IT is no new thing among so many wise men to have severall and farre different conceptions; yet none unrepugnant to reason, or dissentious from truth; as in the severall parts and dimensions of the body the limbs move severall wayes, but all to one end: so doe your affections and reso­lutions tends all of them according to their abilities im­ploying themselves to the advancement of our Cause, which were it composed, and the differences between Our Parli­ament and Our Selfe sodred up, we should then beleeve Our Selves againe absolute Monarch of this Island, and think Our Selfe as happy and fortunate as any of Our Great and Royall Progenitors. It is but a while since I declared My intentions for Peace, which surely can embrace no change, [Page 4] they are so just and advantagious to Our selfe, and profi­table and requisite for Our people, who surely have with too heavie a heart groaned too long under the insuppor­table burthen of these intestine differences, which diffuse themselves like prodigies throughout every Province of Our Dominons.

My Lord of Bristoll I must confesse an able Gentleman, and well versed in all the affaires of forraigne and do­mestique States; so that it is a hard matter for him to be deceived in any particle he undertakes to treat of in that nature; yet in this surely hee mistakes the state of the question, as it hath been related to mee: namely, that the best way for the preservation of Our honour, and to procure an universall peace through Our Dominions, is to continue the present war; the motives urging him to this, I believe is neither springing from any malice to the Parliament, or propension to the continuation of these wars, (which his wisedome knowes destructive to all Nations) but out a zeale and integrity to Us, and an over cau­tious care he hath to Our honour and safety, more then to his owne, or any of his friends in particular, though some may imagine hee would have these broyles remaine un­composed betweene Us and Our Parliament, because some of speciall neere affinity to his blood and fortunes, are by the Parliament nominated and published Delin­quents; but Wee doe excuse him of that partiality, and are assured that hee who is so perfectly studied in all mo­rall Philosophie, must needs know, no mans private in­terest or commodity must stand in competition, or be thought valuable with the publique profit, which must needs consist in a sudden and faire attonement between Us and Our Parliament: for the feares which my Lord of Bristoll hath, that it will be a ruine to his owne and other noble-mens estates and families, no man can ima­gine so unworthily of Us, as to believe that Wee will [Page 5] ever admit of a pacification that shall be the undoing of the prime of Our nobility, for their fidelity to Our person, and fulfilling Our commands. Peace, though Wee love, We will not purchase at so deare and dishonourable a rate; nor can I be perswaded, but that the Parliament having the living character of their duty imprinted in their bo­somes, and the memory of our goodnesse and lenity to­wards Our people registred in their memory, will easily be perswaded or ruled by Us, to condiscend to a faire and happy peace for both parts, without the severe mention of those conditions, which indeed cannot but startle the tempers of divers of the Nobility, and render them averse from all thought of pacification. But as We will not suffer the innocent to be given up to punishment undeservedly, so will We by no meanes patronage or protect the guilty from the justice of Our Parliament, if any be Delinquents against the knowne Lawes of the Land or the priviledge there­of: nor can Wee in Our Justice or Conscience take an example from the carriage of the Spanyard, whose too much severity hath beene the losse of the best of the se­venteene Provinces formerly, and in this age, of Catalo [...]ia and Portugall: besides, the municipall and fundamentall Lawes of that Nation ingage the Subject to that strict­nesse of obedience, with which they are very well conten­ted, because custome and continuance hath made that yoak seeme easie to them, which should it be by Us inflicted on Our Subjects of England, would be a horrid injustice, because they have alwayes had Kings who by their Par­liaments have increased and added to their Immunities and Priviledges, none that ever diminished or disanulled them; and should Wee goe about to doe it, they were blamelesse to all the world if they did complaine of Our severity and infringement of their liberties: But We shall never give cause to any, so much as to suspect Us of that tyranny; nor that We will in any wise hearken either to [Page 6] my Lord of Bristoll, or any mans counsell in that case.

But for the Earle of Dorsets opinion, concerning a sud­den Accomodation betweene Our selfe and Parliament, We must needs confesse it the centre of our desires and intentions: how is it possible my Lords, that a King can be any wayes so great and glorious, as when he is incom­passed not onely with the hands, but the hearts and soules of his Subjects? Amongst the ancient Patriarchs in the old Testament, Fathers were most renowned for the multi­tude of their sonnes; the very embleme of Kings who can never be accounted so mighty and powerfull as in the multitude of their Subjects. Blessed is the man, saith the Psalmist, speaking of fathers, who hath his quiver full of them, meaning children; the same maxime holds in Kings and Subjects, who have the same relation one to another, after a manner, that fathers have to children. Cyrus (in Zeno­phon) the King of Persia, had wont to say, his treasury and ar­mory was his people, intimating thereby, that all his strength and wealth was confined to, and couched in this good will and affections of his Subjects: So Wee would have it with Our people and Us, whose dutifull regard towards Us Wee so much sought to indeare to Us, that in this present Parliament, which hath suited so ill with Us, We did not deny the confirmation of any one Bill offered to Us for the benefit and ease of Our people, witnesse the abrogating the Star-chamber, the High Commssion Court, and others of that nature, which being for the publique good, are yet, and so shall ever rest inviolated and unrepealed.

But it is in vaine for Us to lament the distresses and distractions of this Kingdome, without Wee endeavour some serious and speedy way to redresse them, Our pi­ty onely will be accounted verball, and We meerely in show affected to the welfare of Our people. The onely path that can leade Us to the end of this journey, is a [...]dden Accommodation between Our selfe and Parliament: [Page 7] that is the meane by which We may rectifie this h [...]dra-headed distraction; the onely physique can be admini­stred to the infirme body of the Kingdome: for by con­tinuation of the warres, to believe to compose the sha­ken and impaired health of this Common-wealth, were just as a Physician should prescribe blood-letting to one sicke of a dead Pal [...]ie; no, there hath beene too much blood shed already, too much English blood; heaven here­after will, I hope, be pleased to provide that no more be shed so profusely. For Our part, if any be, it shall be full sore against Our will or desire: For We had rather descend to treat with our Parliament on any indifferent termes (unreasonable We presume they will not offer Us) then behold the continuance of these fatall civill warres, that does so lessen and extenuate Our power in the dimi­nution and decreasing of Our Subjects, whose peace, pro­sperity and plenty Wee value equall with Our owne, or that of Our naturall children. It cannot be so hard to compose these differences betwixt Us, because We have so neere and considerable a relation one to the other, the quarrell may easily be ended, if a treaty for peace were but well begun; and if Wee and Our Parliament had but once conferred together, Our reconcilement were not to be doubted, nor the settling of God true Religion (of which Wee are and be the constant defender) to be feared.

Our Royall pleasure is therefore, my Lords, that no man shall thinke he does Us a service by seeking to advise Us from such an Accommodation: For such advices hereaf­ter (but to heare mentioned) will be more ingratefull and displeasant to Us, than any counsell what ever can be ac­ceptable: your advices will then be pleasing to Us, when they unanimously concurre in the framing some way by which peace may be accomplished, without which Wee shall never see our selves free from distractions, nor Our sou [...]e from troubles. And hee shall be most esteemed of [Page 8] for his fidelity, that can give life to the meanes where­by these distractions may receive death, these disturban­ces which dwell so heavie about my heart, that till they be removed thence, it hath scarce any vigour or motion in it; this is Our resolution, and this Wee will surely put in practice in despight of all contrary counsels, which Wee presume now you know Our intentions, no man amongst you will offer directly or indirectly to impart unto Us.