XXVIII. To the QUEEN.
OXFORD, Mar. 5. MDCXLIV. V.
Dear Heart,
NOW is come to pass what I foresaw, the fruitless end (as to a present Peace of this Treaty; but I am still confident that I shall find very good effects of it: For besides that My Commissioners have offered, to say no more, full-measured reason, and the Rebels have stucken rigidly their demands, which I dare say had been too much, though they had taken Me Prisoner, so that assuredly the breach will light foully upon them; We have like∣wise at this time discovered, and shall make it evidently appear to the world, that the En∣glish Rebels (whether basely or ignorantly will be no very great difference) have, as much as in them lies, transmitted the Command of Ireland from the Crown of England to the Scots, which (besides the reflection it will have upon these Rebels) will clearly shew, that Reformation of the Church is not the chief, much less the only end of the Scotch Rebellion.
But it being presumption, and no piety, so to trust to a good Cause, as not to use all law∣ful means to maintain it, I have thought of one means more to furnish Thee with for My assistance than hitherto Thou hast had. It is, that I give Thee power to promise in My Name (to whom thou thinkest most fit) that I will take away all the Penal Laws against the Roman Catholicks in England, as soon as God shall make Me able to do it; so as by their means, or in their favours, I may have so powerful assistance as may deserve so great a favour, and enable Me to do it. But if Thou ask what I call that assistance, I answer, that when Thou knowest what may be done for it, it will be easily seen if it deserve to be so esteemed. I need not tell Thee what secrecy this business requires; yet this I will say, that this is the greatest point of confidence I can express to Thee: for it is no thanks to Me to trust Thee in any thing else but in this, which is the only thing of difference in opinion betwixt Us. And yet I know Thou wilt make as good a bargain for Me, even in this; I trusting thee (though it concern Religion) as if Thou wert a Protestant, the visi∣ble good of My Affairs so much depending on it.
I have so fully instructed this Bearer Pooly, that I will not say more to Thee now, but that herewith I send Thee a new Cypher, assuring Thee that none hath or shall have any Copy of it but My self, to the end Thou mayest use it when Thou shalt find fit to write any thing which Thou wilt judge worthy of Thy pains to put in Cypher, and to be decy∣phered by none but Me; and so likewise from Him to Thee, who is eternally Thine.