into an equall condition with it and this Parliament coâ—vâ—ned according to the known and fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome the continuance whereof is established by a Law consented unto by your Majesty is in effect denied to be a Parliament the scope and intention of that Letter being to make provision how all the Members as it is pretended of both Houses may securely meet in a full and free Convention of Parliament whereof no other conclusion can be made but that this present Parliament is not a full and free Convention of Parliament that to make it a full free Convention of Parliament the presence of those is Necessary who notwithstanding that they have deserted that great Trust and doe levy War against the Parliament are pretended to be Members of the two Houses of Parliament And hereupon we think our selves bound to let your Majesty know that seeing the continuance of this Parliament is setled by a Law which as all other Lawâ—s of your Kingdoms your Majesty hath sworn to maintain as wee are sworn to our All giance to your Majesty those obligations being reciprocall we must in duty and accordingly are resolved with our Lives and Fortunes to defend preserve the Just Rights and full power of this Parliament And doe beseech your Majesty to be assured That your Majesties Royall and hearty concurrence with us herein will be the most effectuall and ready means of procuring a firm and lasting peace in all your Majesties Dominions and of begetting a perfect understanding between your Majesty and your People withâ—ut which your Majesties most earnest Professions and our reall Intentions concernign the same must necessarily be frustrated And in case your Majesties three Kingdomes should by reason thereof remain in this sad and bleeding condition tending by the continuance of this unnaturall Warre to their Ruine your Majesty cannot be the least nor last sufferer God in his goodnesse incline your Royall breast out of pitty and compassion to thâ—se deep sufferings of your Innocent People to put a speedy and happy issue to these desperate Evills by the joint advice of both your Kingdoms now happily united in this Cause by their late Solemn League and Covenant Which as it will prove the surest remedy so is it the earnest Prayer of your Majesties loyall Subjects the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England Westminster the 9th day of March 1643. Grey of Wark Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore William Lenthall Speaker of the commons-Commons-House in PARLIAMENT The Kings parties Apprehension and Comment on the Letter in these words Whosoever considers that this should be a Letter from Subjects might well think it very unbeseeming language in them to call his Majesties earnest endeavours for peace but Professions and their own feigned pretences most reall Intentions but much more wonder at that menacing language that his Majesty cannot be the least nor the last sufferer which expressions from Subjects in Arms to their Soveraign what dangerous construction they may admit we are unwilling to mention Thus much for the Kings parties Comment on the Letter One other intercourse of Messages between both Parties of a latter time The Summons sent by the Committee of both Kingdoms to the Governour of Newarke for surrendring that Towne and Fort The h Summons expressing perswasive and valid reasons to surrender it the Governour rather his Secretaries Answer full of good Language courage and strength of wit wherein mentioning the Kings Letter sent the 23 of March 1644. unto both Houses of Parliament he urges the Kings granting Graecious Conditions and proves it in that he would Disband his Forces Dismantle his Garrisons c. he who penned the Answer recites not all the Kings Proposalls as that he would have withall his Friends pardoned the Sequestration taken from off their Estates and the like either he saw not the Kings whole Letter being he recites but one part only or else he smiles in his sleeve thinking by his reserved Comment on the Letter to satisfie the Committee there and the whole Kingdom besides of the Kings gracious inclination in that Letter whereof the Answerer reciteth but one part the offering those promises which he mentions and commends the King for seems like Sathans contracting with our Saviour in the Gospell who tells him of large gifts to give him all the Kingdomes of the Earth and the glory of them but on what condition On such as Christ his purity and immunity from all sin could not accept viz. to fall downe and worship him The Kings Letter was easily to be understood by any who shall read it collectively and all together but not a part only as of disbanding his Forces dismantling his Garrisons with other the like gracious proffers made but on what condition are they made to have his friends pardoned and their Sequestraâ—iâ—ns wholy taken off Such manner of collective speaking being conditionall the one is not expected to be done on the one side if the rest be not performed on the other The Answerer 's mentioning so much of the Letter as may serve the turn in reciting the Kings gracious promise leaves out on what condition the promise is made the condition annexed to the promise frustrates the vertue of the promise for that which the answerer calls gracious in the Kings Letter of Disbanding his forces if nothing else were to be expected are in every mans Iudgement as in the Answerers gracious indeed but that the Kings expects to have his Friends pardoned the Sequestrations wholly taken off from their Estates were by the Parliaments giving way to the revoking their own Iudgments to accuse themselves of Injustice-doing to put them whom they accounted Offenders and their enemies into as good or better condition then their own friends the Answerer if knowing the Kings whole letter and would contract it into parts reciting only that which serves his turne the Committee being presumed solid and understanding Gentlemen would questionlesse follow the dictates of their own Iudgment without replying to the Answerer For an handsome Dialect and height of wit which haply may delight some Readers but cures not the distempers and calamities of a Civil war nor satisfies the serious expectation of unbiassed spectators or Actors in these Tragedies it is confessed that the Assembly at Oxford and their Party in their Quarters there having the more facete and nimble wits with the help influence of the Youth and Schollers there not ripe enough nor versed in the Laws policies of a State may seem to exceed the Parliament and those whom the Parliament imployes in their expressions but let the Books on either side be examined by the test of Reason and Prudence the Reader will soon discern the difference and these foure remarkeable Messages instanced in may decide the contest none other of all their conflicts of that kind being more opposite each to other nor any of their Messages reciprocally sent more disdainfully rejected on
which Party doth declare and argue more prudentially the Reasons of their severall undertakings in this Quarrell as which Party the Kings or the Parliaments have writ more sufficiently and substantially concerning the subject of their Proceedings in this Warre whose Writings and Declarations have been more true whose most seditious and false which Party hath in their severall Books been most seriously and truly charged and accused of offending which more genuinely and sincerely have argued let the Reader judge So because there may not want Fuell for Contention 't is debated concerning the actions of Violence and Terrour to the People on either part the Kings and the Parliaments which did act with more Cruelty by putting all sorts of People to the Sword spoyling consuming with sire laying wast Houses Villages Towns 'T is known that a a County not farre distant scituate in the chiefest part of the Land gives testimony of consuming by b fire against the one in a sad Record As to the Writings on either side where the one hath propounded and objected what the other hath answered for instance sake take three or four here following for the rest First the Letter to the Governour and Councell of War at Bristol that City being then a Garrison for the Parliament from the Lord Lieutenant-Generall of the Kings Forces c requiring the Governour and Councell there to forbear the putting to death the two Citizens threatning withall to retaliate the like judgment and execution upon some Gentlemen of the Parliaments Party kept Prisoners by the Kings with the resolution and Answer of the Governour and Councell to such Message The quality of which Answer is forejudged already and replyed unto in d Print to be an insolent Pamphlet with other words of scorne which Letter and Answer being here set down the Reader may discerne the difference between the weight of either PATRICK Earl of FORTH Lord ETTERICK and Lord Lieutenant-Generall of all his Majesties Forces I Having been informed that lately at a Councell of War you have condemned to death Robert Yeomans late Sheriffe of Bristol who hath his Majesties Commission for raising a Regiment for his service William Yeomans his Brother George Bourchier and Edward Dacres all for expresing their Loyalty to his Majesty and endeavouring his service according to their Allegiance and that you intend to proceed speedily against others in the like manner do therefore signifie to you that I intend speedily to put Master George Master Stephens Captaine Huntley and others taken in Rebelion against his Majesty at Cyrencester into the same condition I do further advise you that if you offer by that unjust judgment to execute any of them you have so condemned that those here in Custody Master George Master Stephens and Captaine Huntley must expect no Favour or Mercy Given under mine hand at Oxford this 16th of May 1643. FORTH To the Commander in chief of the Councell of Warre at Bristoll The Answer of this Letter was as followeth NATHANIEL FIENNES Governour and the Councell of Warre in the City of BRISTOL HAving received a writing from your Lordship wherein it is declared that upon information of our late proceedings against Robert Yeomans William Yeomans and others you intend to put Master George Master Stephens Captaine Huntley and others into the same condition we are well assured that neither your Lordship or any other mortall man can put them into the same condition for whâ—ther they live or dye they will alwayes be accounted true and honest men faithfull to their King and Country and such as in a faire and open way have alwayes prosecuted that cause which in their judgment guided by the judgement of the highest Court they held the justest whereas the Conspirators of this City must both in life and death carry perpetually with them the Brand of Treachery and Conspiracy and if Robert Yeomans had made use of his commission in an open way he should be put in no worse condition then others in the like kind had been but the law of Nature amongst all men and the Law of arms among Souldiers make a difference between open Enemies and secret Spyes and Conspirators And if you shall not make the like distinction we do signifie unto you that we will not only proceed to the execution of the persons already condemned but also of divers others of the Conspirators unto whom we had some thoughts of extending mercy And doe further advise you that if by any inhumane and un-souldier-like sentence you shall proceed to the execution of the persons by you named or any other of our freinds in your custody that have been taken in a faire and open way of Warre then Sir Walter Pye Sir William Crofts and Colonell Connesby with divers others taken in open Rebelion and actuall Warre against the King and Kingdom whom we have here in custody must expect no Favour or Mercy And by Gods blessing upon our most just Cause we have powers enough for our friends security without taking in any that have gotten out of our reach and power and although divers of yours of no mean quality and condition have been released by us Given under our hand the 18th of May 1643. Nathaniel Fiennes President Clement Walker c. To Patrick Earl of Forth Lord Lieutenant-Generall Secondly e That from the Marquesse of Argyle and Sir William Armine Commissioners from both Kingdomes of England and Scotland fully and in few words delivering their Intentions and Reasons for the Summons sent to the Governour of Carlislâ—a Garrison for the King with his Answer to them full of words pregnancy of wit and iealousie reiecting their Summons and some of his Party derogating elsewhere from the worth of f one of the Commissioners A g third of no great length the Reader hath it in the very words sent from both Houses of Parliament to the King with his Parties descant and scornfull Comment on the same The Message sent from both Houses of Parliament to the King VVE the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England taking into our Consideration a Letter sent from your Majesty dated the third of March instant and directed to the Lords and Commons of Parliament assembled at Westminster which by the contents of a Letter from the Earle of Forth unto the Lord Generall the Earl of Essex we conceive was intended to our selves Have resolved with the concurrent advice aâ—d consent of the Commissioners of the Kingdom of Scotland to represent to your Majesty in all humility and pâ—aiâ—nessâ— as followeth That as we have used all means for a just and safe Peace so will we never be wanting to dâ—e our utmost for the procuring thereof But when we consider the expressions in that Letter of your Majesties we have more sad and despairing thoughts of attaining the same then ever because thereby those persons now assembled at Oxâ—ord who contrary to their duty have deserâ—ed your Parliament are put
retired and solid Parts wherewith he was endowed then doubtless free from the affectated words whereof the Book is full in defence of the manisold actions of his incident to this War many of them too weakly excused to be his although in an handsome way of writing to possesse the belief of men obtruded on him by indeed the Author of the Booke of Divine and wholsome Councell left in his name to his Sonne might gaine a beliefe of what was vehemently suspected to the contrary That the Fathers heart was seasoned with the like Principles according to the Councell given unto the Sonne and as to the time of that Councell given there are none but have observed that the fears of the growth of Superstitious Tyranny in the peacefull times were y only and a long time more then those of the growth of Anarchy easy to be let in amongst other disturbances and distractions through the licentiousnesse and confusedness of a civill Warre and wherefore is that Councell given as if the Parliament did intend or had brought in Anarchy or devised to root out all Government No calumny whereby to render them and their proceedings odious and detestable is of extent enough to serve and satiate their Enemies appetite The Parliament in their prudence and experience might discerne a reason for the changing the Monarchical into some other form of as much conducement to the maintenance of Peace and Justice But z what that Religion is which the Author enjoynes the Prince unto whether opposite to Popery or Schisme this like weeds in Corn choaking and hindring its growth that like Mildews blasting and destroying it he defining not makes it seem doâ—btfull to the Reader for presently after he would have the Prince his Iudgment and reason to seale to that Sacred Bond which education hath written in him let a computation be had of his young years how in his infancy uncapable of discerning the differences of Religion before this Warre began where and with whom he hath lived these eight or nine years since it began all men will not believe that to be the Reformed Protestant Religion which is there enjoyned him take it in its purity or as the corruption of times hath fashioned it the Prince is vehemently suspected to goe in a contrary Diameter to either as to those Instructions given him by the Author by what is reported of his having favoured and entertained at his Court the greatest and most known Papists Forraigners of all parts setting aside his Protestant and Native English And howbeit he seems now for a tyme to comply with the Protestants and other of the Scotish Nation and they reciprocally with him his constant and certaine ayde is yet kept up his interest maintained by the Kings Catholick Subjects in Ireland as they terme themselves in favour to the Prince so that what at the beginning of these Warres was acutely urged as a witty and plausible fallacy of the Papists taking up Arms for the Protestant Cause is at this day marveled at the name changed only as that the Papists in Ireland take Armes to defend a Protestant Prince in Scotland All which considered the Prince cannot be thought to take those instructions to be truely and genuinely the Kings or little observes them as the Kings That which should have beene expunged out of the Booke to make it the more admired his is that one passage strange amongst the rest about the Authors challenging the Parliament for discovering the Letters taken at Naseby Fight even now mentioned unlesse it were ill taken by the Author in the Kings behalfe that the naming his friends assembled at Oxford in the nature of a Parliament his Mungrell Parliament as himselfe stiled it should be disclosed together and Liberties of a Free-born people or presumptuously shall take part with the subverters of the same although in a small degree of Oppression and Eâ—action the Lawes having their Metes and Limits to bound out unto every man his owne are in the Judgement of a Learned b Prince no better than Pests Vipers and Traytors to a Kingdome whence it might be mervailed at but that the Parliament hath with Clemency passed by the Transgressions of their mistaken Country-men and fellow Subjects without any heavier censure then Fining them that the violating the ancient Law of Magna Charta so industriously and religiously preserved by their Ancestors and above thirty severall times confirmed in Parliament to use the very words of the Lords and Commons assembled at Oxford in their c Declaration printed there should be objected against the Parliament sitting at Westminster to be a bold avowed transgression of the Laws and Liberties of the People as if the parties of those Lords and Commons were altogether free from the like transgressions so they may in like manner object a violating the late Kings Grant to the Petition of Right when they and their party are setting aside the justice of the â—ause on either side as culpable as the Parliaments party are The pillaging the Earl of Stamforâ—'s house in Leicestershire by the Kings Party commanding there an undoubted and notorious Felony by the Letter of the Law all his Souldiers guilty of the same The storming by day and night the breaking into the Marquesse of Winchester his house in Hantshire by the Parliaments Party the highest degree of Burglary many the like Hostile Acts may be instanced in on either side but how in the heat of War in the pursuit of Conquest each party striving who should overcome and destroy their Enemy One other passage in the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as unjustly and improbably delivered is considerable viz. the plausible reasons d given of the Kings going to the House of Commons with so many armed Gentlemen which as the Author sayes was no unwonted thing for the Maiesty of a King to be so attended especially in discontented times The times were not then so discontented as that unheard of and horrid act might have made them at that time had but the hand of one desperate Caitiffe given fire to his Pistols ready cockt the House of Commons being neer full and equall in number to the Forces prepared against them no man knows how disastrous and fatall the Event had been Neither could the King justly fear to be assaulted by any in the House as the Author intimates None in the House within being armed answerable to the Kings Guard without The Author thinks he hath handsomely palliated that Attempt under colour of the Kings standing in need of a Guard rendring those His Attendants there short of his ordinary Guard but whether he meant short in number or in a daring and forcible array he declares not Many other Passages as improbable as these are the Discourses of the Booke too tedious to recite the examining and search whereof is besides this purpose It seems to have little of the King it hath elegancy of wit enough and affectation of