The proceedings in the late treaty of peace·: Together with severall letters of his Majesty to the Queen, and of Prince Rupert to the Earle of Northampton, which were intercepted and brought to the Parliament. With a declaration of the Lords and Commons upon those proceedings and letters. Ordered by the Lords and Commons, that these proceedings, letters, and declaration be forthwith printed. H. Elsing Cler. Parliament. Dom. Com.

His Majesties Answer to the Desires and Propositions of both Houses, February the third, 1642.

Received at a Conference with the Lords, February the sixt, 1642.

IF his Majesty had not given up all the faculties of his soul to an earnest endeavour of a Peace, and reconciliation with his People, or if he would suffer himself by any Provecation to be drawn to a sharpness of Language at a time, when there seems somewhat like an Overture of Accommedation, hee could not but resent the heavy charges upon him in the Preamble of these Propositions, and would not suffer himself to be reproached with protecting of Delinquents by force from Justice, (his Majesties desire having always bin, that all men should be Tryed by the knowne Law, and having been refused it) with raising an Army against his Parliament, and to be told that Armes have been taken up against him for defence of Religion, Laws, Liberties, Priviledges of Parliament, and for the sitting of the Parliament in safety, with many other particulars in that Preamble, so often and so fully answered by his Majesty, without remembring the World of the time, and circumstances of raising those Arms against him: when his Majsety was so far from being in a condition to invade other mens Rights, that he was not able to main∣tain and defend his owne from violence; And without telling his good Subjects that their Religion (the true Protestant Religion, in which his Majesty was born, hath faithfully lived, and to which he will die a willing Sacrisice) thier Laws, Liverties, Priviledges, and safety of Parliament were

so amply setled, and estavlished; or offered to be so by his Majesty before any Army was raised against him, and long before any raised by him for his defence, that if nothing had been desired, but that Peace and Protection which his Subjects, and their Ancestors had in the best times enjoyed under his Majesty or his Royall Predecessors; this misunderstanding and di∣stance between his Majesty and his people, and this generall misery, and destraction upon the face of the whole Kingdome, had not beene now the discourse of Christendome: But his Majesty will forbeare any Expressions of Bitternesse, or of a sence of his own sufferings, that if it be possible the memory thereof may be lost to the World. And therefore though many of the Propositions, presented to his Majesty by both Houses, appeare to him very derogatory from, and destructive to his just power and Prerogative, and no way beneficiall to his Subjects, few of them being already due to them by the Laws, established, (And how unparliamentary it is by Arms to requite new Laws, all the World may judge) yet (because these may be waved, or mollified, and many things that are now darke, or doubtfull in them, cleered and explained upon debate) his Majesty is pleased (such is his sence of the miseries, this Kingdome suffers by this unnaturall war, and his earnest desire to remove them by a happy peace) that a speedy time and place may be agreed upon for the meeting of such persons as his Majesty and both Houses shall appoint to discusse these Propositions, and such others here following, as His Majesty doth propose to them.

1 THat his Majesties own Revenue, Magazins. Townes, Forts, and Ships which have been taken, or kept from his by force, be forth∣with restored unto him.

2 That whatsoever hath been done or published, contrary to the known Laws of the Land, or derogatory to his Majesties Legall, and known pow∣er, and rights, he renounced and recalled, that no seed may remaine for the like to spring out of for the future.

3 That whatsoever illegall power hath bin claimed and exercised by, or over his Subjects, as imprisoning their persons without Law, stopping thier Habeas Corpusses. and imposing upon thier Estates without Act of Parliament, &c. either by both, or either House, or any Committee of both, or either by any persons appointed by any of them, be disclaimed, and all such persons so committed, forthwith discharged.

4 That as His Majesty will readily consent (having done so heretofore) to the execution of all Laws already made, and to any good Acts to be made for the suppressing of Popery, and for the firme setling of the Prote∣stant

Religion now established by Law: so hee desires that a good Bill may be framed for the better preserving of the Book of Common Prayer, from the scorn and violence of Brownists, Anabaptists and other Sectaries with such clauses, for the ease of tender consciences, as his Majesty hath for∣merly offered.

5 That all such persons as upon the Treaty shall be excepted out of the Generall Pardon, shall be tryed per Pares, according to the usuall course, and known Law of the Land, and that it be left to that, either to acquit, or condemne them.

6 And to the intent this Treaty may not suffer interruption by any in∣tervening Accidents, that a Cessation of Armes, and free Trade, for all his Majesties Subjects, may be first agreed upon.

This offer and desire of His Majestie he hopes will be so cheerfully enter∣tained, that a speedy and blessed Peace may be accomplished. If it shall be rejected, or by insisting upon unreasonable Circumstances, be made impos∣sible (which he hopes God in his mercy to this Nation will not suffer) the guilt of the Bloud which will be shed, and the desolation which must fol∣low, will lie upon the head, of the Refusers. However his Majesty is re∣solved, through what accidents soever he shall be compelled to recover his Rights, and with what prosperous successes soever, it shall please God, to bless him, that by his earness, constant endeavours to propagate and pro∣mote the true Protestant Religion, and by his Governing according to the known Laws of the Land, and upholding the just priviledges of Parlia∣ment according to his frequent Protestations made before Almighty God, which he will always in violably observe. The world shall see that he hath undergone all these difficulties, and hazards for the defence and mainte∣nance of those, the zealous Preservation of which his Majesty well knows, is the onely foundation, and means for the true happiness of him, and his People.

Hen. Elsing, Cler. Parliament. D.C.