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.

His MAJESTIES Message to both Houses, from Oxford, Jan. 29. 1645-46.

For the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore, to be communicated to the two Houses of Parliament at Westminster, and the Commissioners of the Parlia∣ment of Scotland.

CHARLES R.

HIS Majesty having received Information from the Lord Lieutenant and Council in Ireland, that the Earl of Glamorgan hath, without his or their Directions or privity, entred into a Treaty with some Commissioners on the Roman-Catholick Party there, and also drawn up and agreed unto certain Articles with the said Commissioners, highly derogatory to his Majesties Honour and Royal Dignity, and most prejudicial unto the Protestant Religion and Church there in Ireland; whereupon the said Earl of Glamorgan is arrested upon sus∣picion of High Treason, and imprisoned by the said Lord Lieutenant and Coun∣cil, at the instance and by the Impeachment of the Lord Digby, who (by reason of his Place, and former Imployment in these Affairs) doth best know how con∣trary that Proceeding of the said Earl hath been to His Majesties Intentions and Directions, and what great prejudice it might bring to His Affairs, if those Pro∣ceedings of the Earl of Glamorgan should be any ways understood to have been done by the directions, liking, or approbation of his Majesty:

His Majesty having in his former Messages for a Personal Treaty offered to give con∣tentment to his two Houses in the Business of Ireland, hath now thought fitting, the better to shew his clear Intentions, and to give satisfaction to his said Houses of Parliament, and the rest of his Subjects in all his Kingdoms, to send this Declaration to his said Houses, containing the whole truth of the business. Which is,

That the Earl of Glamorgan having made offer unto him to raise Forces in the King∣dom of Ireland, and to conduct them into England for his Majesties Service, had a Commission to that purpose, and to that purpose only.

That he had no Commission at all to Treat of any thing else without the privity and directions of the Lord Lieutenant, much less to capitulate any thing concerning Religion, or any Propriety belonging either to Church or Laity.

That it clearly appears by the Lord Lieutenant's Proceedings with the said Earl, that he had no notice at all of what the said Earl had Treated and pretended to have capitula∣ted with the Irish, until by accident it came to his knowledge.

And his Majesty doth protest, that until such time as he had advertisement that the Person of the said Earl of Glamorgan was arrested and restrained, as is above-said, He never heard nor had any kind of notice that the said Earl had entred into any kind of Treaty or Capitulation with those Irish Commissioners; much less that he had concluded or signed those Articles, so destructive both to Church and State, and so repugnant to his Majesties publick Professions and known Resolutions.

And for the further vindication of his Majesties Honour and Integrity herein, He doth declare, That He is so far from considering any thing contained in those Pa∣pers or Writings framed by the said Earl and those Commissioners with whom he Treated, as he doth absolutely disavow him therein, and hath given Commandment to the Lord Lieutenant and the Council there to proceed against the said Earl, as one who, either out of falseness, presumption, or folly, hath so hazarded the blemish∣ing of his Majesties Reputation with his good Subjects, and so impertinently framed those Articles of his own head, without the Consent, Privity, or Directions of his Ma∣jesty, or the Lord Lieutenant, or any of his Majesties Council there. But true it is, that for the necessary preservation of his Majesties Protestant Subjects in Ireland, whose Case was daily represented unto him to be so desperate, his Majesty had given Commission to the Lord Lieutenant to Treat and conclude such a Peace there as might be for the safety of that Crown, the preservation of the Protestant Religion, and no way derogatory to his own Honour and publick Professions.

But to the end that his Majesties real Intentions in this business of Ireland may be

the more clearly understood, and to give more ample satisfaction to both Houses of Parli∣ament and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland, especially concerning his Majesties not being engaged in any Peace or Agreement there, he doth desire, if the two Houses shall admit of his Majesties repair to London for a Personal Treaty, (as was formerly proposed) that speedy notice be given thereof to his Majesty, and a Pass or safe Conduct, with a Blank, sent for a Messenger to be immediately dispatched into Ireland, to prevent any accident that may happen to hinder his Majesties Resolu∣tion of leaving and managing of the business of Ireland wholly to the two Houses, and to make no Peace there but with their Consent; which, in case it shall please God to bless His endeavours in the Treaty with success, His Majesty doth hereby engage himself to do.

And for a further explanation of his Majesties Intentions in his former Messages, he doth now Declare, That if his Personal repair to London, as aforesaid, shall be ad∣mitted, and a Peace thereon shall ensue, he will then leave the Nomination of the Persons to be entrusted with the Militia wholly to his two Houses, with such Power and Limitations as are expressed in the Paper delivered by his Majesties Commissioners at Vxbridge the 6. of Febr. 1644. for the term of seven years, as hath been desired, to begin immediately after the Conclusion of the Peace, the disbanding of all Forces on both sides, and the dismantling of the Garrisons erected since these present Troubles; so as at the expiration of the time before mentioned the Power of the Militia shall entirely revert and remain as before.

And for their further security, his Majesty (the Peace succeeding) will be content, that pro hac vice the two Houses shall nominate the Admiral, Officers of State and Judges, to hold their places during Life, or quamdiu se bene gesserint, which shall be best liked, to be accomptable to none but the King and the two Houses of Parliament.

As for matter of Religion, his Majesty doth further Declare, That by the Liberty offered in his Message of the 15. present, for the ease of their Consciences who will not communicate in the Service already established by Act of Parliament in this King∣dom, he intends that all other Protestants, behaving themselves peaceably in and to∣wards the Civil Government, shall have the free exercise of their Religion according to their own way.

And for the total removing of all Fears and Jealousies, His Majesty is willing to agree, That upon the Conclusion of Peace there shall be a general act of Oblivion and Free Pardon past by Act of Parliament in both his Kingdoms respectively.

And lest it should be imagined, that in the making these Propositions, his Majesties King∣dom of Scotland and his Subjects there have been forgotten or neglected, his Majesty De∣clares, That what is here mentioned touching the Militia, and the naming of Officers of State and Judges, shall likewise extend to his Kingdom of Scotland.

And now his Majesty having so fully and clearly expressed his Intentions and Desires of making a happy and well-grounded Peace, if any person shall decline that Happiness by op∣posing so apparent a way of attaining it, he will sufficiently demonstrate to all the World, his intention and design can be no other then the total subversion and change of the an∣cient and happy Government of this Kingdom, under which the English Nation hath so long flourished.

Given at the Court at Oxford, the 29. of January, 1645.