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.

The King's Commissioners Answer. 22. February.

[ LXXII] ACcording to your Lordships Paper of the last night, we attended your Debate this day concerning the Unlawfulness of Episcopacy; but did neither then nor do now acknowledge our selves convinced by any Arguments offered by you, that Episco∣pacy is not Jure Divino, the same having been the opinion of very many Learned Men in all Ages, (which we do not censure or determine) but not insisted on by us as the ground of any Answer we have delivered to your Lordships: And we are so far from being sa∣tisfied with the Arguments from Scripture and Reason this day urged to prove that the Government by Arch-Bishops, Bishops, &c. which you desire to be taken away by this Bill, is unlawful, that the weightiest Arguments which were urged (in our Judg∣ments) concluded at most against those Inconveniencies which are remedied by the Alteration offered by us to your Lordships, in our* 1.1 Paper of the 13 of this Month; and it seems strange to us that your Lordships should think that Government (without which no National Church hath been since the Apostles times, till within these few years)

to be unlawful: And for the Government desired by you to be established, your Lordships have not offered any such particular Form of Government to us that may inable us to judge thereof; and we cannot but observe that the Arguments produced to that purpose, were only to prove the same not unlawful, without offering to prove it absolutely necessary. And therefore we conceive our Answer formerly given to your Lordships concerning that Bill, and your Propositions concerning Religion, is a just and reasonable Answer.

After the first three days of the Treaty, spent upon the business of Religion, according to the Order formerly prescribed, the Propositions concerning the Militia were next Treated upon the three days following, beginning the fourth of February, and the same was after resumed the 14th. of February for other three days.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See be∣fore, num. 56.