CHAR. I.

The king replied, the 29th of December. He complained 1645-6. that a fafe-conduct was denied for the perfons he intended to fend. He infifted upon his demand of a personal treaty, Id. p. 218. and defired an answer to his meffage of the 26th. He faid, he should never have thought of coming to London, if it was not his fincere intention to make peace.

Jd. p. 219.

The 15th of January 1645-6, he fent another message to both houfes, wherein he complained of not having an answer: he said, "That what he earneftly defired was "peace, and the means, his perfonal prefence at Westmin"ster, where the government of the church being settled

as it was in the times of queen Elizabeth and king "James, and full liberty for the ease of their confciences "who would not communicate in that fervice established "by law, and likewife for the free and public use of the "directory, to fuch as fhould defire to ufe the fame; and

all forces being agreed to be difbanded, his majesty would "then forthwith join with his two houfes of parliament, in "fettling fome way for the payment of the public debts "to his Scotch fubjects, the city of London, and others. "And having propofed a fair way for the fettling of the "militia, he would endeavour upon debate with his two "houfes, fo to difpofe of it, as likewife of the bufinefs of "Ireland, as might give them and both kingdoms fatis"faction. Not doubting alfo, but to give good content"ment to his two houses of parliament in the choice of the "lord-admiral, the officers of state, and others."

The 13th of January 16456, two days before the date of the laft meffage, both houfes had returned an answer to that of the 29th of December.

"That there had been a great deal of innocent blood of "his fubjects fhed in the war, by his majesty's commands "and commissions.

"That there had been Irish rebels brought over into "both kingdoms, and endeavours to bring over more as alfo forces from foreign parts.

"That his majefty was in arms in those parts, and the prince at the head of an army in the weft; there were "alfo forces in Scotland against that parliament and kingdom, by his commiffion; and the war in Ireland was fomented and prolonged by his majesty.

"That until fatisfaction and fecurity was firft given to both kingdoms, his majesty's coming to the parliament could not be convenient, nor by them affented unto.

"That

"That they could not apprehend it a means conducing CHAR. I. "to peace, that his majesty should come to his parliament 1645-6. "for a few days, with any thoughts of leaving it, especially "with intentions of returning to hoftility against it.

"That his majefty defired the engagement not only of "his parliament, but of the lord-mayor of London, &c. "which was against the privileges and honour of the par"liaments, those being joined with them, who were subject, and fubordinate to their authority.

66

"That the only way for the obtaining an happy and "well grounded peace, was, for his majefty to give his af"sent to those propofitions that should be fent to him.

"That there was not so much as any mention of Scot "land."

The king, in a reply to this answer, greatly complained Jan. 17. of the afperfions caft upon him by both houfes, and reproach- Id. p. 220. ed them in his turn. He infifted upon an answer to his meffage of the 15th of December, faying, "No rational "man could think their last paper, to be any answer to his ❝ former demands."

But the 24th of the fame month, he fent a farther reply to every particular article of that anfwer. The fubftance whereof was:

1. That a great deal of innocent blood had been spilt.

That is the very reafon why he preffeth that there fhould be no more (1.)

REMARK (1.) The meaning of this objection of both houses was, that there having been a great deal of blood fpilt in the war, it was reasonable the authors thereof should be punished, and that the king continuing to protect them, it was neceffary to profecute the war till he should be obliged to deliver them to juftice. So, the king's general reply upon this article answered not the objection.

2. That he had caused fome Irish to repair to his affifance.

He answered, that those whom they called Irifh, were indeed (for the most part) fuch English proteftants as had been formerly fent into Ireland by the two houfes, and unable to stay there any longer, by the neglect of those that fent them thither, who fhould have better provided for them (2.)

REM. (2.) The objection did not relate to the English forces the king had fent for from Ireland. The two houfes were far from giving thefe foldiers the name of Irish. But they meant the Irish papifts entertained by the king in his army, and particularly ten thousand men which the earl

Y 4

of

CHAR. I. of Glamorgan was to bring over. The king feigned not to 1645-6. understand the two houfes, and made an evasive answer to the objection.

3. That the prince was at the head of an army. The king answered, it was no great wonder, fince there was yet no peace.

4. That he defired to come to his parliament but for a few. days. He anfwered by protefting, that he fought that treaty. to avoid future hoftility, and procure a lafting peace (3.)

REM. (3.) The parliament did not question it: but they thought the king would come to London only to compel, by means of his friends, both houses to make fuch a peace as he defired. So, this general anfwer was not capable of giving them fatisfaction.

5. That the engagements which his majesty had defired for his fecurity, were a breach of privilege. The king answered, that whofoever fhould call to mind the particular occafions that enforced him to leave the city of London and Weftminfter, would judge his demand very reasonable and neceffary for his fafety. But he no way conceived how the lord-mayor, aldermen, &c. of London, were either subject or fubordinate to the authority of the two houfes.

6. That he had made no mention of Scotland. He answered, it was included in his former, and had been particularly mentioned in his latter, meffage of the 15th.

Laftly, He defired a pofitive anfwer to his former messa

ges.

Rushworth, The 29th of January the king fent another meffage to VI. p. 222. both houses, wherein he exprefly difavowed the earl of Glamorgan, concerning the treaty with the Irish rebels: and faid, "That that earl having made offer unto him to raise "forces in the kingdom of Ireland, and to conduct them "into England for his majesty's fervice, he had granted him "a commiffion to that purpofe, and to that purpose only: "but that he had no commiffion at all to treat of any thing "elfe, without the privity and directions of the lord-lieute"nant. And this clearly appeared by the lord-lieutenant's "proceedings with the faid earl, who had orders to call him "to an account (4.)

REM. (4.) The difguife ufed by the king on this occafion will manifeftly appear in what will be faid presently concerning this treaty.

The king added, "That if the two houfes would admit "of his repair to London for a perfonal treaty, speedy no"tice fhould be given him thereof, and a fafe-conduct with

" a blank fent for a messenger to be immediately dispatched CHAR. T. "into Ireland, to ftop the conclufion of the peace, the 1645-6. "lord-lieutenant being empowered to treat and conclude it.

"That he would leave the management of the business "of Ireland wholly to the two houfes, and make no peace there but with their confent, in cafe his endeavours in "the treaty fhould be bleffed with fuccefs.

"That if his perfonal repair to London fhould be ad"mitted, and a peace thereon enfue, he would then leave "the nomination of the perfons to be intrufted with the "militia, wholly to his two houfes, with fuch power and "limitations as were expreffed in the paper delivered by his "majefty's commiffioners at Uxbridge the 6th of February 1644-5.

"That if the peace fucceeded, he would be content, that pro hac vice, the two houfes fhould nominate the ad"miral, officers of ftate, and judges, to hold their places "during life, or quamdiu fe bene gefferint, to be accountable to none but the king and the two houfes of parliament.

"That as for matter of religion, he intended, that all "proteftants should have the free exercise of their religion "according to their own way.

"That upon the conclufion of peace there fhould be ã "general act of oblivion and free pardon.

"And this to extend to Scotland."

The king had never made fuch advances before, and yet all his endeavours to obtain a fafe-conduct were fruitless. The two houfe were fo perfuaded of his ability in the choice of his expreffions, which were commonly ambiguous, and capable of a different sense from what appeared at first fight, that they could not refolve to treat with him upon his own propofitions. Befides, they did not doubt, but the overture of a perfonal treaty was defigned for a fnare to force them to fuch a peace as he defired. They fent therefore to his feveral messages no other anfwer than what has been seen. So, this fort of negotiation, of which the king expected a happy event, only left things juft as they were.

with the

Both houfes, as we have feen, reproached the king, that The king's he was now endeavouring to bring Irifh troops into Eng- project to land; the king did not difown it, but denied the giving of make peace the earl of Glamorgan power to treat with the rebels upon rebels. any other article. This was literally true, but the king Id. p. 238. took care not to difcover the whole extent of this article, F. 134. and yet both houfes were perfectly informed of it, as will hereafter appear. To understand fully the objection and

anfwer,

Cox, Part II.

CHAR. I. anfwer, it will be neceffary to relate what paffed in Ireland 1645-6. upon this fubject. This is not one of the leaft curious points of the reign of Charles I. though the lord Clarendon has thought fit to pass it over in filence.

Rushworth,

The ceffation made by the king with the Irish rebels, V. p. 895, had not intirely fufpended hoftilities in that ifland. Mur-920, rough O Bryen lord Inchiquin, who commanded in Munster for the parliament, and major-general Monroe, who was at the head of the Scots in Ulfter, had refused to accept of the ceffation. On the other hand, the English forces drawn by the king out of Ireland, had been intirely ruined and difperfed in England. Thus the king had reaped no advantage by the ceffation, the motives whereof he had concealed with all poffible care. He had pretended, he was indifpenfably obliged to conclude it, in order to fave the English from the utter deftruction they were threatened with, by the fuperiority of the rebels and the parliament's neglect to send fupplies into Ireland. But when these English troops were feen to come into England, it was easy to perceive the true reafon of the ceffation.

The king not having reaped from this artifice all the advantage he expected, defifted not from the design of making ufe of the affiftance of the Irish to continue the war against the parliament. On the contrary, he formed the project of a peace with the rebels, in order to employ, not only the reft of the English troops ftill in Ireland, but also a good body of Irish, whom he intended to fend for into England. Id. p. 925. He ordered therefore the marquis of Ormond, lord-lieutenant of Ireland, to negotiate this peace, wherein however difficulties feemingly infurmountable occurred. To make peace with the Irish, they were neceffarily to be fatisfied in point of religion. But this the king could not do without running counter to all his proteftations concerning his great zeal for the proteftant religion, and without confirming in fome measure, the fufpicions of those who believed he was concerned in the Irish rebellion. In a word, he could not take this step, without relinquishing the interest of the Irish proteftants, and giving the catholics fuch advantages, as would render them very fuperior to the protestants. The interefts of England were also to be abandoned, and the dominion fhe had always enjoyed over Ireland, fince the conqueft of that kingdom, was in great measure to be forfeited. Nay, he was in danger by fuch a proceeding to lofe many friends

The lord Inchiquin refused to ac cept it, because he could not obtain the

in

prefidency of Munfter. See Borlafej P. 146.