Basiliká the works of King Charles the martyr : with a collection of declarations, treaties, and other papers concerning the differences betwixt His said Majesty and his two houses of Parliament : with the history of his life : as also of his tryal and martyrdome.

Instructions concerning the Cessation, received April 8. 1643.

A farther Addition of Instructions agreed upon by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, for Algernon Earl of Northumberland, William Pierrepont Esq; Sir Wil∣liam Armyne Baronet, Sir John Holland Baronet, and Bulstrode Whitelocke Esquire, Committees of both Houses of Parliament attending His Majesty at Oxon.

YOU are hereby to take notice, That the two Houses have considered His Majesty's Answer to their Reasons concerning the Cessation, wherein there are divers ex∣pressions which reflect much upon the Honour and Justice of the Houses, and might oc∣casion particular Replies; yet at this time they desire to decline all Contestation, their wishes and endeavours being earnestly bent upon the obtaining a speedy Peace: For which cause they do not think good to consume any more of that time allowed for the Treaty in any farther debates upon the Cessation; concerning which they find His Ma∣jesty's expressions so doubtful, that it cannot be suddenly or easily resolved; and the re∣mainder of the time for the whole Treaty being but seven days, if the Cessation were presently agreed, it would not yield any considerable advantage to the Kingdom. Where∣fore you shall desire His Majesty, that He will be pleased to give a speedy and positive Answer to their first Proposition concerning the Disbanding, that so the People may not have only a Shadow of Peace in a short time of Cessation, but the Substance of it, in such manner as may be a perpetual Blessing to them, by freeing the Kingdom from those mise∣rable effects of War, the effusion of English blood, and Desolation of many parts of the Land.

For the obtaining of which Happiness, the Lords and Commons have resolved to enlarge your Power, That if you shall not have fully agreed upon the two first Proposi∣tions before Friday night, you may, notwithstanding any former restraint, proceed to treat upon them according to the Instructions formerly given you, although the Articles of the Cessation are not agreed upon.

And those two first Propositions being concluded, the two Houses will thereupon give you further Instructions to proceed to the other Propositions, that so the whole Treaty may be determined within the twenty days formerly limited, to be reckoned from the 25 of March last, which can admit no alteration or enlargement without manifold Prejudice and Danger to the whole Kingdom.

Joh. Brown Cler. Parliamentorum.

The KING's Reply touching Cessation; and His desire to enable the Committee to treat upon the Propositions in the mean time; and touching His coming to the Parliament.

C. R.

IF the Committee, according to His Majesty's desire, had had but power to agree in the wording of Expressions in the Articles of Cessation, His Majesty's (which are as clear as the matter would bear, and as He could make them) had not appeared so doubtful to any, but that the Cessation might have been suddenly and speedily resolved, and that long before this time. And if the expressions of both Houses in their Reasons had not necessitated His Majesty in His own defence to give such Answers, as could not

upon those points deliver Truth without some shew of Sharpness, no Expression of that kind in His Majesty's Answer had given any pretence for the rejection of, or refu∣sing so much as to treat upon this Cessation, which (though it were at present for no long time) yet was from the day named by themselves, the 25 of March; whereas His Majesty first moved for a Cessation and Treaty without any limitation at all in the time of either, and His Majesty was most ready to have enlarged the time, (so that in the mean while the point of Quarters might be so settled as that His Armies might subsist) and which might have been (if they had pleased) a very good and promi∣sing earnest and fore-runner of that great blessing of Peace; for the obtaining of which the wishes and endeavours of all good men being earnestly bent, a farther debate in order to so great a Benefit did not deserve to be styled a consumption of time. And His Majesty cannot but conceive Himself to be in a strange condition, if the doubtfulness of Expressions (which must always be whilst the Treaty is at such a distance, and pow∣er is denied to those upon the place to help to clear and explain) or His necessary Re∣plying to charges laid upon Him (that He might not seem to acknowledge what was so charged) or the limitation of the time of seven days for the Treaty (which was not limited by His Majesty, who ever desired to have avoided that and other limitati∣ons which have given great interruptions to it) should be as well believed to be the grounds, as they are made the arguments, of the rejection of that which (next to Peace it self) His Majesty above all things most desires to see agreed and settled, and which His Majesty hopes (if it may be yet agreed on) will give His People such a taste of such a Blessing, that after a short time of consideration, and comparing of their seve∣ral conditions in War and Peace, and what should move them to suffer so much by a Change, they will not think those their friends that shall force them to it, or be them∣selves ready to contribute to the renewing of their former Miseries, without some grea∣ter evidence of Necessity than can appear to them, when they shall have seen (as they shall see, if this Treaty be suffered to proceed) that His Majesty neither asks nor denies any thing, but what not only according to Law He may, but what in Honour and care of His People he is obliged to ask or deny. And this alone (which a very short Cessation would produce) His Majesty esteems a very considerable advantage to the Kingdom; and therefore cannot but press again and again, that whatever is thought doubtful in the expressions of the Articles, may (as in an hour it may well be done) be expounded, and whatsoever is excepted at may be debated and concluded, and that Pow∣er and Instructions may be given to the Committee to that end; that the miserable ef∣fects of War, the effusion of English blood, and desolation of England (until they can be totally taken away) may by this means be stayed and interrupted.

His Majesty supposes, that when the Committee was last required to desire His Ma∣jesty to give a speedy and positive Answer to the first proposition concerning Disban∣ding, His Answers in that point (to which no Reply hath been made, and which He hopes by this time have given satisfaction) were not transmitted and received: but wonders the Houses should press His Majesty for a speedy and positive Answer to the first part of their first Proposition concerning Disbanding, when to the second part of the very same Proposition, concerning His Return to both Houses of Parliament, they had not given any Power or Instructions to the Committee so much as to treat with His Majesty; and when His Majesty (if His desire of Peace, and of speeding the Treaty in order to that, had not been prevalent with Him) might with all manner of Justice have delayed to begin to treat upon one part, until they had been enabled to treat upon the other: In which point, and for want of which power from them, the only stop now remains; His Majesty's Answers to both parts of their first Proposition being gi∣ven in, transmitted, and yet remaining unanswered.

To which until the Houses shall be at leisure to make Answer, that as little delay in this Treaty as is possible may be caused by it, His Majesty desires likewise, that the Com∣mittee may be enabled to treat upon the following Propositions in their several orders.