations and to compose conclude and end all differences arising thereupon or otherwise as they or any Ten or more of them in their wisdoms shall think fit and upon the whole matter to conclude a safe and well-grounded Peace if they can And whatsoever they or any Ten or more of them shall do in the premises We do by these presents ratifie and confirm the same Given at Our Court at Oxford the eight and twentieth day of January in the Twentieth year of Our Reign 1644. Their Commission to the English Commissioners Die Martis 28. January 1644. BE it Ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament that Algernon Earl of Northumberland Philip Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery William Earl of Salisbury Basil Earl of Denbigh Thomas Lord Viscount Wenman Denzil Hollis William Pierrepont Sir Henry Vane junior Oliver St. John Bulstrode Whitelock John Crew and Edmund Prideaux shall have power and authority and are hereby authorized to joyn with the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland together with Alexander Henderson upon the Propositions concerning Religion only to Treat with the Lord Duke of Richmond the Marquess of Hartford the Earl of Southampton the Earl of Kingston the Lord Dunsmore Lord Capel Lord Seymour Sir Christopher Hatton Sir John Culpeper Sir Edward Nicholas Sir Edward Hyde Sir Richard Lane Sir Orlando Bridgeman Sir Thomas Gardiner Master John Ashburnham and Master Jeffrey Palmer or any Ten of them upon the Propositions formerly sent to His Majesty for a safe and well-grounded Peace from His Majesty's humble and Loyal Subjects assembled in the Parliaments of both Kingdoms together with Doctor Steward upon the Propositions concerning Religion only and upon His Majesty's Propositions according to such Instructions as have been given to them or as they from time to time shall receive from both Houses of Parliament Jo. Browne Cler. Parliam Their Commission to the Scots Commissioners AT Edenburgh the saxteÃnt day of Julii the Èeir of God M. Vj c fourty four Èeires The Estaites of Parliament presentlie conveined be vertew of the last act of the last Parliament haldin by His Majesty and thrie Estaites in Anno 1641. considdering that this Kingdome efter all uther meanes of supplicationnes Remonstrances and sending of Commissionaris to His Majesty have bein used without successe did enter into a solemne League and Covenant with the Kingdom and Parliament of England for Reformationne and defence of Religionne the Honor and Happines of the King the Peace and Safety of the thrie Kingdoms of Scotland England and Ireland and ane Treattie aggried upon and ane Armie and Forces raised and sent out of yis Kingdom for these endis Quhairupone the Conventionne of Estaites of this Kingdome the nynt of Jannuary last being desirous to use all good and lawful meanes that Treuth and Peace might be established in all His Majesty's Dominions with such a blessed Pacificationne betwixt His Majesty and His Subjectis as might serve most for His Majesty's trew Honor and the Safety and Happines of His People granted Commissione to Johne Erle of Lowdonne Heigh Chancellor of Scotland Johne Lord Maitland than and Èit in England Sir Archibald Johnestounne of Wariestounne ane of the Lordis of Sessionne and Maister Robert Barclay now in England to repaire to England with powar to thame or any twa of yame to endeavoure the effectuating of ye foirsaides endis conforme to the Commissione and Instructiones than givin to thame as the Commissione of the dait foirsaid proportis Lyke as the saides Johne Lord of Maitland Sir Archibald Johnestounne and Maister Robert Barclay have evir sinceattendit in England in the discharge of the foirsaid Commissione qunhil lately that Sir Archibald Johnestounne returned with some Propositiones prepaired by the Committie of both Kingdomes to be presented to the Estaites of Scotland and to both Howss of the Parliament of England and by thame to be revised and considderit and than by mutual advyse of both Kingdomes to be presented for ane safe and weill-grounded Peace Qwhilkies Propositiones ar revised and considderit and advysed be the Estaites of Parliament now conveined and their sense and resultis drawin up yrupone Whiche Commissione is to endure while the comming of the Commissionaris underwrittin And heirewith also considderin that the endis for the whilk the samen was granted ar not Èit effectuate and that the Propositiones with ye Estaites thair resultis yrupone ar to be returned toye Parliament of England thairfore the Estaites of Parliament be thir presentis gives full powar and Commissione to the said Johne Erle of Lowdonne Lord heigh Chancellor of yis Kingdome Archibald Marqueis of Arg yle and Johne Lord Balmerino for the Nobility Sir Archibald Johnestounne of Wariestounne Sir Charles Erskyne of Cambuskenneth and Maister George Dundas of Maner for the Barrones Sir Johne Smyth of Grottel Proveist of Edenburgh Hew Kennedy Burges of Air and Master Robert Barclay for the Burrowes the thrie Estaites of yis Kingdom and to Johne Lord Maitland supernumerarie in this Commissione or to any thrie or mae of the haill number thair being ane of ilk Estaite as Commissionaris from the Estaites of Parliament of this Kingdome to repaire to the Kingdome of England sick of them as ar not thair already and with powar to thameor any thrie or mae of the whole number thair being ane of ilk Estaite to endeavour the effectuating of ye foirsaides endis the concluding of the Propositions with the Estaites th aire results thairupon and all such uyr materis concerning the good of bothe Kingdomes as ar or sall be from time to time committed unto thame be the Estaites of yis Kingdome or Committies thairof according to the Instructiones givin or to be givin to the Commissionaris abovenameit or thair quorums And for this effect the Estaites Ordeanes Johne Erle of Lowdonne Chancellor Johne Lord Balmerino Sir Archibald Johnestounne of Wariestounne Sir Charles Erskyne of Cambuskenneth and Hew Kennedy repaire with all diligence to the Kingdome of England to the essect before rehearsit conforme to this Commissione and Instructiones As also the Estaites Ordeanes ye saides Archibald Marqueis of Argyle Maister George Dundas of Maner and Sir Johne Smyth Proveist of Edenburgh to repaire to ye Kingdome of England with all sick conveniencie as the occasione of
two Kingdoms will be careful to maintain him in his Honour and in his just and lawful Rights which is the only way to make a happy Composure of these unnatural Divisions and likewise will think upon a solid way of conserving the Peace between the two Kingdoms for time to come and will take a speedy course for easing and quieting his afflicted People by satisfying the Publick Debts by disbanding of all Armies and whatsoever shall be judged conducible to that end that so all hinderances being removed he may return to his Parliament with mutual Comfort Southwell May 18. 1646. POST-SCIPT His Majesty being desirous to shun the further effusion of Blood and to evidence his real Intentions to Peace is willing that his Forces in and about Oxford be disbanded and the Fortifications of the City dismantled they receiving honourable Conditions VVhich being granted to the Town and Forces there his Majesty will give the like order to the rest of the Garrisons His MAJESTIES Letter to the City of London from Newcastle May 19. 1646. For Our right Trusty and well-beloved the Lord Maior Aldermen and Common-Council of Our City of London CHARLES R. RIght Trusty and VVell-beloved VVe greet you well Having expressed Our Resolution to the two Houses of Our Parliament of England and the Committee of Estates of Our Parliament of Scotland to give all just satisfaction to the joynt desires of both Kingdoms VVe have now likewise thought fit to assure the two chief Cities of both Our Kingdoms That nothing is more grievous to Us than the Trouble and Distractions of Our People and that nothing on Earth is more desired by Us than that in Religion and Peace with all the comfortable Fruits of both they may henceforth live under Us in all Godliness and Honesty And this Profession VVe make for no other end but that you may know immediately from Our Selves Our Integrity and full resolution to comply with Our Parliaments in every thing for settling Truth and Peace and Our desire to have all things speedily concluded which shall be found requisite for that end that Our Return to that Our Ancient City may be to the Satisfaction of Our Parliament the good liking of you and all Our good People and to Our own greater joy and comfort VVe bid you heartily farewell From Newcastle the 19 th of May 1646. His MAJESTIES Message to both Houses from Newcastle June 10. 1646. For the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore to be communicated to the two Houses of Parliament at Westminster and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland CHARLES R. HIS Majesty looking with grief of heart upon the sad sufferings of his People in his three Kingdoms for some years past and being afflicted with their Distresses and unquiet condition through the Distractions about Religion the keeping of Forces on Foot in the Field and Garrisons the not satisfying of Publick Debts and the fears of the further effusion of Blood by the continuance of an unnatural VVar in any of these Kingdoms or by rending and dividing these Kingdoms so happily united and having sent a gracious Message unto both Houses of Parliament and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland expressing the necessary Causes of his coming from Oxford unto the Scotish Army without any intention to make a division where he is in Freedom and right capacity to settle a true Peace and containing such Offers as he conceived would have been accepted with a general Clause of complying with their desires and being impatient of Delays and not acquainted with the particulars which may give contentment to them his Majesty doth earnestly desire That the Propositions of Peace so often promised and so much expected may be speedily sent unto him That upon consideration of them he may apply himself to give such satisfaction as may be the foundation of a firm Peace And for the better and more speedy attaining thereunto his Majesty doth further propound That he may come to London with Safety Freedom and Honour where he resolves to comply with his Houses of Parliament in every thing which may be most for the good of his Subjects and perfect what remains for settling both Kingdoms and People in a happy Condition being likewise most confident that they according to their re-iterated Declarations and solemn Protestations will be zealous in the maintenance of his Honour and just and lawful Rights And his Majesty desires the Houses of Parliament to disburthen the Kingdom of all Forces and Garrisons in their power except such as before these unhappy times have been maintained for the necessary defence and safety of this Kingdom So he is willing forthwith to disband all his Forces and Garrisons within the same as the inclosed Order herewith sent will evidence And if upon these Offers his Majesty shall have such satisfaction as he may be confident a firm Peace shall ensue thereon his Majesty will then give Order for his Son the Prince his present return Newcastle the 10th of June 1646. His MAJESTIES Letter to the Governours of His Garrisons from Newcastle June 10. 1646. To Our Trusty and VVell-beloved Sir Thomas Glenham Sir Thomas Tildesley Colonel H. Washington Col. Thomas Blagge Governours of Our Cities and Towns of Oxford Litchfield Worcester and Wallingford and all other Commanders of any Towns Castles and Forts in Our Kingdom of England CHARLES R. HAving resolved to comply with the desires of Our Parliament in every thing which may be for the good of Our Subjects and leave no means unassayed for removing all Differences amongst us therefore We have thought fit the more to evidence the reality of Our Intentions of settling a happy and firm Peace to require you upon honourable Terms to quit those Towns Castles and Forts intrusted to you by Us and to disband all the Forces under your several Commands Newcastle the tenth of June 1646. His MAJESTIES Letter to the Marquess of Ormond Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from Newcastle June 11. 1646. CHARLES R. RIght Trusty and entirely Beloved Cousin and Counsellor We greet you well Having long with much grief looked upon the sad Condition Our Kingdom of Ireland hath been in these divers years through the wicked and desperate Rebellion there and the bloody effects have ensued thereupon for the setling whereof We would have wholly applied Our selves if the Difference between Us and Our Subjects here had not diverted and withdrawn Us and not having been able by Force for that respect to reduce them We were necessitated for the present safety of Our Protestant Subjects there to give you Power and Authority to Treat with them upon such pious honourable and safe grounds as the good of that Our Kingdom did then require But for many Reasons too long for a Letter We think fit to require you to proceed no further in Treaty with the Rebels nor to engage Us upon any Conditions with them after sight hereof And having formerly found such real proofs of your ready
other things under any Great Seal of England in any time heretofore were or have been and that for time to come the said Great Seal now remaining in custody of the said Commissioners continue and be used for the Great Seal of England and that all Grants Commissions Presentations Writs Process Proceedings and other things whatsoever passed under or by authority of any other Great Seal since the two and twentieth day of May Anno Dom. 1642. or hereafter to be passed be invalid and of no effect to all intents and purposes except such Writs Process and Commissions as being passed under any other Great Seal than the said Great Seal in the Custody of the Commissioners aforesaid on or after the said two and twentieth day of May and before the 28. day of November Anno Dom. 1643. were afterward proceeded upon returned into or put in ure in any the Kings Courts at VVestminster and except the Grant to Master Justice Bacon to be one of the Justices of the Kings Bench and except all Acts and Proceedings by virtue of any such Commissions of Gaol-delivery Assize and Nisi prius or Oyer and Terminer passed under any other Great Seal than the Seal aforesaid in custody of the said Commissioners before the first of October 1642. And that all Grants of Offices Lands Tenements or Hereditaments made or passed under the Great Seal of Ireland unto any Person or Persons Bodies Politick or Corporate since the Cessation made in Ireland the fifteenth day of September 1643. shall be null and void and that all Honours and Titles conferred upon any Person or Persons in the said Kingdom of Ireland since the said Cessation shall be null and void His MAJESTIES Answer to the Propositions of both Houses Newcastle Aug. 1. 1646. To the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore to be communicated to the two Houses of Parliament at Westminster CHARLES R. THE Propositions tendered to his Majesty by the Commissioners from the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England at VVestminster and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland to which the Houses of Parliament have taken twice so many Months for deliberation as they have assigned Days for his Majesties Answer do import so great Alterations in Government both in the Church and Kingdom as it is very difficult to return a particular and positive Answer before a full Debate wherein these Propositions and the necessary Explanations true sense and Reasons thereof be rightly weighed and understood and that his Majesty upon a full view of the whole Propositions may know what is left as well as what is taken away and changed In all which he finds upon discourse with the said Commissioners that they are so bound up from any capacity either to give Reasons for the Demands they bring or to give ear to such Desires as his Majesty is to propound as it is impossible for him to give such a present judgment of and Answer to these Propositions whereby he can answer to God that a safe and well-grounded Peace will ensue which is evident to all the World can never be unless the just Power of the Crown as well as the Freedom and Propriety of the Subject with the just Liberty and Priviledges of the Parliament be likewise setled To which end his Majesty desires and proposeth to come to London or any of his Houses thereabouts upon the Publick Faith and security of the two Houses of Parliament and the Scotch Commissioners That he shall be there with Freedom Honour and Safety where by his Personal Presence he may not only raise a mutual Confidence betwixt him and his People but also have these Doubts cleared and these Difficulties explained unto him which he now conceives to be destructive to his just Regal Power if he shall give a full Consent to these Propositions as they now stand As likewise that he may make known to them such his reasonable Demands as he is most assured will be very much conducible to that Peace which all good men desire and pray for by the settling of Religion the just Priviledges of Parliament with the Freedom and Propriety of the Subject and his Majesty assures them that as he can never condescend unto what is absolutely destructive to that just Power which by the Laws of God and the Land he is born unto so he will chearfully grant and give his Assent unto all such Bills at the desire of his two Houses or reasonable Demands for Scotland which shall be really for the good and peace of his People not having regard to his own particular much less of any body 's else in respect of the Happiness of these Kingdoms Wherefore his Majesty conjures them as Christians as Subjects and as men who desire to leave a good name behind them that they will so receive and make use of this Answer that all issues of Blood may be stopped and these unhappy Distractions peaceably setled Newcastle August 1. 1646. POST-SCRIPT Upon assurance of a happy Agreement his Majesty will immediately send for the Prince his Son absolutely expecting his perfect Obedience to return into this Kingdom His MAJESTIES Message to both Houses from Newcastle Dec. 20. 1646. To the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore to be communicated to the Lords and Commons of the Parliament of England assembled at Westminster and to the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland at London CHALLES R. HIS Majesties thoughts being always sincerely bent to the Peace of his Kingdoms was and will be ever desirous to take all ways which might the most clearly make appear the Candor of his Intentions to his People and to this end could find no better way than to propose a Personal free Debate with his two Houses of Parliament upon all the present Differences yet finding very much against his expectations that this Offer was lay'd 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 Kingdoms 24. July last But the more he endeavoured it he more plainly saw that any Answer he could make would be subject to misinformations and mis-constructions which upon his own Paraphrases and Explanations he is most confident will give so good satisfaction as would doubtless cause a happy and lasting Peace Lest therefore that good Intentions may produce ill Effects His Majesty again proposeth and desires again to come to London or any of his Houses thereabouts upon the Publick Faith and Security of his two Houses of Parliament and the Scotch Commissioners that he shall be there with Honour Freedom and Safety where by his Personal Presence he may not only raise a mutual Confidence betwixt him and his People but also have those Doubts cleared and those Difficulties explained to him without which he cannot but with the aforesaid mischievous Inconveniencies give a particular Answer to the Propositions and with which he doubts not but so
will bear IV. That according to the seventh Head in the said Declaration an effectual course may be taken that the Kingdom may be righted and satisfied in point of Accounts for the vast sums that have been levied V. That provision may be made for payment of Arrears to the Army and the rest of the Soldiers of the Kingdom who have concurred with the Army in the late Desires and Proceedings thereof and in the next place for payment of the Publick Debts and Damages of the Kingdom and that to be performed first to such persons whose Debts or Damages upon the Publick Account are great and their Estates small so as they are thereby reduced to a difficulty of subsistence In order to all which and to the fourth particular last preceding we shall speedily offer some farther particulars in the nature of Rules which we hope will be of good use towards publick satisfaction August 1. 1647. Signed by the appointment of his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax and the Council of War Jo. Rushworth Secret Propositions presented to His MAJESTY at Hampton-Court upon Tuesday the seventh of September 1647. by the Earls of Pembroke and Lauderdale Sir Charles Erskin Sir John Holland Sir John Cooke Sir James Harrington Mr. Richard Browne Mr. Hugh Kenedy and Mr. Robert Berkley in the names of the Parliament of England and in behalf of the Kingdom of Scotland May it please your Majesty WE the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England in the name and on the behalf of the Kingdoms of England and Ireland and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland in the name and on the behalf of the Kingdom of Scotland do humbly present unto Your Majesty the humble Desires and Propositions for a safe and well grounded Peace agreed upon by the Parliaments of both Kingdoms respectively unto which We do pray Your Majesties Assent and that they and all such Bills as shall be tendred to Your Majesty in pursuance of them or any of them may be established and Enacted for Statutes and Acts of Parliament by Your Majesties Royal Assent in the Parliaments of both Kingdoms respectively Heads of the Propositions presented to the King's Majesty for a safe and well-grounded Peace 1. His Majesty to call in his Declarations and Proclamations against the Parliaments of both Kingdoms 2. His Majesty to sign the Covenant 3. To pass a Bill for abolishing Bishops 4. To pass a Bill for Sale of Bishops Lands 5. To confirm the sitting of the Assembly 6. Religion to be reformed as the Houses agree 7. Such Vniformity of Religion to be passed in an Act. 8. An Act passed against Popish Recusants 9. For Education of the Children of Papists 10. For laying Penalties upon Papists 11. An Act for prevention of Popish practices And the like for the Kingdom of Scotland 12. For the Royal Assent to Acts for the Lords day for preaching against Innovations regulating Colledges and for publick Debts and Damages The like for Scotland 13. to pass the settling of the Militia and Navy 14. To null the old Great Seal 15. For settling of Conservators for the Peace of the Kingdoms 16. The joynt Declarations and the Qualifications against Malignants 17. An Act to be passed to declare and make void the Cessation of Ireland and all Treaties and Conclusions of Peace with the Irish Rebels 18. The settling of the Militia of the City of London 19. The Great Seal with the Commissioners of Parliament and all Acts by it to be made good His MAJESTIES Answer to the Propositions of both Houses Hampton-Court Sept. 9. 1647. For the Speaker of the Lords House pro tempore to be communicated to both Houses of the Parliament of England and the Commissioners of the Kingdom of Scotland CHARLES 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 Kingdom and he calls God to Witness and is willing to give testimony to all the World of his readiness to contribute his utmost Endeavours 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 principal 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 the Rights and Liberties of the Kingdom 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 than the Propositions which at this time are tendered 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 Personal Treaty with his Majesty and upon such other Propositions as his Majesty shall make hoping that the said Proposals 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 unto 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 Parliament for the future And likewise by his present deportment in this Treaty he will make the World clearly judge of his Intentions in matter 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 and to prevent future Miseries that they will forthwith accept of this his Majesties Offer whereby the joyful news of Peace may be restored to this distressed Kingdom And for what concerns the Kingdom 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 Kingdom Given at Hampton-Court the ninth of September 1647. His MAJESTIES Message to both Houses left by Him on His
Colonel Thomas Waite Counsellors Assistant to draw up the Charge Doctor Isaac Dorislaw Aske William Steele who excused himself by sickness John Cooke Solicitor Dendy Serjeant Mace-bearer Broughton and Phelps Clerkâ— His Majesty being taken away by the Guard as He passed down the Stairs the insolent Souldiers scoffed at Him casting the smoak of their Tobacco a thing very distastful to Him in His Face and throwing their Pipes in his way And one more insolent than the rest spitting in His Face His Majesty according to His wonted Heroick Patience took no more notice of so strange and barbarous an indignity than to wipe it off with His Handkerchief As He passed along hearing the rabble of Souldiers crying out Justice Justice He said Poor souls for a piece of Money they would do so for their commanders Being brought first to Sir Cotton's and thence to White Hall the Souldiers continued their brutish carriage toward Him abusing all that seemed to shew any respect or even pity to Him not suffering Him to rest in his Chamber but thrusting in and smoaking their Tobacco and disturbing His Privaty But through all these Trials unusual to Princes He passed with such a calm and even temper that He let fall nothing unbeseeming His former Majesty and Magnanimity In the Evening a Member of the Army acquainted the Committee with His Majestie 's desire That seeing they had passed a Sentence of Death upon Him and His time might be nigh He might see His Children and Doctor Juxon Bishop of London might be admitted to assist Him in His private Devotions and receiving the Sacrament Both which at length were granted And the next day being Sunday He was attended by the Guard to Saint James ' s where the Bishop preached before Him upon these words In the day when God shall judge the secrets of all men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel LVIII His MAJESTIE's Speech to the Lady ELIZABETH and HENRY Duke of GLOUCESTER Jan. 29. MDCXL VIII IX Of His MAJESTIE's discourse to His Children there being several Relations it is thought fit to represent the several Copies I. A true Relation of the King's Speech to the Lady ELIZABETH and the Duke of GLOUCESTER the day before His Death HIS Children being come to meet Him He first gave His Blessing to the Lady Elizabeth and bade Her Remember to â—ell Her Brother James whenever She should see Him that it was his Fathers last â—â—sire that he should no more look upon Charles as his Eldest Brother only but be obedient unto Him as his Sovereign And that they should love one another and forgive their Fathers Enemies Then said the King to Her Sweet Heart you will forget this No said She I shall never forget it whilst I live and pouring forth abundance of tears promised Him to write down the particulars Then the King taking the Duke of Gloucester upon His Knee said Sweet Heart now they will cut off thy Fathers Head upon which words the Child looked very stedfastly on Him Mark Child what I say They will cut off My Head and perhaps make thee a King But mark what I say You must not be a King so long as your Brothers CHARLES and JAMES do live for they will cut off your Brothers Heads when they can catch them and cut off thy Head too at last and therefore I charge you do not be made a King by them At which the Child sighing said I will be torn in pieces first Which falling so unexpectedly from one so young it made the King rejoyce exceedingly II. Another Relation from the Lady ELIZABETHS own Hand WHat the King said to me the 29. of Jan. 1648. being the last time I had the Happiness to see Him He told me He was glad I was come and although He had not time to say much yet somewhat He had to say to Me which He had not to another or leave in writing because He feared their Cruelty was such as that they would not have permitted Him to write to me He wished me not to grieve and torment my self for Him for that would be a glorious Death that He should die it being for the Laws and Liberties of this Land and for maintaining the true Protestant Religion He bid me read Bishop Andrewes Sermons Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity and Bishop Laud's Book against Fisher which would ground me against Popery He told me He had forgiven all his Enemies and hoped God would forgive them also and commanded us and all the rest of my Brothers and Sisters to forgive them He bid me tell my Mother that His thoughts had never strayed from Her and that His Love should be the same to the last Withal He commanded me and my Brother to be obedient to Her and bid me send His Blessing to the rest of my Brothers and Sisters with commendation to all His Friends So after He had given me his Blessing I took my leave Further He commanded us all to forgive those People but never to trust them for they had been most false to Him and to those that gave them Power and He feared also to their own Souls And desired me not to grieve for Him for He should die a Martyr and that He doubted not but the Lord would settle His Throne upon His Son and that we should be all happier than we could have expected to have been if he had lived With many other things which at present I cannot remember ELIZABETH III. Another Relation from the Lady ELIZABETH THE King said to the Duke of Glocester that He would say nothing to him but what was for the good of his Soul He told him that He heard the Army intended to make him King but it was a thing not for him to take upon him if he regarded the welfare of his Soul for he had two Brothers before him and therefore commanded him upon his Blessing never to accept of it unless it redounded lawfully upon him and commanded him to fear the Lord and he would provide for him LIX His MAJESTIE's Speech upon the Scaffold before White-Hall with the Manner of His Martyrdom Jan. 30. MDCXLVIII IX IN pursuance of the bloody Sentence passed upon His Sacred Majesty the same Sixty four persons met the same day in the Painted Chamber and appointed Waller Harrison Ireton Deane and Okey a Committee to consider of the time and place for the Execution Painted Chamber Lunae Jan. 29. 1648. Forty eight of the Commissioners met and Upon Report made from the Committee for considering of the Time and Place of the Executing of the Judgment against the King That the said Committee have Resolved That the open Street before White-Hall is a fit place and that the said Committee conceive it fit That the King be there executed to morrow the King having already notice thereof The Court approved thereof and ordered a Warrant to be drawn for that purpose which Warrant was accordingly drawn and agreed unto and ordered to be ingrossed which was