IT is no new thing among so many wise men to have severall and farre different conceptions ; yet none unrepugnant to reason , or dissentious from truth ; as in the severall parts and dimensions of the body the limbs move severall wayes , but all to one end : so doe your affections and resolutions tends all of them according to their abilities imploying themselves to the advancement of our Cause , which were it composed , and the differences between Our Parliament and Our Selfe sodred up , we should then beleeve Our Selves againe absolute Monarch of this Island , and think Our Selfe as happy and fortunate as any of Our Great and Royall Progenitors . It is but a while since I declared My intentions for Peace , which surely can embrace no change , they are so just and advantagious to Our selfe , and profitable and requisite for Our people , who surely have with too heavie a heart groaned too long under the insupportable burthen of these intestine differences , which diffuse themselves like prodigies throughout every Province of Our Dominons .

My Lord of Bristoll I must confesse an able Gentleman , and well versed in all the affaires of forraigne and domestique States ; so that it is a hard matter for him to be deceived in any particle he undertakes to treat of in that nature ; yet in this surely hee mistakes the state of the question , as it hath been related to mee : namely , that the best way for the preservation of Our honour , and to procure an universall peace through Our Dominions , is to continue the present war ; the motives urging him to this , I believe is neither springing from any malice to the Parliament , or propension to the continuation of these wars , ( which his wisedome knowes destructive to all Nations ) but out a zeale and integrity to Us , and an over cautious care he hath to Our honour and safety , more then to his owne , or any of his friends in particular , though some may imagine hee would have these broyles remaine uncomposed betweene Us and Our Parliament , because some of speciall neere affinity to his blood and fortunes , are by the Parliament nominated and published Delinquents ; but Wee doe excuse him of that partiality , and are assured that hee who is so perfectly studied in all morall Philosophie , must needs know , no mans private interest or commodity must stand in competition , or be thought valuable with the publique profit , which must needs consist in a sudden and faire attonement between Us and Our Parliament : for the feares which my Lord of Bristoll hath , that it will be a ruine to his owne and other noble-mens estates and families , no man can imagine so unworthily of Us , as to believe that Wee will ever admit of a pacification that shall be the undoing of the prime of Our nobility , for their fidelity to Our person , and fulfilling Our commands . Peace , though Wee love , We will not purchase at so deare and dishonourable a rate ; nor can I be perswaded , but that the Parliament having the living character of their duty imprinted in their bosomes , and the memory of our goodnesse and lenity towards Our people registred in their memory , will easily be perswaded or ruled by Us , to condiscend to a faire and happy peace for both parts , without the severe mention of those conditions , which indeed cannot but startle the tempers of divers of the Nobility , and render them averse from all thought of pacification . But as We will not suffer the innocent to be given up to punishment undeservedly , so will We by no meanes patronage or protect the guilty from the justice of Our Parliament , if any be Delinquents against the knowne Lawes of the Land or the priviledge thereof : nor can Wee in Our Justice or Conscience take an example from the carriage of the Spanyard , whose too much severity hath beene the losse of the best of the seventeene Provinces formerly , and in this age , of Catalo●… ia and Portugall : besides , the municipall and fundamentall Lawes of that Nation ingage the Subject to that strictnesse of obedience , with which they are very well contented , because custome and continuance hath made that yoak seeme easie to them , which should it be by Us inflicted on Our Subjects of England , would be a horrid injustice , because they have alwayes had Kings who by their Parliaments have increased and added to their Immunities and Priviledges , none that ever diminished or disanulled them ; and should Wee goe about to doe it , they were blamelesse to all the world if they did complaine of Our severity and infringement of their liberties : But We shall never give cause to any , so much as to suspect Us of that tyranny ; nor that We will in any wise hearken either to my Lord of Bristoll , or any mans counsell in that case .

But for the Earle of Dorsets opinion , concerning a sudden Accomodation betweene Our selfe and Parliament , We must needs confesse it the centre of our desires and intentions : how is it possible my Lords , that a King can be any wayes so great and glorious , as when he is incompassed not onely with the hands , but the hearts and soules of his Subjects ? Amongst the ancient Patriarchs in the old Testament , Fathers were most renowned for the multitude of their sonnes ; the very embleme of Kings who can never be accounted so mighty and powerfull as in the multitude of their Subjects . Blessed is the man , saith the Psalmist , speaking of fathers , who hath his quiver full of them , meaning children ; the same maxime holds in Kings and Subjects , who have the same relation one to another , after a manner , that fathers have to children . Cyrus ( in Zenophon ) the King of Persia , had wont to say , his treasury and armory was his people , intimating thereby , that all his strength and wealth was confined to , and couched in this good will and affections of his Subjects : So Wee would have it with Our people and Us , whose dutifull regard towards Us Wee so much sought to indeare to Us , that in this present Parliament , which hath suited so ill with Us , We did not deny the confirmation of any one Bill offered to Us for the benefit and ease of Our people , witnesse the abrogating the Star-chamber , the High Commssion Court , and others of that nature , which being for the publique good , are yet , and so shall ever rest inviolated and unrepealed .

But it is in vaine for Us to lament the distresses and distractions of this Kingdome , without Wee endeavour some serious and speedy way to redresse them , Our pity onely will be accounted verball , and We meerely in show affected to the welfare of Our people . The onely path that can leade Us to the end of this journey , is a ●… dden Accommodation between Our selfe and Parliament : that is the meane by which We may rectifie this h●dra-headed distraction ; the onely physique can be administred to the infirme body of the Kingdome : for by continuation of the warres , to believe to compose the shaken and impaired health of this Common-wealth , were just as a Physician should prescribe blood-letting to one sicke of a dead Pal●ie ; no , there hath beene too much blood shed already , too much English blood ; heaven hereafter will , I hope , be pleased to provide that no more be shed so profusely . For Our part , if any be , it shall be full sore against Our will or desire : For We had rather descend to treat with our Parliament on any indifferent termes ( unreasonable We presume they will not offer Us ) then behold the continuance of these fatall civill warres , that does so lessen and extenuate Our power in the diminution and decreasing of Our Subjects , whose peace , prosperity and plenty Wee value equall with Our owne , or that of Our naturall children . It cannot be so hard to compose these differences betwixt Us , because We have so neere and considerable a relation one to the other , the quarrell may easily be ended , if a treaty for peace were but well begun ; and if Wee and Our Parliament had but once conferred together , Our reconcilement were not to be doubted , nor the settling of God true Religion ( of which Wee are and be the constant defender ) to be feared .

Our Royall pleasure is therefore , my Lords , that no man shall thinke he does Us a service by seeking to advise Us from such an Accommodation : For such advices hereafter ( but to heare mentioned ) will be more ingratefull and displeasant to Us , than any counsell what ever can be acceptable : your advices will then be pleasing to Us , when they unanimously concurre in the framing some way by which peace may be accomplished , without which Wee shall never see our selves free from distractions , nor Our sou●e from troubles . And hee shall be most esteemed of for his fidelity , that can give life to the meanes whereby these distractions may receive death , these disturbances which dwell so heavie about my heart , that till they be removed thence , it hath scarce any vigour or motion in it ; this is Our resolution , and this Wee will surely put in practice in despight of all contrary counsels , which Wee presume now you know Our intentions , no man amongst you will offer directly or indirectly to impart unto Us.