His Majesties LETTER TO The Lord Generall Fairfax, and Lieutenant General Cromwell, communicating his Resolution and Desires touching the Treaty.
DIvisions in the Church, cause distractions in the State, and the seven yeers separation between the Head and the Body, causeth the rest of the members to endeavour a uniting, a personall Treaty being conceived the only means for obtaining thereof, and putting a finall end and period to all the unhappy differences throughout [...]e three Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland: In consideration whereof, His Majesty desires that all obstructions may be removed, that may [Page 2]retard so blessed a work, promising to leave no means unattempted, for the setling of a firm and lasting peace throughout his Realms and Dominions; and the better to satisfie his two Houses of Parliament, he hath been graciously pleased to passe the Bill for recalling all his Decclarations and Proclamations, published against either or both Houses of Parliament; as also, the Bill for confirming the Militia in the power of Parliament for 20. yeers; promising upon his Royall word to enact the same, and all other Bills or Propositions whatsoever, that shall be agreed upon by his Majesty, and the Commissioners of both Houses of Parliament, &c.
And it is reported at Court, that the King hath sent a Letter to the Lord Gen. Fairfax, and Lieut. Generall Cromwell, viz.
Desiring them to use all means possible for the propagating of this present Treaty, and to indeavour the setling of a firm and lasting peace throughout his bleeding and distracted Kingdoms; that so all his liege people of what sect or sort soever, may no longer feel the cruelty and oppression of a most bloudy and intestine war, but (after a seven years Pilgrimage in desolation and confusion) for the future, enjoy a true and everlasting peace.
And truly, I am confident, that no man desires peace more then his Majesty, but yet scruples at the Directory, and argueth stifly for Episcopacy; as appears by his ensuing answer to the Proposition touching the Church of England, as followeth.
1 As to the Exceptions that his Maj. said nothing to the consenting to a Bill for the abolishing of Arch-bishops, &c, nor that the Ordinance for abolishing them [Page 3]be confirmed by Act of Parl. the Form of Church government and Directory for worship which you presented to him, and thereby hath established the actuall possession, and publike exercise of these Forms, & hath suspended the present Government and Form of worship established by law, but desired a cōsultation with Divines in the mean time for a future settlement, as in that paper is expressed: His Maj. therefore declares, that the reason why he did not answer to that part of your Proposition, was, because he was not satisfied in his conscience; H [...] can be content to the utter abolishing of Episcopacy; the substance whereof hee conceives to consist in the power of Ordination and Jurisdictiō, as they were exercised by the Apostles them selves, and others, by authority derived from them, superior to Presbyters & Deacōs in the primitive times: but because he acknowledgeth that Bishops were to have councel and assistance of Presbyters in Ordination and Jurisdiction, and in the last were, and are limited by the Civill power, his Maj. desired the consutation with the Divines, to the end that he and his two Houses might determine in what manner Ordination and Jurisdiction might be moderated and regulated for the future government of the Church, His Majesties Resolution being to comply with his two houses for the alteration and regulating of his present Hierarchy and Government, so as Episcopacy reduced to the Primitive usage may be setled and continued in this Church: and therefore his Maj. heartily desires their concurrence in the one, that he may with more freedom give his assent to the other.
2 As to the Exception, that his Maj. hath not expressed [Page 4]his consent for setling of Bishops Lands upon trustees, and for the sale of those lands, its true, he hath not to alienate the Inheritance of those lands, and herein he believes he hath concurrent opinions of many Divines, that in other points differ much among themselves, but his former answer containing a large offer of sa [...]sfaction to al those that have purchased, or disbursed monies upon those lands, he hopes that answer, to which he now refers, will be satisfactory to his two houses.
3 His Maj. will confirm the publike use of the D [...]rectory in all Churches and Chappels, and will consent to the repeal of so much of all statutes, as only concerns the Book of Common prayer, and also to the taking the same away out of all Churches and Chapels; provided that the use thereof may be continued in his Maj. Chappell, for himself and his Houshold.
4 And whereas you desire to know whither his Maj. by saying in his paper of the 13 of Sep. that he wil give his Royal assent to an act for the better observation of the Lords day, intends the confirming the Ordinance presented unto him, his Maj. thereunto answers, that the Bill for suppressing of innovations, to which you desire his concurrence, which he is willing to give, contains in it full provision of the due observation of the Lords Day, and if that be not thought sufficient his Maj. will consent to passe an Act to confirm the matter of the Ordinance for so much as concernes the Observatio [...] of that day.
5 His Maj. conceived he had given a full Answer to your desire, that there might be a stricter course taken to prevent the saying or hearing of Masse in the court, or any other place of this Kingdom, or Kingdom of [Page 5] Ireland: It is well known of what profession his Royall Consort is, and what provision is made by the two Crowns in the Articles of Marriage for her exercise thereof. But what ever particulars shall be proposed to him for restraining it to the places aforesaid, and limiting it to her Maiesty and her own Family, wherein are but very few English and not many French of her profession, his Maiesty never did, nor will deny his consent thereunto.
And lastly, concerning the Covenant, and the Ordinance concerning the same, his Majesties Answer being, That He was not yet satisfied to take it, or impose it on others, He conceives his two Houses will not insist upon it at this time; and the rather, because the ends therof will be obtained by the Agreement, if happily concluded, which God grant.
These Proposals were delivered to the Parliaments Commissioners on Munday last, in the Treaty Chamber, by His Majesty, and ‘Subscribed CHARLES REX.’
Since the reception of these Proposals the King and the Comissioners have debated the Bill of Ireland, which hath been the main businesse insisted on for these four dayes; as for other particulars I shall reser you to the inclosed, and remain
ON Wednesda [...] last, the King and the Commissioners met in the Treaty Chamber about 8 of the clock in the morning, and had much dispute upon the paper concerning Ireland, and it is conceived, will make a speedy conclusion thereupon; After which, the Bill of Church government is to be tendered again to his Majesty, and this day upon a motion to the King, touching the same, the Bishop of London rose up at the Councell Table, and made a very learned Speech to the King, and the Commissioners on both sides▪ touching the Discipline of the Church of England, in relation to Presbyters and Elders; and after a Conference between the Clergy, the treaty was adjourned till Munday.
Newport 14. Octo. 1648.