Notting to Nottingham, were more against his return thither, as an abfolute flight; but urged the advance of the Levies, and a little patience, till it might be discern'd what the Enemy did intend to do. In this great anxiety, fome of the Lords defir'd, "That his Majefty would fend a Meffage to the Parliament, The King "with fome overture to incline them to a Treaty; which conta propofition was no fooner made, but most concurr'd in it, ham and no one had the confidence to oppofe it. The King him-Sending a felf was so offended at it, that he declar'd "He would never Peace. Meffage for 'yield to it, and broke up the Council, that it might be no longer urged. But the next day, when they met again, they renew'd the fame advice with more earneftnefs. The Earl of Southampton, a Perfon of great Prudence, and of a Reputation at leaft equal to any Man's, preffed it, "As a thing that might "do good, and could do no harm: and the King's reafons, with reference to the infolence it would raise in the Rebels, and the dishonour that would thereby reflect upon Himself, were anfwer'd, by saying, "Their infolence would be for the "King's advantage; and when they should reject the offer of "Peace, which they believ'd they would do, they would make "themselves the more odious to the People, who would be "thereby the more inclin'd to ferve the King. So that they took it as granted, that the propofition would be rejected; and therefore it ought to be made. It was farther faid, "That "his Majesty was not able to make resistance; that the Forces "before Sherborne, Portsmouh, and at Northampton, were three "feveral Armies, the leaft of which would drive his Majefty out of his Dominions; that it was only in his power to "choose, whether, by making a fair offer himself, he would "seem to make Peace, which could not but render him very "gracious to the People, or fuffer himself to be taken Pri"foner (which he would not long be able to avoid) which "would give his Enemies Power, Reputation, and Authority "to proceed against his Majefty, and, it might be, his Pofte"rity, according to their own engaged Malice. YET this motive made no impreffion in him. "For, he "faid, no misfortune, or ill fuccefs that might attend his en"deavour of defending himself, could expofe him to more "inconveniences than a Treaty at this time defired by him, "where he must be understood to be willing to yield to what"foever they would require of him; and how modeft they "were like to be, might be judged by their Nineteen Propofi"tions, which were tender'd, when their power could not be "reasonably understood to be like fo much to exceed his Ma"jefty's, as at this time it was evident it did; and that having now nothing to lofe but his honour, he could be only ex"cufable to the world, by using his industry to the last to opVol. II. Part I. B "pole The King fends to the pofe the Torrent, which if it prevail'd, would overwhelm "him. This compofed Courage and Magnanimity of his Majefty feem'd too Philofophical, and abftracted from the Policy of felf Prefervation, to which moft others were paffionately addicted: and that which was the King's greatest disadvantage, how many foever were of his mind (as fome few, and but few there were;) no Man durft publickly avow that he was fo; a Treaty for peace being fo popular a thing that whosoever oppofed it would be fure to be, by general consent, a declar'd Enemy to his Country. THAT which prevail'd with his Majefty very reasonably then to yield (and indeed it proved equally advantageous to him afterwards) was, "That it was moft probable (and his "whole fortune was to be fubmitted at belt to probabilities) "that, out of their pride, and contempt of the King's weak"nefs and want of Power, the Parliament would refuse to "treat; which would be fo unpopular a thing, that, as his "Majefty would highly oblige his People by making the of"fer, fo They would lofe the hearts of them by rejecting it; "which alone would raise an Army for his Majefty. That if "they should embrace it, the King could not but be a gainer; "for by the Propofitions which they fhould make to him, he "would be able to ftate the Quarrel fo clearly, that it should "be more demonftrable to the Kingdom, than yet it was, that "the War, was, on his Majesty's part, purely defenfive; fince "he never had, and now would not deny any thing, which they could in reason, or justice ask: That this very over"ture would neceffarily produce fome paufe, and delay in "their preparations, or motions of their Armies; for fome "Debate it must needs have; and during that time, Men's "minds would be in suspence; whereas his Majefty fhould be "fo far from Llackning his Preparations, that he might be more 'vigorous in them, by hastning thofe Levies, for which his "Commiffions were out. For these reasons, and almost the concurrent defire, and importunity of his Council, the King was prevailed with to fend the Earls of Southampton, and Dorfet, St John Colepepper, Chancellor of his Exchequer, and S William Udall (whom his Majefty gave leave under that pretence to intend the bufinefs of his own fortune) to the two Houses with this Meffage, which was sent the third day after his Standard was fet up. cr "WE have, with unfpeakable grief of heart, long beheld wo Houfes a the diftractions of this our Kingdom. Our very Soul is full Meffage for "of Anguish, until We may find fome remedy to prevent the Earl of "Miferies, which are ready to overwhelm this whole Nation Southamp- "by a Civil War. And though all our Endeavours, tending Peace by the ton, &c. "to "to the compofing of those unhappy differences betwixt Us "and our two Houfes of Parliament (though purfued by Us "with all zeal and fincerity) have been hitherto without that "fuccefs We hoped for; yet fuch is our conftant and earnest "care to preferve the publick Peace, that We fhall not be "difcouraged from using any expedient, which, by the blessing "of the God of Mercy, may lay a firm foundation of Peace "and Happiness to all our good Subjects. To this end, ob"ferving that many mistakes have arifen by the Meffages, Pe"titions, and Anfwers, betwixt Us and our two Houfes of "Parliament, which happily may be prevented by fome other "way of Treaty, wherein the matters in difference may be "more clearly understood, and more freely tranfacted; We "have thought fit to propound to you, that fome fit Perfons "may be by You enabled to treat with the like number to be "Authorifed by Us, in fuch a manner, and with fuch free"dom of Debate, as may beft tend to that happy conclufion "which all good Men defire, the Peace of the Kingdom. "Wherein, as We promife, in the word of a King, all fafety "and encouragement to fuch as fhall be fent unto us, if You "fhall choose the place where We are, for the Treaty, which "We wholly leave to you, prefuming the like care of the "fafety of those We fhall employ, if You fhall name another place; fo We affure you, and all our good Subjects, that, "to the best of our understanding, nothing shall be therein "wanting on our part, which may advance the true Proteftant "Religion, oppofe Popery and Superftition, fecure the Law "of the Land (upon which is built as well our juft Preroga"tive, as the Propriety and Liberty of the Subject) confirm "all juft Power and Privileges of Parliament, and render Us "and our People truly happy by a good understanding betwixt "Us and our two Houses of Parliament. Bring with you as "firm Refolutions to do your Duty; and let all our good "People joyn with us in our Prayers to Almighty God, for "his Bleffing upon this work. If this Propofition fhall be re"jected by you, We have done our duty fo amply, that God "will abfolve Us from the Guilt of any of that Blood which "must be fpilt; and what opinion foever other Men may have "of our Power, We affure you nothing but our Chriftian and "Pious care to prevent the effufion of Blood, hath begot this "motion; Our Provifion of Men, Arms, and Money, being "fuch as may fecure Us from farther Violence, till it pleases "God to open the Eyes of Our People. them. THIS Meffage had the fame reception his Majefty be- How it was liev'd it would have; and was indeed receiv'd with unheard receiv'd by of Infolence and Contempt. For the Earl of Southampton, and B 2 St John St John Colepepper, defiring to appear themselves before any notice fhould arrive of their coming, made fuch hafte, that they were at Westminster in the Morning fhortly after the Houses met. The Earl of Southampton went into the House of Peers, where he was scarce fat down in his place, when, with great paffion, he was called upon to withdraw; albeit he told them he had a Meffage to them from the King, and there could be no exception to his Lordship's fitting in the House upon their own grounds; he having had leave from the House to attend his Majefty. However he was compell'd to withdraw; and then they fent the Gentleman Ufher of the House to him, to require his Meffage; which his Lordship faid, he was by the King's Command to deliver himself, and refused therefore to fend it, except the Lords made an Order that he should not deliver it himself; which they did; and thereupon he fent it to them; which they no fooner receiv'd, than they fent him word, "That he should, at his Peril, immediately depart the "Town, and that they would take care that their Answer to "the Meffage fhould be fent to him. And fo the Earl of Southampton departed the Town, repofing himself at the Houfe of a Noble Perfon seven or eight miles off. Whilst the Earl had this skirmish with the Lords, St John Colepepper attended the Commons, forbearing to go into the House without leave, because there had been an Order (which is mention'd before) that all the Members, who were not prefent at fuch a day, fhould not prefume to fit there, till they had paid a hundred Pounds, and given the House fatisfaction in the cause of their abfence. But he fent word to the Speaker, "That he had a Meffage from the King to them, and that he "defired to deliver it in his place in the House. After fome debate (for there remain'd yet fome, who thought it as unreafonable as irregular to deny a Member of the House, against whom there had not been the leaft publick objection, and a Privy Counsellor who had been in all times used there with great refpect, leave to deliver a Meffage from the King in his own place as a Member (it was abfolutely refolv'd, "That he "fhould not fit in the House, but that he should deliver his "Meffage at the Bar, and immediately withdraw; which he did accordingly. THEN the two Houses met at a Conference, and read the King's Meffage with great fuperciliousness; and within two days, with less difficulty and oppofition than can be believ❜d, agreed upon their Anfwer. The King's Meffengers, in the mean time, though of that Quality, did not receive ordinary civilities from any Members of either Houfe; they who were very willing to have done it, not daring for their own fafety to come near them; and the others, looking upon them, as Servants Servants to a Mafter whom they had, and meant farther to opprefs. Private Conference they had with fome of the principal Governours; from whom they receiv'd no other advice, but that, if the King had any care of Himfelf or his Pofterity, he fhould immediately come to London, throw himself into the Arms of his Parliament, and comply with whatsoever they propofed. The Anfwer which they return'd to the King was this. The Anfwer of the Lords and Commons to his Majesty's Mef-. "May it please your Majefty: "THE Lords and Commons, in Parliament affembled, Their An"having receiv'd your Majesty's Meffage of the 25th of Au-swer.· "guft, do with much grief refent the dangerous and distracted "State of this Kingdom; which we have by all means en"deavour'd to prevent, both by our feveral Advices and Pe"titions to your Majefty; which hath been not only with"out fuccefs, but there hath follow'd that which no ill Coun"fel in former Times hath produc'd, or any Age hath feen, "namely those several Proclamations and Declarations against "both the Houses of Parliament, whereby their Actions are "declar'd Treasonable, and their Perfons Traytors. And "thereupon your Majesty hath set up your Standard against "them, whereby you have put the two Houfes of Parliament, "and, in Them, this whole Kingdom, out of your Protection; "fo that until your Majefty fhall recall thofe Proclamations "and Declarations, whereby the Earl of Effex, and both "Houses of Parliament, and their Adherents, and Affiftants, "and fuch as have obey'd and executed their Commands and "Directions, according to their Duties, are declar'd Traytors "or otherwife Delinquents: and until the Standard, set up in "purfuance of the faid Proclamation, be taken down, your Majefty hath put us into fuch a Condition, that whilst we "fo remain, we cannot, by the Fundamental Privileges of "Parliament, the Publick Truft repofed in us, or with the "general good and fafety of this Kingdom, give your Majesty any other Answer to this Meffage. cr WHEN the King's Meffengers return'd with this Answer to Nottingham, all Men faw to what they must truft; and the King believ'd, he fhould be no farther mov'd to make Addreffes to them. And yet all hopes of an Army, or any ability to refift that violence, feem'd fo defperate, that he was privately advised by fome, whom he trufted as much as any, and thofe whofe affections were as entire to him as any Mens, to give all B 3 other |