HIs Majesty having seriously considered of the Petition presented to him from the House of Commons, on Wednesday the six and twentieth of this moneth, returnes this answer.

That he was in good hope his gracious Message, the twentieth of this moneth, to both Houses would have produced some such overture, which by offring what is fit on their parts to do, and what is proper for his Majesty to grant, might beget a mutuall confidence in each other.

Concerning the Tower of London, His Majesty did not expect, that having preferred a person of a known fortune, and an 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 particulars shall be presented to his Majesty, whereby it may appeare that his Majesty was mistaken in his opinion of the 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 himselfe, to preserve his own work, lest, his favour and good opinion may prove a disad­vantage & misfortune to his servants without any other accusation, of which his Majesty doubts not this House of Com­mons will be so tender, (as of all businesse wherein his Majesties honour is so much concerned) that if they find no mate­riall exceptions against his person, they will rather endeavour to satisfie and reform the feares of other men then (by complying with them) presse his Majesty to any resolution which may seem so much to reflect upon his honor & justice.

For the Forts and Castles of the Kingdome his Majesty is resolved that they shall alwayes be in such hands (and onely in such) as the Parliament may safely confide in: But the nomination of any person to those places, being so principall and inseparable a flower of his Crowne, vested in him, and derived to him from his Ancestors by the Fundamentall Laws of the Kingdome he will reserve to himselfe; In bestowing whereof, as his Maiesty will take care that no corrupt or sini­ster courses shall prevaile with him, so he is willing to declare that he shall not be induced to expresse that favour so soon to any person as to those whose good demeanour shall be eminent to him or his Parliament: And if he now hath or shall at any time by misinformation confer such a trust upon an undeserving person, he is and alwaies will be ready to leave him to the wisdome and justice of his Parliament.

For the Militia of the Kingdome (which by the Law is subject to no command but of his Majesty, and of authority lawfully derived from him) when any particular course for ordering the same (which his Majesty holds very necessary for the peace and security of his Kingdome) shall be considered and digested 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 fundamentall Laws, and endanger the very foundation upon which the publike happinesse and welfare of his people is founded and constituted, and would nourish a greater and more destructive jealousie between the Crown and the Subjects, then any of these which would seem to be taken away by such a satisfaction: And his Majesty doth not doubt that his having granted more then ever King hath granted will ever perswade his House of Commons to aske more then ever Subjects have asked. And if they shall acquaint his Majesty with the particular grounds of their doubts and feares, he will very willingly apply remedies proportionall to those fears. For his Majesty cals God to witnesse, that the preservation of the publick peace, and the laws and liberties of the Subject, shall alwaies be his Majesties care and industry as of his life, and the lives of his dearest Children. And therefore his Majesty doth conjure the House of Commons by all the acts of justice and favour they have received from him this Parliament, by their hopes of future happinesse in his Majesty, and in one anothers love of Reli­gion and the peace of this Kingdome (in which that of Ireland cannot be forgotten) that they will not be transported with jealousies and apprehensions of possible dangers, to put themselves and his Majesty into reall and present inconve­niences, but that they will speedily pursue the way, proposed by his Majestys former message which in humane reason is the only way to compose the distractions of the Kingdom; and with Gods blessing will restore a great measure of feli­city to King and People.