A declaration from both Houses of Parliament with the additonall reasons last presented to His Majesty : whereunto is annexed His Maiesties speech to the committe the 9th of March 1641, when they presented the declaration of both Houses of Parliament at New-maket [sic].

A DECLARATION TO HIS MAIESTY. May it pleaſe your moſt excellent Majeſty,

ALthough the expreſſions of your Majeſties Meſſage, the ſecond of this inſtant Moneth, doe give juſt cauſe of ſorrow to Us your Majeſties faithfull Subjects, the Lords and Commons in Parliament; yet it is not without ſome mixture of Confidence and Hope, conſidering they proceed from the Miſapprehenſions of our Actions and Intentions, which having no ground of truth or reallity, may, by your Majeſties Juſtice and Wiſdome be removed, when your Majeſty ſhall be fully informed, that theſe feares and jealouſies of Ours, which your Majeſty thinks to be Cauſeleſſe, and without juſt grounds, doe neceſſarily and clearly ariſe from theſe dangers and diſtempers, into which the miſchievous and evill Councellors about you have brought this Kingdome: and that thoſe other feares and jealouſies by which your favour, your Royall preſence and Confidence have bin withdrawn from your Parliament, have no foundation or ſubſiſtence in any Action, Intention, or Miſcarriage of Ours, but are meerly grounded upon the falſhood and malice of thoſe, who for the ſupporting and fomenting their own wicked deſignes againſt the Religion and Peace of this Kingdome, doe ſeek to deprive your Majeſty of the ſtrength and affection of your People, them of your Grace and protection; and thereby to ſubject both your Royall perſon and the whole Kingdome to ruine and deſtruction.

To ſatisfie your Majeſties Judgement and Conſcience in both theſe points, We deſire to make a cleare and free Declaration, of the Cauſes of our feares and jealouſies, which We offer to your Majeſtie in theſe particulars.

1. That the deſigne of Altering Religion, in this, and in your other Kingdomes, hath bin potently carryed on by thoſe in greateſt Authority about you, for divers yeares together; and that the Queens Agent at Rome, and the Popes Agent at Nuncio here, are not only evidences of this deſigne, but have bin great Actors in it.

2. That the Warres with Scotland was proeured to make way for this Intention, and chiefly incited and fomented by the Papiſts, and others Popiſhly affected, wherof we have many evidences, eſpecially their free and generall Contribution to it.

3. That the Rebellion in Ireland was framed and contrived here in England; and that the Engliſh Papiſts ſhould have riſen about the ſame time, We have divers teſtimonies and Advertiſements from Ireland; and that it is a common ſpeech among the Rebells, where with concurre other Evidences and obſervations of the ſuſpitious Meetings and Conſultations; the tumultuary and ſeditious carriage of thoſe of that Religion, in divers parts of the Kingdome, about the breaking out of the Iriſh Rebellion; the Depoſition of O Conneli; the Information of Mr Cole Miniſter; the Letter of Preſtram Whitcomb; the Depoſition of Thomas Crant; and many others, which we may produce doe all agree in this.

4. The publicke Declaration of the Lords, Gentlemen, and others of the 〈◊〉 that they would joyne with the Rebells, whom they call the Iriſh Army, or any other, to recover unto his Majeſty his Royall Prerogative, wreſted from him by the Puritan Faction in the Houſes of Parliament in England; and to maintaine the ſame againſt all others; as alſo to maintaine Epiſcopall juriſdiction, and lawfulneſſe thereof, theſe two being the Quarrells upon which his Majeſties late Army in the North ſhould have bin incenſed againſt us.

5. The great Cauſe we have to doubt, that the late deſigne, ſtyled The Queens pious Intention, was for the Alteration of Religion in this Kingdome: for ſucceſſe whereof the Popes Nuncio, and Count Roſetii injoyned Faſting and Praying to be obſerved every week, by the Engliſh Papiſts, which appeared to Us by one of the Originall Letters directed by him to a Prieſt in Lancaſhire.

6. The boldnes of the Rebells in affirming They doe nothing but by Authority from the King; that they call themſelves the Queens Army; that the Prey or Booty which they take from the Engliſh, they marke with the Queens Marke. That their purpoſe was to come into England, after they had done in Ireland: and ſundry other things of this kind proved by O Conneli, and divers others; eſpecially the aforementioned Letter from Treſtram Whitecombe the Major of Kinſaile to his Brother Benjamin Whitecomb, wherin there is this paſſage, that Many other ſpeeches they utter about Religion and our Court of England, which he dares not commit to paper.

The manifold Attempts to provoke your Majeſties late Army, and the Army of the Scots, and to raiſe a Faction in the City of London and other parts of the Kingdome; that thoſe who have bin Actors in this buſineſſe, have had their Dependance, Countenance and Incouragement from the Court, witneſſe the Treaſon wherof Mr Germin and others ſtand accuſed, who were tranſported beyond Sea by Warrant under your Majeſties hand, after your Majeſty had given Aſſurance to your Parliament that your Majeſty had layd a ſtrict command upon all your Servants, that none of them ſhould depart from Court; and that dangerous Petition delivered to Captaine Legge by your Majeſties owne hand, accompanied with a Direction ſigned with C. R.

The falſe and ſcandalous Accuſation againſt the Lord Kymbolton, and the Five Members of the Houſe of Commons, tendred to the Parliament, by your Majeſties owne Command, endeavouring to be juſtified in the City by your own preſence and perſwaſion; and to be put in execution upon their Perſons, by your Majeſties demand of them in the Houſe of Commons, in ſo terrible and violent a manner, as farre exceeded all former breaches of Priviledges of Parliament, acted by your Majeſty, or any of your Predeceſſors: And whatſoever your own Intentions were, divers bloody and deſperate perſons, which attended your Majeſty, diſcovered their affections and reſolutions to have maſſacred and deſtroyed the Members of that Houſe; if the abſence of thoſe Perſons accuſed, had not by Gods providence ſtopt the giving of that Word which they expected, for the ſetting them upon that barbarous and bloody deſigne.

The Liſting of ſo many Officers, Souldiers and others, putting them into pay, and under Command of Colonells, keeping them at White Hall, Feaſting and carouſing them in an unuſuall manner, thereby maintaining them in the violent Aſſaults, and other injuries, which they offered to divers of your Subjects, comming that way in a Lawfull and peaceable manner; the carrying them out of the Town, and keeping them in ſo long a Pay, after which they were told by the Lord Digby that the King removed on purpoſe they might not be trampled in the durt; and endeavouring to ingage the Gentlemen of the Innes of Court in the ſame courſe; the plotting and deſigning of a perpetuall Guard about your Majeſty; the labouring to infuſe into your Majeſties Subjects an evill opinion of the Parliament throughout the whole Kingdome, and other ſymptomes of a diſpoſition of rayſing Armes, and dividing your People by a Civill Warre, in which Combuſtion Ireland muſt needs be loſt, and this Realme miſerably waſted and conſumed, if not wholly ruined and deſtroyed.

That the Lord Digby ſhould preſume to Councell your Majeſty to declare your ſelfe, and to retire to a place of ſtrength in this Kingdome, and to perſwade you that you could not be ſafe among your People, and yet ſhould have ſuch Credit with you as to be ſent away by your Warrant to Sir John Pennington, to land him beyond the Sea, where he took that tranſcendent boldneſſe to vent his owne Trayterous conceptions in the Letter to the Queene, offering to entertaine a correſpondencie with her Majeſty by Cyphers, intimating ſome ſervice which he might doe in thoſe parts; for which he deſired your Majeſties Intentions, whereby in all probability he intended the procureing of ſome Forreigne Forces to ſtrengthen your Majeſtie in that condition to which hee would have brought: which falſe and malicious Councell and advice, we have great cauſe to doubt, made too deep an impreſſion in your Majeſty, conſidering the courſe you are now pleaſed to take, of abſenting your ſelfe from your Parliament, ang carrying the Prince with you, which ſeems to expreſſe a purpoſe in your Majeſty to keep your ſelf in a Readineſſe for the acting of it.

The manifold Advertiſements we have had from Rome, Venice, Paris, and other parts, that they ſtill expect that you have ſome great deſigne in hand, for the Altering of Religion; the breaking neck of your Parliament; that you will yet find meanes to compaſſe that deſigne; that the Popes Nuncio hath ſollicited the Kings of France and Spaine to lend your Majeſty 4000. men a piece to helpe to maintain your Royalty againſt the Parliament, and this uf foreigne force ſeemeth to be the moſt pernicious and malignant deſigne of all the reſt, becauſe no man can beleeve you will give up your people and your Kingdome to be ſpoiled by Strangers, if you did not likewiſe intend both to change your own profeſſion in Religion, and the publicke profeſſion of the Kingdome, that ſo you might ſtill be more aſſured of thoſe forreigne ſtates of the Popiſh Religion for your future ſupoort and defence; but we hope God will direct your Majeſtie to better Councells.

Theſe are ſome of the grounds of our feares and jealouſies, which made us ſo earneſtly to implore your royall Authoritie and Protection for our defence and ſecuritie, in all the wayes of humilitie and ſubmiſſion, which being denyed by your Majeſtie, ſeduced by evill Councells, We doe with ſorrow, for the great and inavoydable miſerie, which is like to fall upon your own perſon, and your Kingdomes, apply our ſelves to the uſe of that Power, for the ſecuritie and defence of both, which by the fundamentall Laws and Conſtitutions of this Kingdome, reſides in Us: Yet ſtill reſolving to keep our ſelves within the bounds of Faithfullneſſe and Allegeance to your ſacred perſon, and your Crownes: ſo as to the Second ſort of jealouſies and feares, of Us expreſt by your Majeſtie, We ſhall give a ſhorter, but as true and as faithfull an Anſwere.

Whereas your Majeſty is pleaſed to ſay that for your reſiding neere your Parliament, you wiſh it might be ſo ſafe and honourable that you had noe cauſe to abſent your ſelfe from White-hall, this we take as the greateſt breach of the priviledges of Parliament that can be offered, the heavieſt miſerie to your ſelfe, and juiurie to us, and Impunation upon us, that can be imagined, the moſt miſcheivous effect of evill Counſells, it rootes up the foundation of that ſafety and honour which the Crowne affords, it ſeems as much as may be to caſt upon the Parliament ſuch a charge as is inconſiſtent with the nature of your great Counſel being the body wherof your Majeſty is the head, it ſtriks at the very being both of King and Parliament depriving our Majeſty in your owne apprehenſion of their fidelity and them of your protection, which are the mutual bonds of Government and ſubiection.

We have according to your Maieſties deſire laid our hands upon our hearts, we have asked our ſelves in the ſtricteſt examination of our Conſciences, we have ſearcht our affections, our thoughts, conſidered our actions, and we find non that can give your Maieſty nay juſt occaſion to abſent your ſelf from White-hall and the Parliament but that you may with more honour and ſafety continue there then in any other place, your Maieſty laies a generall Taxe uprn us, if you will be graciouſly pleaſed to let us konw the particulars wee ſhall give a cleere and ſatisfactory anſwer but what hope can we have of ever giving your Maieſty ſatisfaction when the particulars which you have bin made beleeve were true yet being produced and made known to us appeared to be falſe, and your Maieſty notwithſtanding will neither puniſh nor produce the authors, but goe on to contract Jealouſies and feares upon generall and uncertaine grounds affording us no meanes or poſſibility of particular Anſwer to the cleering of ourſelves: For proofe whereof we beſeech your Maieſty to conſider theſe Inſtances.

The ſpeeches alledged to be ſpoken in a meeting by divers Members of both Houſes at Kenſington, concerning a purpoſe of reſtraining the Qeene and Prince which after it was denied and diſavowed, yet your Maieſty refuſed to Name the Authors though humbly deſired of both Houses

The report of Articles framed againſt the Queene given out by ſome of neere relation unto the Court, but when it was publiquely and conſtantly diſclaimed, the Credit ſeemed to bt with-drawn from it but the Authors being kept ſafe will alwaies be in readineſſe for exploits of the ſame kind where with your Majeſtie and the Queene will be troubled if this courſe be taken to cheriſh and ſecure them in ſuch wicked and malicious ſlanders.

The heavy Charge and accuſation of the Lord Kimbolton and the five Members of the Houſe of Commons, who refuſe no Triall and examination which may ſtand with the Priviledge of Parliament yet no Author, noe witneſſes produced, againſt whom they may have reparation for that great jujury and infamy caſt upon them notwithſtanding three ſeverall Petitions of both Houſes, the Authority of two Acts of Parliament vouched in the laſt of theſe Petitions.

We beſeech your Majeſtie to conſider in what eſtate you are, how eaſy and faire a way you have to happineſſe, honour, greatneſſe, plenty and ſecurity: If you will joyn with the Parliamentand your faithfull Subjects in defence of the Religion and the publique good of the Kingdom: This is all we expect from you and for this wee ſhall returne to you our lives and fortunes & utmoſt endeavours to ſupport your Maieſty, your iuſt Soveraignty & power over us, but it is not words that can ſecure us in theſe our humble deſires, we cannot but two well and ſorowfully remember what gracious Meſſages we had from you this Summer, when with your privity the bringing up the Army was in agitation, we cannot but with the like affection recal to our minds, how not two dayes before you gave direction for the above mentioned accuſation and your owne comming unto the Commons Houſe, that houſe received a Meſſage, that you would alwaies hav care of their Priviledges as of your owne Prerogative, of the ſafety of their Perſons as of your owne Children That which wee expect from you which wilgive us aſſurance that you have no thoughts but of peace & Iuſtice to your people, muſt be ſome reall effect of your goodneſſe to them in graunting thoſe things which the preſent neceſſity of the Kingdom do inforce us to deſire, and in the firſt place, that your Majeſty will be graciouſly pleaſed to put from you thoſe wicked and miſcheivous Counſellors which have cauſed all theſe dangers and diſtractions, and continue your own reſidence and the Princes neer London and the parliament Which we hope wilbe a happy beginning of contentment and conſidence betwixt your Majeſty and your People, and be followed with many ſucceeding bleſſings of honour and greatneſſe to your Majeſty, and of ſecurity and proſperity to them.

The Additionall Reaſons.

THe Lords and Commons have commanded us to preſent unto your Majeſty this further Addition to their former Declaration.

That your Majeſties return and continuance neer the Parliament is a matter in their apprehenſion of ſo great neceſſiy and importance towards the preſervation of your Royall Perſon and your Kingdoms, that they cannot think they have diſcharged their duties in the ſingle expreſ-of their deſire, unleſſe they add ſome further Reaſons to back it with.

1. Your Majeſties abſence will cauſe men to believe, that it is out of deſigne to diſcourage the undertakers; and hinder the other Proviſions for raiſing money for defence of Ireland. II. It will very much hearten the Rebells there, and diſaflected perſons in this Kingdome, as being an evidence, and effect of the jealouſie and diviſion betwixt your Majeſty, and your people. III. That it will much weaken and withdraw the affection of the Subject from your Maieſty, without which a Prince is deprived of his chiefeſt ſtrength and luſtre, and left naked in the greateſt dangers and miſeries, that can be imagined. IIII. That it will invite and encourage the Enemies of our Religion and the State or Forreigne Parts, to the attempting and acting of their evill deiſgnes and intenti ••• t • wards us. V. That it cauſeth a great, interuption in the proceedings of Parliament.

Theſe conſiderations threaten ſo great danger to your Majeſties perſon they hold it neceſſary to repreſent to You, this their land 〈◊◊〉 that ſo whatſoever followeth, they may be excuſed before God and Man.