The copie of His Maiesties letter, sent on Tuesday the 26. of Iune 1604 signifying his Highnes pleasure to the Commons House of Parliament, in the matter of subsidie.

THE COPIE OF HIS MAIESTIES LET∣TER, SENT ON TVES∣DAY, THE 26. OF IVNE 1604. signifying his Highnes pleasure to the Commons House of Parliament, in the matter of Sub∣sidie.

HAuing beene infor∣med, that within the space of these eight or tenne daies past, there hath been di∣uers times speeches made in the Lower House of our Commons for a Subsidie to be at this time granted vnto vs, we haue thought

it conuenient that yee should in our name acquaint the House with the sin∣cere truth of our meaning in that mat∣ter, to the end that they being at a point in that question, may with the greater expedition conclude such spe∣ciall things as are necessarie to bee done before the ending of this so longsome Session of Parliament.

It is true that euer before and a cer∣taine space after the sitting downe of this Parliament, we were constantlie resolued neither to thinke, nor in case it had been offred vnto vs, any waies to haue accepted a Subsidie at this time: For as in our first speech to this whole Parliament, wee declared how vnwilling wee should euer be to be a burden to our people; so thought we it an vnfit time, at our first Parliament, after our so happie and peaceable en∣trie in this kingdom with so great and general an applause, for hauing a Sub∣sidie raised vpon them, notwithstan∣ding

of our present great necessitie, and that thorough the occasion of di∣uers great expences, whereunto wee were driuen at our first entrie here. But after the assembling of this Parlia∣ment, wee were so often dealt with and informed by diuers members of that House, that were otherwise strangers to our affaires, that it was a thing both honourable and reasonable, that a Subsidie should bee granted vnto vs; that both our necessity required it, and the people in their loue were readie to offer it vnto vs; That it was euer the forme of all Kings of England to haue a Subsidie giuen them at the very first assembling of their first Parliament: That as it was honourable for vs to receiue it, (being an earnest penie of the peoples loue toward vs) so would it be a thing nothing preiudiciall nor hurtfull for them to yeeld vnto; and that there was enow in that House that were striuing amongst themselues,

who should bee the first propounder thereof, as at the last we were mooued to bee contented that some should prooue the Houses minde in it. Onely in this point were wee carefull that in case it were propounded and put to a question, it should receiue no publike refusall, which could not but be disho∣norable vnto vs, especially in the sight of all the strangers that are now here. But hauing now with time more nar∣rowly examined both the custome in the like cases at the first Parliaments of our predecessors here; as likewise that the last Termes payment of the old great Subsidie is not yet come; so as a double burden shall appeare to be laid vpon the people, and yet our commoditie neuer a haire the neerer: We haue hereupon concluded with our selfe to resort to our former de∣termination, and therefore is it our ex∣presse will that yee shall in our name signifie to our said House of Com∣mons,

that we desire thē at this time not to meddle any further with that que∣stion, assuring them in the word of a King, that we will be so farre from ta∣king it vnkindlie their not offring it vnto vs at this first Session of this our first Parliament, as by the contrarie we will onely interprete it to proceede from the care they haue that our peo∣ple should not haue any occasion of distaste of vs offred vnto them at this time, for the reasons aboue mentio∣ned: assuring our selfe that the said House will in the owne time bee care∣full to see our state supplied by such meanes, as may bee most conuenient for our weale, and least hurtfull to our Subiects, wherin we remit our selfe to their discreete considera∣tions in the due time.

James R.