My Lord,

YEſterday in the Evening we preſented the Propoſitions to the King, according to our Inſtructions.

His Majeſty ſaid, that he would give us His Anſwer as ſoone as he could.

And whereas onely three of us are required to returne with it, our humble ſuite is, That having waited upon this ſervice ſo much longer then we expected:

Now (at length) we may be permitted, all of us to return with his Majeſties Anſwer, and be diſcharged of this imployment, which ſhall be acknowledged as a great favour, by

Your Lordſhips moſt humble ſervant, Pembrook & Montgomery, &c. Hampton Court the 8 of Septem. 1647. For the Right Honourable the Earle of Mancheſter, Speaker of the Houſe of Peeres pro tempore.

Charles Rex.

AS the daily expectation of the comming of the Propoſitions hath made his Majeſtie this long time to forbeare giving his anſwer unto them, ſo the appearance of their ſending being no more for any thing he can heare, then it was at the firſt comming hither notwithſtanding that the Earle of Louderdale hath beene at London above theſe ten dayes, (whoſe not comming was ſaid to be the only ſtop) hath cauſed his Majeſty thus to anticipate their comming to him, and yet conſidering his Condition, that his Servants are denied acceſſe to him, all but very few, and thoſe by appointment not his owne Election, and that it is declared a crime for any but the Commiſſioners, or ſuch who are particularly permitted by them, to converſe with his Majeſty, or that any Letters ſhould be given to, or received from him, may he not truly ſay, that he is not in caſe fit to make Conceſſions, or give Anſwers, ſince he is not maſter of thoſe ordinary Actions which are undoubted Rights of any free borne man, how meane his birth be? And certainly, hee would ſtill be ſilent as to this ſubject, untill his Condition were much mended, did he not preferre ſuch a right underſtanding betwixt him and his Parliaments of both Kingdomes, which may make a firme and laſting Peace in all His Dominions, before any particular of his owne or any earthly bleſſing: and therefore. His Majeſty hath diligently imployed his utmoſt endeavours for divers months paſt, ſo to informe His Underſtanding, and ſatisfie his Conſcience, that he might bee able to give ſuch Anſwers to the Propoſitions, as would be moſt agreeable to His Parliaments but He ingenuouſly profeſſes, that notwithſtanding all the paines that He hath taken therein, the nature of ſome of them appeares ſuch unto him, that without diſclaiming that Reaſon which God hath given him to judge by for the good of Him and His People, and without putting the greateſt violence upon His owne Conſcience, Hee cannot give His conſent to all of them. Yet His Maieſty (that it may appeare to all the World how deſirous He is to give full ſatisfaction) hath thought fit hereby to expreſſe His readineſſe to grant what He may, and His willingneſſe to receive from them, and that perſonally if His two Houſes at Weſtminſter ſhall approve thereof, ſuch further information in the reſt as may beſt convince his judgement, and ſatisfie thoſe doubts which are not yet cleare unto him, deſiring them alſo to conſider that if His Majeſty intended to winde himſelfe out of theſe troubles by indirect meanes, were it not caſie for him now readily to conſent to what hath on ſhall bee propoſed unto him, and afterwards chuſe his time to breake all, alledging, that forc'e conceſſions are not to be kept ſurely he might, and not incurre a hard cenſure from ſome indifferent men. But maximes in this kinde are not the guides of His Maieſties actions, for he freely and cleerly avows, that he holds it unlawfull for any man, and moſt baſe in a King to recede from his promiſes for having been obtained by force or uncler reſtraint; wherefore His Majeſty not only rejecting thoſe acts which he eſteemes unworthy of him, but even paſſing by that which he might well inſiſt upon a point of honour, in reſpect of his preſent condition, thus anſwers the firſt Propoſition. That upon His Majeſties comming to London, he will heartily joyne in all that ſhall concerne the honour of his two Kingdomes or the Aſſembly of the States of Scotland, or of the Commiſſioners or Deput • es of either Kingdome, particularly in thoſe things which are deſired in that Propoſition, upon confidence that all of them reſpectively with the ſame tenderneſſe will looke upon thoſe things which concern his Majeſties Honour.

In anſwer to all the Propoſitions concerning Religion, His Majeſtie propoſeth, that he will confirme the Presbyteriall Government, the Aſſembly of Divines at Weſtminſter, and the Directory, for three yeares, being the time ſet downe by the two Houſes, ſo that his Majeſty and His Houſhold be not hindred from that forme of Gods Service which they formerly have; And alſo, that a free conſultation and debate be had with the Divines at Weſtminſter (twenty of His Majeſties nomination being added unto them) whereby it may be determined by His Majeſty and the two Houſes, how the Church ſhall be governed after the ſaid three yeares or ſooner, if differences may bee agreed. Touching the Covenant, His Majeſty is not yet therein ſatisfied, and deſires to reſpite his particular anſwer thereunto untill His comming to London, becauſe it being a matter of conſcience he cannot give a reſolution therein till he may be aſſiſted with the advice of ſome of His owne Chaplains (which hath hitherto bin denied Him) and ſuch other Divines as ſhall bee moſt proper to informe Him therein; and then He will make clearely appear both His zeale to the Proteſtant profeſſion, and the Union of theſe two Kingdomes, which he conceives to be the main drift of this Covenant. To the 7th and 8th Propoſitions, His Majeſty will conſent. To the 9th His Majeſty doubts not but to give good ſatisfaction when he ſhall be particularly informed how the ſaid pen • lties ſhall be levied and diſpoſed of. To the 10th His Majeſties anſwer is, That h • e hath beene alwayes ready to prevent the practices of Papiſts, and therefore is content to p • ſſe an Act of Parliament for that purpoſe; And alſo, that the Laws againſt them be duly executed. His Majeſtie will give His conſent to the Act for the due obſervation of the Lords Day, for the ſuppreſſing of Innovations, and thoſe concerning the Preaching of Gods Word, and touching Non-Reſidence and Pluralities, and His Majeſtie will yeeld to ſuch Act or Acts as ſhall be requiſite to raiſe monies for the payment and ſatisfying all publique Debts expecting alſo that his Will be therein included. As to the Propoſition touching the Militia, though his Majeſty cannot conſent unto it in terminis as it is propoſed, becauſe thereby he conceives, hee wholly parts with the power of the Sword entruſted to him by God and the Lawes of the Land, for the protection and government of his people, thereby at once deveſting himſelfe, and diſ-inheriting his Poſterity of that right and Prerogative of the Crowne which is abſolutely neceſſary to the Kingly Office, and ſo weaken Monarchy in this Kingdome, that little more the the name & ſhadow of it wil remaine: yet if it be only ſecurity for the preſervation of the Peace of this Kingdome, after the unhappy troubles, and the due performance of all the agreements which are now to be concluded, which is deſired (which his Majeſty alwayes underſtood to be the caſe, and hopes that herein he is not miſtaken) his Majeſty will give aboundant ſatiſfaction, to which end he is willing by Act of Parliament, That the whole power of the Militia, both by Sea and Land for the ſpace of ten years be in the hands of ſuch perſons as the two Houſes ſhall nominate, giving them power during the ſaid terme to change the ſaid perſons, and ſubſtitute others in their places at pleaſure, and afterwards to returne to the proper Channel againe, as it was in the times of Queene Elizabeth and King James of bleſſed memory. And now his Majeſty conjures his two Houſes of Parliament, as they are Engliſh-men and lovers of Peace, by the duty they owe to his Majeſty their King, and by the bowells of compaſſion they have to their fellow Subjects that they will accept of this his Majeſties offer, whereby the joyfull newes of Peace may be reſtored to this languiſhing Kingdome, His Majeſty will grant the like to the Kingdom of Scotland if it be deſired, and agree to al things that are propounded touching the concerving of peace betwixt the two Kingdomes.

Touching Ireland (other things being agreed) His Majeſty will give ſatiſfaction therein. As to the mutu • ll Declarations propoſed to be eſtabliſhed • n both Kingdomes by Act of Parliament, And the Modifications, Qualifications, and Branches which follow in the Propoſitions, His Majeſtie onely profeſſes, that He doth not ſufficiently underſtand, nor is able to reconcile many things contained in them; but this He well knoweth, That a generall Act of Oblivion is the beſt Bond of Peace; and that after inteſtine Troubles, the wiſdome of this and other Kingdomes hath uſually and happily in all ages granted generall Pardons, whereby the numerous diſcontentments of many Perſons and Families otherwiſe expoſed to ruine, might not become fewell to new diſorders, or feeds to future troubles. His Majeſty therfore, deſirs that his two Houſes of Parliament would ſeriouſly deſcend into theſe conſiderations, and likewiſe tenderly looke upon His Condition herein, and the perpetuall diſhonour that muſt cleave to Him, if Hee ſhall abandon ſo many perſons of Condition and Fortune that have ingaged themſelves with, and for Him, out of a ſenſe of Duty, and propounds as a very acceptable teſtimony of their affection to Him, That a generall Act of Oblivion and free pardon be forthwith paſſed by Act of Parliament. Touching the new Great Seale, His Majeſty is very willing to confirme both it and all the Acts done by vertue there of untill this preſent time, ſo that it be not thereby preſſed to make voyd thoſe Acts of His done by vertue of His Great Seale, which in honour and juſtice He is obliged to maintaine; And that the future Government thereof may be in His Majeſty, according to the due courſe of Law. Concerning the Officers mentioned in the 19. Article, His Majeſty when He ſhall come to Weſtminſter will gratifie His Parliament all that poſſibly He may, without deſtroying the alterations which are neceſſary for the Crown. His Majeſty will willingly conſent to the Act for the confirmation of the Priviledges and Cuſtomes of the City of London, and • ll that is mentioned in the Propoſitions for their particular advantage. And now that his Majeſty hath thus farre undeavoured to comply with the deſires of His two Houſes of Parliament, to the end that this agreement may be firme and laſting, with out the leaſt face or queſtion of reſtraint to blemiſh the ſame, His Maieſty earneſtly deſires preſently to bee admitted to his Parliament at Weſtminſter, with that Honour which is due to their Soveraigne, there ſolemnly to confirme the ſame, and legally to paſſe the Acts before mentioned, and to give and receive as well ſatisfaction in all the remaining particulars, as likewiſe ſuch other pledges of mutuall love, • ruſt, and confidence as ſhall moſt concerne the good of Him, and His people; upon which happy agreement, His Majeſty will diſpatch His Directions to the Prince His Son, to returne immediately to Him, and will undertake for His ready obedience thereunto.

Holdenby May 12. 1647. For the Speaker of the Lords Houſe (pro tempore) to be communicated to the Lords and Commons in the Parliament of England at Weſtminſter, and the Commiſsioners of the Parliament of Scotland

A Letter from a Gentleman from Hampton Court SIR,

THe Commiſſioners from both kingdomes delivered the Propoſitions to the King yeſternight; There were here with hi • Majeſty to preſent them, The Earle of Pembrook, the Lord Mountague, Sir James Harrington, Sir John Cooke, Sir John Holland, Major Generall Browne, Commiſſioners from both Houſes of the Parliament of England, And the Earle of Loutherdale, and three other Commiſſioners, from the kingdome of Scotland. Here were then with his Majeſty the Duke of York, and the Duke of Gloceſter, his Children.

His Majeſty haſtens to returne Anſwer, I perceive that the Propoſitions are little altered (onely in circumſtances chiefly) from thoſe which were ſent to his Majeſty at Newcaſtle, which, were anſwered from Holdenbey, wherein you may perceive what was then complained of, concerning ſtraitneſſe and other things, which is ſince more ſatisfactory.

I doe not perceive by any thing that hath been ſpoken or done, that there is more approbation then before; you remember (I ſuppoſe) the particulars then tendered to both Houſes by his Majeſties Meſſage of May 12. Since which ſome overtures have been between Agents from his Majeſty and the Army; concerning divers things in reference to the kingdome, and I hope there will be a good iſſue.

His Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, hath both declared, and alſo propounded ſome things (in his Declarations and Propoſalls) publiſhed concerning his Majeſty, and alſo concerning divers things not much different from the Propoſitions delivered to his Majeſty now.

And the whole are matters of great importance: which will take up time to be fully finiſhed: But there will be no delay.

Dated at Hampton Court the 8. of Septemb. 1647,