I Have Appointed this Meeting of the Par­liament, assoon as ever the Affairs abroad would admit of My Return into Eng­land, that you might have the more time to Consider of the Best and most Effectual Ways and Means for the carrying on of the War against France this next Year.

I am willing to hope, that the good Success, with which it hath pleased God to bless My Arms in Ireland this Summer, will not only be agreat Encourage­ment to you to proceed the more chearfully in this Work, but will be lookt upon by you as an Earnest of future Successes, Which your timely Assistance to Me, may, by Gods blessing, procure to Ʋs all. And as I do not doubt, but you will take care to Pay the Ar­rears of that Army, which hath been so Deserving, and so Prosperous in the Reducement of Ireland to a peaceable Condition; So I do assure you, there shall [Page 4] no Care be wanting on my Part, to keep that Kingdom as far as it is possible, from being burdensome to England for the future.

My Lords and Gentlemen,
I do not doubt, but you are all sensible, that it will be necessary, We should have a strong Fleet next Year, and as early at Sea as We had this Summer. And I must tell you, That the great Power of France will as necessarily require, that We should Maintain a very Considerable Army, ready upon all Occasions, not only to Defend Our Selves from any Insult, but also to Annoy the Common Enemy, where it may be most Sensible to them; And I do not see how it is pos­sible to do this, with less then Sixty five thousand Men.

I shall only add, That by the Vigour and Dispatch of your Counsels and Assistance to Me in this Session of Parliament, you have now an Opportunity in your Hands, which, if neglected, you can never reasonably hope to see again, not only to Establish the future Quiet and Prosperity of these Kingdoms, but the Peace and Security of all Europe.