1. In a Letter from His Majesty to both Houses of Parliament . Jan. 20. The conclusion you may read thus :

If all these present distractions ( which so apparently threaten the ruine of this Kingdom ) do not ( by the blessing of Almighty God ) end in a happy and blessed accommodation , His Majesty will then be ready to call heaven & earth , God and man to witnesse , that it hath not failed on his part .

I do believe him .

In His Majesties speech to the Committee March 9. 1641. when they presented the Declaration of both Houses of Parliament at Newmarket .

I am confident that you expect not I should give you a speedy answer to this strange and unexpected Declaration , that ( in the distraction of this Kingdome ) you should think this way of addresse more convenient then that proposed by my Message the 20. of January last to both Houses . As concerning the grounds of your feares and jealousies , I will take time to answer particularly , and doubt not but I shal do it to the satisfaction of the whole world . God in his good time will discover the secrets and bottomes of all plots and treasons , 〈…〉 I shal stand right in the eys of my people .

God so deale with me and mine , as all my thoughts and intentions are upright , for the maintenance of the true Protestant profession , and for the observation and preservation of the Lawes of this land : and I hope God will blesse and assist those Lawes for My preservation .

A Christian on this vow might believe an Infidell .

His Majesties Answer to a Petition presented to Him at York Aprill 18. 1642. by the Earle of Stamford , M , Chancellour of the Exchequer , and M. Hungerford .

When We duly weigh the dishonour which will perpetually lie upon this Kingdome , if full and speedy reliefe be not dispatched , We could not , nor cannot think of a better way to discharge Our duty to almighty God , for the defence of the true Protestant Profession , or to manifest Our affection to Our three Kingdomes , then by ingaging Our Person in this Expedition , as many of our royall Progenitors have done even in Forraigne parts , upon causes of lesse importance and piety , with great honour to themselves , and advantage to this Kingdome .

For the danger of our Person , We conceive it necessary and worthy of a King , to adventure his life to preserve his Kingdome , neither can it be imagined , that We will sit still and suffer our Kingdome to be lost , and our good Protestant Subjects to be massacred , without exposing our Person to the utmost hazzard for their relief and preservation .

And in the conclusion of this Answer thus it followeth . God , in his good time , We hope , will so informe the hearts of all our good subjects , that We shall recover from the mischief and danger of this distemper , on whose good pleasure We will wait with patience and humility .

Next in His Majesties answer to a book intituled , The Declaration or Remonstrance of the Lords and Commons of the 19. of May . For the bringing up of the Army to London , as we have heretofore ( by no other direction then the testimony of a good conscience ) called God to witnesse we never had or knew of any such resolution ; so upon the view of the Depositions now published with that Declaration , it is not evident to Us , there was ever such a designe , unlesse very loose discourse or argument be instance enough of such a designe .

In the same answer pag . 6.

And if no better effects then losse of time , and hindrance of the publike affaires have been found by Our Answers and Replies , let all good men judge , by whose default , and whose want of duty such effects have been .

And We call almighty God to witnesse all Our complaints and jealousies , which have never been causelesse , nor of Our Houses of Parliament , but of some few schismaticall , factious and ambitious spirits : Our deniall of the MILITIA , Our absenting Our Selfe from London , have beene the effects of an upright and faithfull affection to Our English Subjects , that We may be able , through all the inconveniences We are compelled to wrastle with , at last to restore their Religion , Lawes and Liberties unto them .

We desire Our actions may no longer prosper or have a blessing from God upon them and Us , then they shal be directed to the glory of God in the maintenance of the true Protestant profession , to the preservation of the property and liberty of the subjects in the observation of the Lawes , and the maintenance of the Rights and Freedome of Parliament , in the allowance and protection of all their just priviledges .

Then again , make a surveigh of His Majesties Declaration to the Ministers , Free-holders , Farmers and substantiall Copie-holders of the County of York , assembled by His Majesties speciall Summons at Heworth-Moore , on Friday the 3. of June , 1642.

We would have you to be assured , that We never intended the least neglect unto you in any former Summons of the county , Our love , as well as our protection , extending to all Our Subjects ; but as you are a great body , time and conveniency must be observed in your assembling .

That you may know the generall reasons of Our being here , you must understand , that when We found it neither safe nor honourable to expose Our Person to the tumultuous and licentious proceedings of many ( which to this day are unpunished ) who did disorderly approach neer Our Court at White-Hall , We trusted this part of Our dominions chiefly to reside in , where , as most of the Gentry already have , so We assure Our Self , the rest of you will give Us cleer testimonie of your service and obedience , which We will never use otherwise then for the defence of Our orthodox Religion , professed and setled in Qu . ELIZABETHS time , and confirmed by the authoritie of the Statutes of this Realme , the defence of the Lawes and fundamentall Constitutions of the Kingdome ( as the justest measure and rule for Our Prerogative , your Liberties and Rights ) and lastly , for the preservation of the peace of this Kingdome .

As for our own zeal to the Protestant profession , we refer all the world to our daily exercise of , and our Declarations concerning it , and execution of the Lawes against the Papists , so likewise we cannot but declare Our Self most heartily sorrie to find such Separatists and Schismaticks , who presume against Law , to foment new doctrines and disciplines , to the disturbance of Church and State . For the Law , it being the common inheritance of Our people , we shall never inforce any Prerogative of Ours beyond it , but submit Our self to it , and give you and all Our subjects the fullest latitude of it both for the liberty of your persons , and the propriety of your estates , and for an inviolable confidence and assurance hereof , as we take God ( the searcher of all hearts ) to witnesse Our reall intention herein , so We shall no longer desire you to stand for the defence of Our Person , Honor and just Prerogatives , then we shall maintain the Lawes of the Land , the liberty of your persons , and propriety of your goods .

After this in His Majesties Answer to the Petition of the Lords and Commons presented to His Majesty at York June 17. 1642. concerning recusants . For the resort of Papists to the Court , His Majesties great care for the prevention thereof , is notoriously knowne , that when he was informed two or three of his Guard were of that Religion , he gave speciall direction , with expressions of his displeasure , that they should be immediately discharged and provided , that no person should attend on him under that relation , but such as took the oath of Allegiance and Supremacie .

His Majesties Declaration and profession disavowing any preparations or intentions in Him to levie warre against His Houses of Parliament , June15 .

There having been many rumors spread , and informations given , which may have induced many to believe , that We intend to make war against Our Parliament ,

We professe before God , and declare to all the world , that We always have and do abhorre all such designes , and desire all Our Nobility and Councell , who are here upon the place , to declare whether they have not been witnesses of Our frequent and earnest declarations and professions to this purpose , whether they see any colour of preparations or counsails that might reasonably beget a beliefe of any such designe , and whether they be not fully perswaded , that we have no such intention , but that all Our endeavours ( according to Our many professions ) tend to the firm and constant settlement of the true Protestant Religion the just Priviledges of Parliament , the Liberty of the Subject , peace and prosperity of this Kingdome .

The conclusion of His Majesties reply in a Message to the Answer and hamble Petition of both Houses of Parliament , Septemb . 11. 1642. The God of heaven direct you , and in mercie divert those judgments which hang over this Nation , and so deale with Us and Our Posterity , as We desire the preservation and advancement of the true Protestant Religion , the Law , and the Liberty of the Subject , the just Rights of Parliament , and the peace of the Kingdome .