XIII. To the Lords and Commons at the Prorogation of His Third Parliament, June 26. MDCXXVIII.
MY Lords and Gentlemen, It may seem strange that I come so suddenly to end this Session; therefore before I give My Assent to the Bills, I will tell you the cause; though I must avow, I ow an account of My Actions to none but God alone.
It is known to every one, that a while ago the House of Commons gave Me a Remon∣strance, how acceptable every man may judge; and for the merit of it I will not call that in question, for I am sure no wise man can justifie it.
Now since I am certainly informed that a second Remonstrance is preparing for Me, to take away My profit of Tonnage and Poundage, (one of the chief Maintenances of the Crown) by alledging, that I have given away My Right thereof by My Answer to your Petition: This is so prejudicial unto Me, that I am forced to end this Session some few hours before I meant it; being not willing to receive any more Remonstrances, to which I must give a harsh Answer.
And since I see that even the House of Commons begins already to make false constru∣ctions of what I granted in your Petition, lest it be worse interpreted in the Countrey, I will now make a Declaration concerning the true intent thereof.
The Profession of both Houses in the time of hammering this Petition was, no waies to trench upon My Prerogative, saying, they had neither intention, nor power to hurt it.
Therefore it must needs be conceived that I have granted no New, but only confirmed the Antient Liberties of My Subjects.
Yet to shew the clearness of My intentions, that I neither repent nor mean to recede from any thing I have promised you, I do here declare that those things which have been done, whereby men had some cause to suspect the Liberty of the Subject to be intrench'd upon (which indeed was the first and true ground of the Petition) shall not hereafter be drawn into example to your prejudice: and in time to come, in the word of a King, you shall not have the like cause to complain.
But as for Tonnage and Poundage, it is a thing I cannot want, and was never intended by you to ask, never meant (I am sure) by Me to grant.
To conclude, I command you all that are here to take notice of what I have spoken at this time, to be the true intent and meaning of what I granted you in your Petition: but especially you, My Lords the Judges; for to you only, under Me, belongs the inter∣pretation of the Laws: For none of the Houses of Parliament, joynt or separate, (what new Doctrine soever may be raised) have any power either to make or declare a Law, without My Consent.