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My Lords and Gentlemen,
THis day I hope will bring our Conference to some results to be reported to the Houses, and therefore I shall frame
my Discourse and Arguments with that succinctnesse as may bring us soonest to a close,
At our first meeting, the subject of our debate was; whe∣ther the Right Power of disposing the Person of the King is solely in the two Houses as they shall thinke fit, or in the two Kingdomes; and at our last meeting, we had some arguing a∣bout the same question, but your Lordships did still assert the Vote of the Houses, and we say in respect of the interest and relations which both Kingdomes have equally to the King, e∣specially in the present juncture of affaires, when both King∣domes are entred in the same League and Covenant, have jeoparded their lives in the same War, are labouring under the same danger, are seeking the same remedies, and stand in need of the same peace and security; and both Kingdomes are bound by our Covenant to preserve unity, and are obliged by Treaty that none of us shall make any peace, cessation, or a∣greement whatsoever, without mutuall advice and consent of both) That the Person of the King cannot be disposed of with∣out the joynt advice and consent of both Kingdomes. But as we do acknowledge that England hath parity of interest with Scotland, so do we still offer that they shall have parity of pow∣er in disposing of the King: and we do affirme, That the Per∣son of the King, who is King of Scotland as well as of En∣gland, and is Head and Monarch of both Kingdomes, cannot be disposed of by any one of the Kingdomes alone: but what ever is to be done concerning his Majesties person, ought to be done by joynt advice and common consent of both, as may serve most for the Peace, security, and happinesse of the King∣domes, which wee did prove by severall Arguments: To which there was nothing answered in effect, but, that the King being within England, his Person was to be disposed of as the two Houses shall thinke fit, and that the King being with the Scottish Army, and they being paid by the Parlia∣ment of England, he is in effect in the power of the Houses, & ought to be at their disposing in the ••••me way as if he had come to the Army of Sir T. Fairfax, or any other of the Parlia∣ments Armies▪ To which we shall not need to make any reply other then we have made already, That the Kings present resi∣dence in England, nor no locality, can take away the reality
of our relations formerly mentioned by us, far lesse can it take away the ingagements and stipulations betweene the King∣domes; and though the Scottish Army paid by the Parliament of England, yet they are the Army of Scotland, raised for pur∣suance of the ends of the Covenant, and are to be ordered and directed by the Parliaments or Committees of both King∣domes; And therefore they cannot with conscience, duty, nor honour deliver the person of the King without his owne con∣sent to be disposed of as the two Houses shall thinke fit: but we have declared and do still declare▪ That we are content that the person of the King be disposed of (the word Disposed be∣ing taken in a right sense) as may serve most for the peace, safe∣ty, security honour and happinesse of the King and both King∣domes: and did offer to your Lordships consideration his Ma∣jesties comming to or neere London, as the most probable meanes for a speedy and well-grounded Peace. And seeing your Lordships have done us the honour to meet with us in this free and brotherly Conference, we do expect that you will concurre and assent to this Proposition. or propound a better expedient for the good of both Kingdomes.
But if the honourable Houses will not admit of this Proposi∣tion, our next desire is (that it may appeare, no lawfull and pos∣sible meanes are left unassayed which may procure a happy a∣greement betwixt the King and his Parliaments, and for our further exoneration) That Commissioners may yet once more be sent from both kingdomes to his Majesty, to shew the mea∣ning of our Propositions and to assert them, and to heare the Kings doubts and difficulties, and desires, who may further in∣timate that (if his Majesty shall not give a satisfactory answer to the Propositions) then both kingdomes will without making any such further application to him, take such course as they shall judge fittest for the peace and security of the kingdomes.
And as at the opening of this Conference I did begin with an humble, lawfull, and laudable desire for unity in relation, the King, and amongst our selves, so shall I close in the same dia∣lict; for the first of Religion, if we do remember our vowes to God to performe them, and uniformity according to our Co∣venant, we may certainly expect that God will crown this great work, wherin he hath honored us to be actors, with his blessing; but if in place of uniformity, which we are obliged to endea∣vor, there shall be a toleration of all Sects and sores of Religion,
and if we neglect to build the house of God, and become inso∣lent upon our successes, although we could mount up with Ea∣gles wings, and build our nests as high as the starres, and had an army who for valor and strength could march to Constanti∣nople, God shall lay our glory low in he dust, and suffer the work to fall in our hands, like the confusion of Babell; And whatever hath been moved by us concerning the King, we de∣sire it may be rightly constructed, as proceeding from such as have not wavered from their first principles; for when the King was in the height of his power, we did not, and (I hope) never shall flatter him; and when the enemy was in the height of their pride and strength, Scotland did feare no colours: and now when the King is at his lowest ebb, and hath cast himselfe into our Army for safety, we hope your Lordships will pardon us from our sense of honour and duty to be very tender of the person, and posterity of the King, to whom we have so many neer relations, and not like the worse of us: that we cannot so farre forget our allegeance and duty as not to have an antipa∣thy against the change of Monarchicall government, in which we have lived through the descent of so many Kings, and un∣der which both Kingdoms have been governed so many ages, and flourished in al•• happinesse. And now my last word shall be for constant unity between the Kingdoms, which as it hath been the chiefe meanes to pr••mote the great worke wherein both kingdoms are so deepely engaged, so there is nothing can make us so informidable to our enemies, nor so much ayding one to another as the cherishing and continuing thereof; and I dare say that no man would divide the one from the other, but such as desire to fish in troubled waters, and are reall enemies to both: God hath blest the ioynt endeavours of both Nations, both are in one ship, and are come through a very great storme, and now when we are come into the harbour, it would be great shame to both to split upon the rocks of division (& devorato bove deficere in cauda) and your Lordships may be confident that Scotland who have esteemed no hazard too great for set∣ling of Religion and love to their Brethren, will stick so fast & firmly to you, (so ••ong as you hold the principles of your Co∣venant) as no feare nor favour will ever be able to divide them from you, and we do expect that reciprocall amity which may perpetuate our un••ty.