HAving Received your letter dated the 8 of this instant; wherein you were pleased tō informe me of the present condition you are in; I doe re­turne you hearty thankes, and have sent you the best in­telligence that I can possibly impart unto you which is as followeth; viz. That there hath been much debate about the Directory, but nothing don.

The King in this debate askes, what fault they found in the Common Prayer Booke, one of the Commissianers said, hee had heard it was the saying of a very learned man (and hee knew the King would confesse he was so) that the Liturgie was taken out of the Masse Book, one­ly spoyled in the translation, who was that, said his Majesty? It was replyed, It was your Father King Iames: His Majesty said, If it were good in it selfe, that did not make it il: the King hath since made offer of a limited Episcopacie. And for the Militia Kings Majesty and [Page 2]the Commissioners have Enacted that it may be in the hands of the Parliament for 20. yeares, a Coppy of which Act followeth viz.

Be it Enacted by the Kings Majesty, & by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, & by the same, That the Lords and Commons in the Parliament of Eng­land affembled, shall during the space of twenty yeares, from the [...] Arme, Train, and D [...]cipline, or cause to bee Armed, Trained, and Disciplined, all the Forces of this kingdoms of England and Irrland, and Domini­on of Wales the Isles of Gurnsey, & Jersey, and the Town of Barwick upon Tweed, already raised both for Sea and Land service, & shall from time to time, during the said space of twenty years Ralse, Leavy, Arme, Train, and Discipline, or caused to be raised, levyed, armed, trained, and diciplined any other forces for Land or Sea service, in the Kingdoms, Dominions, and places aforesaid, as in their iudgments they shall from time to time, during the said spcce of twenty years think fit, and appoint: and that neither the King his Heirs or Suceesiors, nor any o­ther, but such as shall act by the Authority or approba­tion of the said Lords and Commons, shall during the said space of twenty yeares, exercise any of the power aforesaid.

And that monies be raised and leavied for the main­tenance & use of the said forces for land service, and of the Navy and Forces for sea-service, in such sort & by such wayes and meanes as the said Lords & Commons shall from time to time during the said space of 20 years think fit and appoint & not otherwise. That all the said Forces both for Land and Sea service, so raised or leavi­ed or to be raised or leavied, & also the Admiralty and Navy, shall from time to time during the said space of 20 yeares, be imployed, managed, ordered and disposed [Page 3]by the said Lords and Commons in such sort, & by such waies and means as they shall think fit, & appoint, And the said Lords & Commons during the said space of 20 yeares shall power. 1 To suppress all forces rai­fed, without authority and concent of the said Lords & Commons, to the disturbance of the publique peace of the Kingdomes of England and Ireland, and Dominion of Wales, &c. 2 To suppresse any forraign Forces who shall invade, or indeavour to invade the Kingdoms of England and Ireldnd. Dominion of Wales, &c. 3. To conjoyn such forces of he Kingdom of England, as the said Lords & Commons shall from time to time during the said space of 20. years, judge fit and necessarie: To re­sist all forrain invasions, and to suppresse any forces, ra­sed or to be raised against, or within the Kingdom to the disturbance of the publike peace of the Kingdom, by a­ny authority under the great Seale, or other Warrant whatsoever without consent of the said Lords and Com­mons of the Parl. of England, And that after the expira­tion of the said 20. years, neither the King, his Heirs or Suceessors, or any person or persons, by colour or pre­tence of any Commission power deputa [...]n of authori­ty to be derived from the King, his Hei [...] or Su [...]essors, or any of them shall raise, arme, train, dis [...]e employ, order, mannage, disband, or dispose any [...] forces by Sea, or Land, of the kingdoms of England and Ireland, the Dominion of Wales, &c. Nor exercise any of the said powers or authorities in the precedent Articles mencioned and expressed to be during the said space of 20. years in the said Lords and Commons; Nor do any Act or thing concerning the execution of the said pow­ers, or authorities, or any of them without the consent of the said Lords and Commons first had, and obtained.

That after the expiration of the said 20 yeares, in all cases wherein the Lords and Commons shall declare the safety of this Kingdom to be concerned, and shall there­upon passe to any Bill or Bills for the raising, Arming, training, disciplining, imploying, mannaging, ordering or disposing of the forces by Sea or land, and the King­doms of England and Ireland the Dominion of Wales &c. or concerning the Admiralty and Navy, or concerning the levying of monies for the raysing, maintenance, use, of the said forces for Land service, or for the Navy, and forces for sea service, or for any part of them.

And if that the Royall assent to such Bill or bills shall not be given in the House of Peers, within such time af­ter the passing thereof by both Houses of Parl. as the said Houses shall judge fit and convenient.

That then such Bill or Bills so passed, by the said Lords and Commons as aforesaid, and to which the Royall assent shall not be given as is herein before ex­pressed, shall neverthelesse after declaration of the said Lords and Commons made in that behalf, have the for­ce and strength of an Act or Acts of Parl.: And shall be as valid to all intents and purposes, as if his Royall assent had ben given thereunto.

Provided, that nothing herein before contained shall extend to the taking away of the ordinary Legall power or Sheriffs, Justices of peace, Mayors, Bayliffs, Coroners Constables, Headborows or other officers of justice, not being Miliiary Officers, concerning the administration of justice so as neither the said Sheriffs, Justices of peace Mayors, &c. nor any of them do leavy, conduct, imploy or Command any forces whatsoever, by collonr or pre­tence of any Commission of Array, or extraordinary [Page 5]command from his Majesty, His Heirs or Successors, without the consent of the said Lords & Commons.

And if any persons shall be gathered and assembled togeather in warlike manner, or otherwise ro the num­ber of thirty persons and shall forthwith disband them­selves being required thereto by the said Lords and Commons, or any of them, especially authorized for that purpose.

Then such person or persons not so disbanding them­selves, shall be guilty & incurr the paines of high Trea­son, being first Declared guilty of such offence, by the said Lords and Commons; Any Commission under the Great Seale or other Warrant to the contrary notwith­standing.

And he, or they that shall offend herein to bee unca­pable of any pardon from His Majesty, His Majesty his Heires or Successors, and their Estates shell be dispo­sed as the said Lords and Commons shall think fit and no otherwise.

Provided that the City of London, shall have and in­joy all their Rights, Liberties and Franchises, Customs and usages in the raysing, and imploying the forces of that City, for the defence thereof in as full and ample manner, to all intents and purposes, as they have or might have vsed or injoyed the same at any time before the making of this Act.

Sir, The Treaty goes on very succesfully, and this great busines of the Militia being agreed on, it is hoped that his Majesty will erre long give his Royall Assent to the rest, that we may all have cause to blesse God for a happy conclusion.