XXXII. From the Isle of WIGHT, November 17. MDCXLVII. For a Personal Treaty, with His particular Concessions.
CHARLES R.
HIS Majest is confident that before this time His two Houses of Parliament have received the Message which He left behind Him at Hampton-Court the eleventh of this month, by which they will have understood the reasons which enforced Him to go from thence, as likewise His constant endeavours for the setling of a safe and well-grounded Peace wheresoever He should be: And being now in a place where He conceives Himself to be at much more Freedom and Security than formerly, He thinks it necessary (not only for making good of His Own professions, but also for the speedy procuring of a Peace in these languishing and distressed Kingdoms) at this time to offer such grounds to His two Houses for that effect, which upon due examination of all Interests may best conduce thereunto.
And because Religion is the best and chiefest foundation of Peace, His Majesty will begin with that particular.
That for the abolishing Archbishops, Bishops, &c. His Majesty clearly professeth, that He cannot give His Consent thereunto, both in relation as He is a Christian, and a King. For the first, He avows that He is satisfied in His Judgment that this Order was placed in the Church by the Apostles themselves, and ever since their time hath continued in all Christian Churches throughout the world until this last Century of years; and in this Church in all times of Change and Reformation it hath been upheld by the wisdom of His Ancestors, as the great preserver of Doctrine, Discipline and Or∣der in the service of God. As a King at His Coronation, He hath not only taken a solemn Oath to maintain this Order, but His Majesty and His Predecessours in their confirmations of the Great Charter have inseparably woven the Right of the Church into the Liberties of the rest of the Subjects. And yet He is willing it be provided that the particular Bishops perform the several duties of their Callings, both by their personal Residence and frequent Preachings in their Dioceses, as also that they exercise no Act of Jurisdiction or Ordination without the consent of their Presbyters; and will consent that their powers in all things be so limited, that they be not grievous to ten∣der Consciences. Wherefore since His Majesty is willing to give ease to the Conscien∣ces of others, He sees no reason why He alone and those of His Judgment should be