IV. To the Lords and Commons, at WHITE-HALL, Mar. 29. MDCXXVI.
MY Lords and Gentlemen, I have called you hither to day, I mean both Houses of Parliament; but it is for several and distinct reasons.
My Lords, you of the Upper House, to give you thanks for your Care of the state of the Kingdom now; and not only for the care of your own Proceedings, but for inciting your Fellow-House of the Commons to take that into their consideration. Therefore, My Lords, I must not only give you thanks, but I must also avow, that if this Parliament do not redound to the good of this Kingdom, which I pray God it may, it is not your faults.
And you, Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I am sorry that I may not justly give the same thanks to you; but I must tell you, that I am come here to shew you your Er∣rors, and, as I may call it, Unparliamentary Proceedings in this Parliament. But I do not despair, because you shall see your faults so clearly by the Lord Keeper, that you may so amend your Proceeding, that this Parliament shall end comfortably and happily, though at the beginning it hath had some rubs.
After the Lord Keeper had declared His MAJESTY's pleasure to them, Himself added,
I must withal put you in mind a little of times past. You may remember that in the time of My Blessed Father you did with your Counsel and perswasion prevail with My Father and Me to break off the Treaties. I confess I was your Instrument for two Rea∣sons: One was, the fitness of the time; the other, because I was seconded by so great and worthy a Body as the whole Body of Parliament. Then there was no body in so great fa∣vour with you as this man whom you seem now to touch, but indeed, My Father's Go∣vernment and Mine. Now that you have all things according to your wishes, and that I am so far ingaged that you think there is no retreat, now you begin to set the Dice, and make your own Game. But I pray you be not deceived; it is not a Parliamentary way, nor is it a way to deal with a King.
Master Coke told you, It was better to dye by a foreign Enemy than to be destroyed at home. Indeed I think it is more Honour for a King to be invaded and almost destroyed by a fo∣reign Enemy, than to be despised by His Own Subjects.
Remember that Parliaments are altogether in My Power for their Calling, Sitting, and Dissolution; therefore as I find the fruits of them good or evil, they are to continue, or not to be. And remember that if in this time instead of mending your Errors, by delay you persist in your Errors, you make them greater and irreconcileable: whereas, on the other side, if you do go on chearfully to mend them, and look to the distressed state of Christen∣dom, and the Affairs of the Kingdom as it lyeth now by this great Engagement, you will do your selves honour, you shall incourage Me to go on with Parliaments, and I hope all Christendom shall feel the good of it.