That the Tower London, and the much as he could) to alter the third Article, because he conceived it might be a prejudice to the Crown of England, the particulars whereof were too long to relate Their only Argument that weighed with him, being, That (since it was agreed upon by both Houses of Parliament, and that the strength of His Majestie's Argument was, that Article implied too great a Trust for Auxiliary Forces) they were in good hope that His Majesty, being their native King, would not shew less trust in them, than their Neighbour Nation. So that the Question being (merely) of Trust, and that both Houses of Parliament have thought fit to grant it (though His Majesty could wish that that third Article were drawn more for the advantage of the Crown of England than he conceives it is) His Majesty cannot but wholly admit of the Advice of his Parliament in this particular, especially since His Majesty perceives, that insisting upon the same would breed a great delay in the necessary supply of his Kingdom of Ireland. Humbly sheweth, of the hands of Persons liament. THAT, whereas the Houses of Parliament have received a grievous Message from your Majesty, dated the twentieth day of this instant January, your Petitioners return to your Majesty most humble thanks, resolving to take it into speedy and serious consideration. And, to enable them, with security, to discharge their Duties therein, they desired the House of Peers to join with them, in humbly beseeching your sacred Majesty to raise-up unto them a sure ground of safety and confidence, by putting the Tower, and other principal Forts of the Kingdom, and thereof, be put into the whole Militia thereof, into the hands of such Persons as your Parliament recommended by the might confide-in, and as should be recommended unto your Majesty by both two Ilouses of Par- Houses of Parliament, that (all Fears and Jealousies being laid-aside,) they might, with all cheerfulness, proceed to such resolutions as, they hoped, would lay a sure foundation of Honour, Greatness, and Glory to your Majesty, and Posterity; and of Happiness and Prosperity unto your Subjects throughout all your Dominions. Wherein the House of Peers have refused to join with your Petitioners. They, notwithstanding, no way discouraged, but confiding in your Majestie's Goodness to your people, do therefore make their humble address to your Majesty, to beseech you, That the Tower of London, and other principal Forts, and the whole Militia of the Kingdom, may be put into the hands of such persons as shall be recommended unto your Majesty by your Petitioners; not doubting but they shall receive a gracious and speedy Answer to this their humble desire; without which, in all humane Reason, the great distractions of this Kingdom must needs overwhelm it with misery and ruin. your Royal And your Petitioners shall ever pray, &c. the Kingdom, and the whole Militia To the KING's Most Excellent MAJESTY. The humble PETITION of the KNIGHTS, CITIZENS, and BURGESSES, of the COMMONS HOUSE, now in PARLIAMENT assembled January 26, 1641-42. HIS MAJESTIE'S ANSWER to the PETITION of the COMMONS HOUSE, HIS Majesty having seriously considered of the Petition presented to Him from the House of Commons, on Wednesday, the twenty-sixth of this Month, Returns this Answer: THAT he was in good hope His gracious Message, of the twentieth of this Month, to both Houses, would have produced some such overture, which, by offering what is fit on their parts to do, and asking what is proper for His Majesty to grant, might beget a mutual confidence in each other. Concerning the Tower of London, His Majesty did not expect, that, having preferred a person* of a known Fortune, and unquestionable Reputation, to that Trust, He should be pressed to remove him, without any particular charge objected against him; and, therefore, returns this Answer: That, if, upon due examination, any particular shall be presented to His Majesty, whereby it may appear, that His Majesty was mistaken in His opinion of this Gentleman, and that he is unfit for the Trust committed to him, His Majesty will make no scruple of discharging him: But, otherwise, His Majesty is obliged, in justice to himself, to preserve his own work, lest his favour, and good Opinion, may prove a disadvantage and misfortune to his Servants, without any other Accusation Of which, His Majesty doubts not, His House of Commons would be so tender (as of a business wherein His Majestie's honour is so much concerned), that, if they find no material exception against this Person, they will rather endeavour to satisfy and reform the fears of other men, than, by complying with them, press His Majesty to any Resolution which may seem so much to reflect upon his Honour and Justice. For the Forts and Castles of the Kingdom, His Majesty is resolved that they shall always be in such hands (and only such) as the Parliament may safely confide-in; but the nomination of any Persons to those Places (being so principal and inseparable a Flower of his Crown, vested in Him, and derived unto Him from His Ancestors, by the fundamental Laws of the Kingdom) He will reserve to Himself; in bestowing whereof, as His Majesty will take care that no corrupt, or sinister, courses shall prevail with Him: so He is willing to declare, That He shall not be induced to express that favour so soon to any persons, as to those whose good demeanour shall be eminent in, or to His Parliament. And if He now hath, or shall, at any time, by mis-information, couter such a Trust upon an undeserv ing Person, He is, and will always be, ready to leave him to the Wisdom and Justice of His Parliament. For the Militia of the Kingdom, (which, by the Law, is subject to no command, but of His Majesty, and of Authority lawfully derived from Him) when Militia, any particular course, for the ordering the same (which His Majesty holds very • Sir John Byron. 2 P necessary necessary for the peace and security of His Kingdom) shall be considered and di gested by His Parliament, and proposed to His Majesty; His Majesty will return such an Answer, as shall be agreeable to His Honour, and the safety of His People, His Majesty being resolved only to deny those things, the granting whereof would alter the fundamental Laws, and endanger the very foundation, upon which the publick happiness, and welfare of his People, is founded and constituted, and would nourish a greater, and more destructive, Jealousy between the Crown and the Subject, than any of those which would seem to be taken-away by such a satisfaction. And His Majesty doth not doubt, that his having granted more than ever King hath granted, will ever persuade his House of Commons to ask more than ever Subjects have asked. And if they shall acquaint His Majesty with the particular Grounds of their Doubts and Fears, He will very willingly apply Remedies proportionable to those Fears; For His Majesty calls God to witness, that the preservation of the publick peace, The Law, and the Liberty of the Subject, is, and shall always be, as much His Majestie's care and industry, as of his life, or the Lives of his dearest children. And, therefore, His Majesty doth conjure his House of Commons, by all the Acts of Duty and favour they have received from him this Parliament; By their hopes of future happiness in His Majesty, and in one another; By their love of Religion, and the peace of this Kingdom, (in which that of Ireland cannot be forgotten) That they will not be transported by Jealousies and Apprehensions of pos sible dangers, to put themselves, or His Majesty, into real and present inconveni ences, but that they will speedily pursue the way proposed by His Majestie's former Message, which, in human Reason, is the only way to compose the Distractions of the Kingdom, and, with God's blessing, will restore a great Measure of felicity to King and People. Die Sabbathi, 29 Januarii, 1641. An ORDER made by both HOUSES of PARLIAMENT, to prevent the going-over of POPISH COMMANDERS into IRELAND, and also to hinder the transportation of Arms, Ammunition, Money, Corn, Victuals, and all other provision to the REBELS, and for the sending back of the IRISH PAPISTS lately come-over. WHEREAS great numbers of Papists, both English and Irish, (some whereof have been, and are, Commanders in the Wars; and others, such as have Estates in England,) have gone-out of this Kingdom into Ireland, immediately before, and during, the barbarous and bloody Rebellion there, and traiterously joined themselves with the Rebels of that Nation against His Majesty, and the Crown of England; and, likewise, divers other Popish Commanders, and such as have Estates in England, are daily preparing to go thither, to the same wicked ends: And And great store of Armes, Ammunition, Money, Corn, and other Victuals, and Provisions, have been sent, and are daily preparing to be sent to that Kingdom, for the assistance, and encouragement of those Rebels: for prevention whereof, the Lords and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, Do hereby Order, and straightly charge, and command, all Sheriffs, Justices of the Peace, Mayors, Bailiffs, Constables, and other His Majestie's Officers, within the Realm of England, and Dominions of Wales; That they apprehend, and examine all such persons, as they shall suspect to be Papists, and going-out of this Kingdom, or the Dominion of Wales, into. Ireland. And that they also make stay of all Arms, Munition, Money, Corn, and other Victuals, and Provisions, which they shall suspect to be preparing for transportation into Ireland, for the aid, and relief of the Kebels there; and to give speedy notice thereof, unto the Parliament. And whereas, Also, divers poor People, Men, Women, and Children, of the Irish Nation, and Papists, have lately come, in great numbers, out of Ireland, into Cornwall, Devon, and other parts of this Kingdom, where they have been, and are very disorderly, and much terrify the Inhabitants, where they come, and due care is not taken in all places, for the suppressing, and punishing of them: The Lords and Commons in this Parliament Assembled, Do hereby further Order, and require, all Officers before-mentioned, That they put the Laws in due execution, against such wandering Irish Papists, before expressed, and that they cause. them to be forthwith conveyed-back into that Kingdom. This Order was read, and by Vote upon the Question, assented-unto, and ordered to be fair-written, and sent-up to the Lords, by Master Carew. Master Carew brings answer, That the Lords do fully agree with the House in this Order. Hen. Elsing, Cler. Parl. Dom. Com. To the KING's Most Excellent MAJESTY, The humble Petition of the LORDS and COMMONS assembled in PAR LIAMENT. Most gracious Sovereign, THE present Evils and Calamities, wherewith your Kingdomes are most miserably entangled, the imminent dangers which threaten your Royal Person, and all your People, have caused us, your most faithful and obedient Subjects, the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament, with thankfulnesse to entertaine, and with all earnestnesse of affection and endeavour, to pursue the gracious Proposition and Direction, which, not long since, we have received from your Majesty: And we have thereupon taken into our most serious consideration, the ways and means of securing the safety of your Royal Person, Preserving the Honour and Authority 2P 2 of of your Crowne, Removing all Jealousies betwixt your Majesty and your People, Suppressing the Rebellion in Ireland, Preventing the Fears and Dangers in this Kingdome, and the mischievous Designs of those who are Enemies to the Peace of it. And that we may with more Comfort and Security, accomplish our duties herein, we most humbly beseech your Majesty, That you will be pleased forthwith, to put the Tower of London, and all other Forts, and the whole Militia of the Kingdome, into the hands of such Persons as shall be recommended unto your Majesty by both Houses of Parliament, which they assure themselves will be a hopeful entrance into those Courses, which, (through God's blessing,) shall be effectual for the removing all diffidence and mis-apprehension, betwixt your Ma jesty and your People, and for Establishing and Enlarging the Honour, Greatnesse, and Power of your Majesty and Royal Posterity, and for the restoring and con firming the Peace and Happinesse of your loyal Subjects, in all your Dominions. 1 And to this our most necessary Petition, we in all humility expect your Majestie's speedy and gracious Answer, the great Distractions and Distempers of the Kingdome not admitting any delay. To the KING's Most Excellent MAJESTY. ·The humble Petition of the LORDS and COMMONS now assembled in PARLIAMENT. Sheweth, THAT whereas your Majestie, by a Message sent to both Houses of Parliament, signified an Apprehension of some Treasonable matter, to have been committed by the Lord Kymbolton, Master Hollis, Sir Arthur Haslerigg, Master Pym, Master Hampden, and Master Strode; and thereby declared your Majestie's intention to proceed against them in an unquestionable way: We the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, did make our humble Petition to your Majesty, to beseech your Majesty to give directions, that your Parliament might be informed, before Tuesday then next ensuing, what proofe there was against them, that accordingly there might be a Legal and Parliamentary proceeding against them, whereby they might be brought to condigne punishment, if guilty or discharged from so heavy an Accusation, if innocent: And whereas your Majesty was graciously pleased, in Answer to that Petition, to expresse Your good approbation of the desire of both Houses, for the speedy proceeding against the Persons in that Petition mentioned; yet your Majesty gave no other satisfaction to their desire than this, That Your Majestie held it necessary, new mistake should breed more delays, "that it should be resolved, whether your Majesty were bound, in respect of Priviledges, to proceed against them by impeachment in that Parliament, or to be left at liberty to prefer an Indictment at the Common Law, in the usual way, or to have your choice of either ;" and we finding lest a 12 |