XXX. To the Lords and Commons, at His passing the Bill of Tonnage and Poundage, Jun. 22. MDCXLI.
I Do very willingly accept your offer made at this time as a testimony of your Love and beginning of your dutiful affections to Me; and I no waies doubt but that you will perform that which you have intimated unto Me, and that in due time you will perform the rest, when you have leisure.
I do not doubt likewise, but that in passing this Bill you will see a testimony of the trust and confidence I have in your affections; as also that I omit no occasion whereby I may shew that affection to My People that I desire My People would shew to Me: as in this Parliament hitherto, no body can say but that I have sought occasions both to shew My affections unto them, and to remove disputes.
And therefore in this particular Bill I hope you will know, that I do freely and frank∣ly give over the Right that My Predecessors have ever challenged unto Them, though, I confess, disputed, but yet they did never yield in Their times. Therefore you will un∣derstand this but a mark of My confidence, to put My self wholly upon the love and af∣fection of My People for My Subsistence. And therefore I hope that in prosecution of this you will go on as you have said; and that though you have rumours of jealousies and suspitions, by flying and idle discourses that have come to My ears, concerning the extraordinary way, I confess I never understood it otherwise than as having relation to the Scotish Army and preventing insurrection, which vanished as soon as they were born.
And therefore now you see My clearness, I leave that to you, and will not meddle with it one way or other; for I never had other design, but to win the affections of My Peo∣ple by My Justice in My Government.