XLVI. To the Lords, Gentlemen, and Committee of the Scotch Parliament, together with the Officers of the Army.
CARISBROOK, July 31. MDCXLVIII.
My Lords and Gentlemen,
IT is no small comfort to Me, that My Native Country hath so true a sense of My pre∣sent condition, as I find expressed by your Letter of the eighth of this Month, and your Declaration, both which I received upon Friday last. And the very same reason which makes you discreetly and generously at this time forbear to press any thing to Me, hinders Me likewise to make any particular professions unto you, lest it may be imagined that de∣sire of Liberty should now be the only Secretary to My thoughts. Yet thus much I cannot but say, that as in all humane reason nothing but a free Personal Treaty with me can set∣tle the unhappy distractions of these distressed Kingdoms; so, if that could once be had, I would not doubt but that (by the grace of God) a happy Peace would soon follow: Such force (I believe) true reason has in the hearts of all men, when it may be clearly and calmly heard; and I am not ashamed at all times to profess that it hath, and shall be alwaies want of Understanding, not of will, if I do not yield to reason, whensoever and from whomsoever I hear it: and it were a strange thing, if reason should be less esteemed because it comes from Me; which (truly) I do not expect from you, your Declaration seeming to Me (and I hope your Actions will prove that I am not deceived) to be so well grounded upon Ho∣nour and Justice, that albeit, by way of opinion, I cannot give a Placet to every Clause in it, yet I am confident upon a calm and friendly debate we shall very well agree.
To conclude, I cannot (for the present) better shew My thankfulness to you for the ge∣nerous and loyal expressions of your Affections to Me, than by giving you My honest and sincere advice; which is, really and constantly, without seeking private ends, to pursue the publick professions in your Declaration, as sincere Christians and good Subjects ought to do, always remembring, that as the best foundation of Loyalty is Christianity, so true Christianity teaches perfect Loyalty; for without this reciprocation neither is truly what