A SPEECH Spoken by the Kings most Excellent MAIESTY.
At a Generall Councell held at Oxford December 29. 1642.

Wee in Our ten­der care of the Generall good, have thought it necessary to declare unto you the truth of Our present estate and condition, which I beleeve will ap­peare very deplorable to you, and all other Our loving and loyall Subjects.

The great summe [...] which Wee have received from every one of you, (Wee willingly and gratefully acknowledge) [Page] toward the maintainance of these warres, in which you are joyntly in­gaged with us, for the maintaining our Regall and Royall Prerogative, and the support of the true Protestant Re­ligion Professed by Queene Elizabeth and maintained by our Royall father under whose government this King­dome injoyed so many yeares of Peace and plenty.

But having by your assistance gone thus farr, and brought this glorious structure to the height and view of forraine Princes, who with Avaritious longings wait to see the end of our proceedings, let us not now for want of your assistance let fall the worke, and make our selves a scorne and by-word to all Nations.

Therefore in these two heads con­sists the crowne of all our actions.

Either you must advance some pre­sent monies, whereby our Army may be maintained and kept from muti­ning [Page] till such time as we shall gaine power to enlarge our quarters, and by that meanes, our men be inabled to supply their wants, or on the contra­ry to endeavour to gaine an honour­able accommodation of peace, before our exigences are discovered or made knowne to the adverse party.

For common reason tells us that our excursions being stopt and our dra­gooners so farre impoverished, it will be a meanes to increase mutines, which mutines will easily be discove­red and the enemy take advantage of them, and should they find so faire an oppertunity they would not easily be wonne to an accommodation, ex­cept it were very advantagious on their party, and very preiudicicall to us.

So that now consider whether you thinke your selves able to maintaine the cause which you have undertooke or imbrace an accommodation as is proffered

[Page] For since We cannot performe with Honour what Wee have undertaken, let your present moderation, cure the malladie your former rashnes hath made, let us not proceed, but with all possible expedition, endeavour to ob­tain [...] an Honourable accommodation.

VVe your most Loyall Subjects have seriously weighed the tennour and extent of your Majesties desires and in Answer to your Majesties Pro­positions, we have thought it requi­site to returne this Answer.

1. For your Majesties Proposition that wee should raise a present summe of money, to defray the charge of the [Page] Army, tis not unknowne to your Ma­jesty, with what willingnesse and al­lacrity we have exhausted our Treasure to the ruine of our present Estates, ha­ving disbursed all the Coyne that wee could rayse upon our Lands or cre­dits, tis not unknowne likewise, that since the begining of these VVarres between your Majesty and your Par­liament, we have received no Rents, our Tennants being injoyned the con­trary, by which meanes we are so ne­cessitated, that we have hardly meanes to defray our present necessities, and being so, how farre unable we are to raise such a considerable summe, your Majesty may easily conceive.

2. As touching an Honourable Ac­commodation, so it might be procu­red with Honour to your Majesty, and security to us your Majesties Servants, J verily believe that no true Subject but would willingly and joyfully im­brace it; but on the contrary, if a [Page] Peace cannot be obtained, without the exposall of our lives to the censure of the Law, (as Delinquents) for our Loyalty to your Majesty, we hope your Majesty will not condiscend to, and we would rather hazard our lives to the last minute, and dye with Honour, then submit our lives and honours to the censure of the Law, and at so deare a rate as the losse of both, purchase a brand of dishonour to our Posterities forever.

This we leave to your Majesties Royall consideration, promising to be assistant to your Royall Majesty, to the hazard of our lives, so farre as our Honours will permit, either in Peace or VVarre, according as your Majesty in your Royall wisdome shall thinke fit.