written Articles, we shall perform our part therein as is above expressed in the said Articles. At Carisbrook Castle, the 26th of December Charles R. [his little seal 1.] We, whose names are underwritten, do hereby engage ourselves upon our honour, faith and conscience, and all that is dearest to honest men to endeavour to the utmost of our powers that the kingdom of Scotland shall engage to perform the within written conditions in so far as relates to them, His Majesty engaging to perform his part of the aforesaid Articles; and we are most confident that the kingdom of Scotland will do the same; and we are most willing, upon the perfecting of the said Agreement, to hazard our lives and fortunes in pursuance thereof. By the clause of confirming Presbyterian government by Act of Parliament, His Majesty hath declared to us that he is neither obliged to desire the settling of Presbyterian government, nor to present a Bill for that effect; and we likewise understand that no person whatsoever suffer in his estate or corporal punishment for not submitting to Presbyterian government, His Majesty understanding that this shall not extend to those that are mentioned in the clause against toleration. This was declared in the presence of Lord Loudoun, Lord Lauderdale, Lord Lanerick, and the King took them as witnesses and not assentors, December 27. Loudoun, Lauderdale, Lanerick. 67. ADDITIONAL ARTICLES OF THE ENGAGEMENT. [December 26, 1647. The Lauderdale Papers, Camden Society, i. 2.] Charles Rex. His Majesty, out of the natural affection he bears to his ancient and native kingdom, and to demonstrate how sensible he is of their affection expressed to him in the time of his extremity, and how heartily desirous he is to put marks of his grace and favour upon his subjects of that nation which may remain to all posterity, doth declare that he is resolved :That Scottish men equally with English be employed by His Majesty and his successors, in foreign negotiations and treaties in all time coming; 1 The words in brackets are evidently the work of the copyist. What follows is taken from No. 2685, in Clarendon's hand. That a considerable and competent number of Scotsmen1 be upon His Majesty's Council, and his successors' in England, and so reciprocally the same number of Englishmen upon His Majesty's Council in Scotland. That Scottish men according to the number and proportion [of a third part in number and quality be employed 2] in places of trust and offices about His Majesty's person, the Queen's Majesty, the Prince and the rest of the royal issue, and their families in all time coming, That His Majesty and the Prince, or at least one of them, shall reside in Scotland frequently as their occasions can permit whereby their subjects of that kingdom may be known unto them 3. 68. THE KING'S REPLY TO THE FOUR BILLS AND THE ACCOMPANYING PROPOSITIONS. [December 28, 1647. Old Parliamentary History, xvi. 483. See Masson's Life of Milton, iii. 584.] For the Speaker of the Lords' House pro tempore, to be communicated to the Lords and Commons in the Parliament of Westminster, and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland. Charles Rex. The necessity of complying with all engaged interests in these great distempers, for a perfect settlement of peace, His Majesty finds to be none of the least difficulties he hath met with since the time of his afflictions; which is too visible, when at the same time that the two Houses of the English Parliament do present to His Majesty several Bills and Propositions for his consent, the Commissioners for Scotland do openly protest against them: so that were there nothing in the case but the consideration of that difference, His Majesty cannot imagine how to give such an answer to 6 1 This originally stood: That Scottish men at least to the number of the third part.' 2 The words in brackets are inserted in the margin in Charles's hand, instead of 'aforesaid,' &c. 3 This additional Agreement was sealed with Charles's signet. It was originally dated Carisbrook, 26 Dec. 1647, but the date is scratched out. Lauderdale told Burnet of its existence. Hyde wrote on the back of his copy of the Engagement (Clar. MSS. 2685), that these terms occur in a copy in the possession of Lord Culpepper which he saw, but of which he was not allowed to take a copy. He also states that they did not occur in the copy in the hands of Prince Rupert. written Articles, we shall perform our part therein as is above expressed in the said Articles. At Carisbrook Castle, the 26th of December Charles R. [his little seal 1.] We, whose names are underwritten, do hereby engage ourselves upon our honour, faith and conscience, and all that is dearest to honest men to endeavour to the utmost of our powers that the kingdom of Scotland shall engage to perform the within written conditions in so far as relates to them, His Majesty engaging to perform his part of the aforesaid Articles; and we are most confident that the kingdom of Scotland will do the same; and we are most willing, upon the perfecting of the said Agreement, to hazard our lives and fortunes in pursuance thereof. By the clause of confirming Presbyterian government by Act of Parliament, His Majesty hath declared to us that he is neither obliged to desire the settling of Presbyterian government, nor to present a Bill for that effect; and we likewise understand that no person whatsoever suffer in his estate or corporal punishment for not submitting to Presbyterian government, His Majesty understanding that this shall not extend to those that are mentioned in the clause against toleration. This was declared in the presence of Lord Loudoun, Lord Lauderdale, Lord Lanerick, and the King took them as witnesses and not assentors, December 27. Loudoun, Lauderdale, Lanerick. 67. ADDITIONAL ARTICLES OF THE ENGAGEMENT. [December 26, 1647. The Lauderdale Papers, Camden Society, i. 2.] Charles Rex. His Majesty, out of the natural affection he bears to his ancient and native kingdom, and to demonstrate how sensible he is of their affection expressed to him in the time of his extremity, and how heartily desirous he is to put marks of his grace and favour upon his subjects of that nation which may remain to all posterity, doth declare that he is resolved :That Scottish men equally with English be employed by His Majesty and his successors, in foreign negotiations and treaties in all time coming; 1 The words in brackets are evidently the work of the copyist. What follows is taken from No. 2685, in Clarendon's hand. That a considerable and competent number of Scotsmen1 be upon His Majesty's Council, and his successors' in England, and so reciprocally the same number of Englishmen upon His Majesty's Council in Scotland. That Scottish men according to the number and proportion [of a third part in number and quality be employed 2] in places of trust and offices about His Majesty's person, the Queen's Majesty, the Prince and the rest of the royal issue, and their families in all time coming, That His Majesty and the Prince, or at least one of them, shall reside in Scotland frequently as their occasions can permit whereby their subjects of that kingdom may be known unto them ". 68. THE KING'S REPLY TO THE FOUR BILLS AND THE ACCOMPANYING PROPOSITIONS. [December 28, 1647. Old Parliamentary History, xvi. 483. See Masson's Life of Milton, iii. 584.] For the Speaker of the Lords' House pro tempore, to be communicated to the Lords and Commons in the Parliament of Westminster, and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland. Charles Rex. The necessity of complying with all engaged interests in these great distempers, for a perfect settlement of peace, His Majesty finds to be none of the least difficulties he hath met with since the time of his afflictions; which is too visible, when at the same time that the two Houses of the English Parliament do present to His Majesty several Bills and Propositions for his consent, the Commissioners for Scotland do openly protest against them: so that were there nothing in the case but the consideration of that difference, His Majesty cannot imagine how to give such an answer to This originally stood: That Scottish men at least to the number of the third part.' 2 The words in brackets are inserted in the margin in Charles's hand, instead of aforesaid,' &c. 3 This additional Agreement was sealed with Charles's signet. It was originally dated Carisbrook, 26 Dec. 1647, but the date is scratched out. Lauderdale told Burnet of its existence. Hyde wrote on the back of his copy of the Engagement (Clar. MSS. 2685), that these terms occur in a copy in the possession of Lord Culpepper which he saw, but of which he was not allowed to take a copy. He also states that they did not occur in the copy in the hands of Prince Rupert. what is now proposed, as thereby to promise himself his great end, a perfect peace. And when His Majesty further considers how impossible it is, in the condition he now stands, to fulfil the desires of his two Houses, since the only ancient and known ways of passing laws are either by His Majesty's personal assent in the House of Peers, or by commission under his Great Seal of England, he cannot but wonder at such failings in the manner of address which is now made unto him; unless his two Houses intend that His Majesty shall allow of a Great Seal made without his authority, before there be any consideration had thereupon in a Treaty, which as it may hereafter hazard the security itself, so for the present it seems very unreasonable to His Majesty. And though His Majesty is willing to believe that the intention of very many in both Houses in sending these Bills before a treaty was only to obtain a trust from him, and not to take any advantage by passing them, to force other things from him, which are either against his conscience or honour; yet His Majesty believes it clear to all understandings, that these Bills contain, as they are now penned, not only the divesting himself of all sovereignty, and that without possibility of recovering it, either to him or his successors, except by repeal of these Bills, but also the making his concessions guilty of the greatest pressures that can be made upon the subject; as in other particulars, so by giving an arbitrary and unlimited power to the two Houses for ever, to raise and levy forces for land and sea service, on what persons, without distinction or quality, and to what numbers, they please: and likewise, for the payment of them, to levy what monies, in such sort, and by such ways and means, and consequently upon the estates of whatsoever persons they shall think fit and appoint, which is utterly inconsistent with the liberty and prosperity of the subject, and His Majesty's trust in protecting them. So that, if the major part of both Houses shall think it necessary to put the rest of the Propositions into Bills, His Majesty leaves all the world to judge how unsafe it would be for him to consent thereunto; and if not, what a strange condition, after the passing of these four Bills, His Majesty and all his subjects would be cast into. And here His Majesty thinks it not unfit to wish his two Houses to consider well the manner of their proceeding; that when His Majesty desires a personal treaty with them for the settling of a peace, they in manner propose the very |