TRANSCRIBERS NOTES:
Has been mantained the ancient style, therefore just the more evident printing errors have been corrected. Punctuation has not been corrected also if inconsistent with modern English.
Italics and smallcaps have been manteined as far as possible, since as in old books (this one was printed in 1621) sometimes text style changes when a word is hyphenated.
The transcriber of this project created the book cover image using the title page of the original book. The image is placed in the public domain.
HIS
MAIESTIES
DECLARATION,
Touching his proceedings in the
late Assemblie and Conuention
of Parliament.
Imprinted at London by Bonham
Norton and Iohn Bill ,
Printers to the Kings most Excellent
Maiestie . 1621.
HIS
MAIESTIES
Declaration, touching his proceedings
in the late Assembly and
Conuention of Parliament.
HAuing of late, vpon mature deliberation, with the aduice and vniforme consent of Our whole Priuie Councell, determined to dissolue the Assembly and Conuention of Parliament, lately called together by Our Regall power and Authoritie, Wee were pleased by Our Proclamation, giuen at Our Palace of Westminster the sixt day of this instant Ianuary, to declare, not onely Our pleasure and resolution therein, but also to expresse some especiall passages and proceedings, moouing vs to that resolution: Wherein, albeit hauing so many yeeres swayed the swords and scepters of three renowned kingdomes, Wee cannot but discerne (as much as any Prince liuing) what apperteineth to the height of a powerfull Monarch: yet, that all men might discerne, that Wee, like Gods true Viceregent, delight not so much in the greatnesse of Our place, as in the goodnesse & benignitie of our gouernment, We were content in that one Act to descend many degrees beneath Our Selfe: First, by communicating to all Our people the reasons of a resolution of State, which Princes vse to reserue, inter arcana Imperij, to themselues and their Priuie Councell: Secondly, by mollifying and mixing the peremptorie and binding qualitie of a Proclamation, with the indulgence of a milde and fatherly instruction: And lastly, leading them, and opening to them that forbidden Arke of Our absolute and indisputable Prerogatiue, concerning the calling, continuing, and dissoluing of Parliaments: which, though it were more then superabundant to make Our Subiects know the realitie of Our sincere intentions; yet Wee not satisfied therewith, but finding the bounds of a Proclamation too straight to conteine and expresse the boundlesse affection that Wee beare to Our good and louing people, are pleased hereby to inlarge Our Selfe, (as Wee promised in Our said Proclamation) by a more full and plaine expression of those Letters and Messages that passed from Vs to the Commons in Parliament, which by reason of the length of them, could not bee related at large, but briefly pointed at in Our said Proclamation. For, as in generall the great actions of Kings are done as vpon a stage, obuious to the publike gazing of euery man; so are Wee most willing, that the trueth of this particular, concerning Our owne honour, and the satisfaction of Our Subjects, should bee represented vnto all men without vaile or couering, being assured that the most plainnesse and freedome will most aduantage Vs, hauing in this, and all Our Actions euer affected such sinceritie and vprightnes of heart, as were Wee all transparent, and that men might readily passe to Our inward thoughts, they should there perceiue the selfe-same affections which Wee haue euer professed in Our outward words and Actions.
Hauing anticipated the time of reassembling Our Parliament to the twentieth day of Nouember last, (which Wee formerly appointed to haue met vpon the eighth of February next,) vpon the confidence that their noble and generous declaration at their parting the fourth of Iune put vs in, of their free and liberall assistance to the recouery of Our Childrens ancient inheritance, and hauing declared to them Our resolution of taking vpon Vs the defence of Our childrens patrimonie by way of Armes, the Commons very heartily and dutifully fell immediatly after their reassembling, to treat of a necessary supplie, and concluded, for the present, to grant a Subsidie to be paid in February next, (the last paiment of the latter Subsidie granted by them being not to come in vntill May following) whereby Wee were well and cleerly satisfied of the good intenti[=o] of the Commons in generall, by whose vniforme vote & assent that Subsidy was resolued on, not without intimation of a more ample supplie to be yeelded in conuenient time.
But before this their resolution was reduced into a formall Acte or Bill, some discontented persons that were the cause of all that euill which succeeded, endeauouring to clog the good will of the Commons with their owne vnreasonable ends, fell to dispute in the House of Our high Prerogatiues, namely of the match of Our dearest sonne the Prince, of the making warre with forreigne Princes Our Allies, betweene whom and Vs there was a firme peace religiously made and obserued hitherunto: All which they couered with the cloake of Religion, and with the faire pretence of a duetifull Petition to bee preferred to Vs. Wee vnderstanding right well, that those points were not disputable in Parliament, without Our owne Royall direction, being of Our highest Prerogatiues, the very Characters of Souereignty; & thinking, that when euery Subiect by nature, and the Lawes of the Realme, had the power of matching their children according to their owne best liking, none should denie Vs the like; especially Wee hauing at the beginning of the Parliament declared Our purpose concerning the matching of Our Sonne, the Prince, were fully perswaded, that those specious outsides of Religion and humble petitioning, were added onely to gaine passage vnto those things, which being propounded in their true colours, must needs haue appeared vniust and vnreasonable, as matters wherewith neuer any Parliament had presumed to meddle before, except they had bene thereunto required by their King; nay, not befitting Our Priuie Councell to meddle with, without Our speciall command and allowance; since the very consulting vpon such matters (though in neuer so priuate a maner) being discouered abroad, might at some time produce as ill effects, as if they were publikely resolued vpon. For as concerning the point of Religion, We aswell in the beginning of the Parliament, by a publike and open Declaration made to both Houses in the higher House of Parliament, as also shortly after, by a gracious answere vnto a former Petition of theirs, expressed to the full Our immutable resolution to maintaine true Religion, besides the vntainted practise of Our whole life in that point. And howsoeuer an humble Petition beare a faire shew of respect; yet if vnder colour of concluding on a Petition, a way should bee opened to treat in Parliament of the mysteries of State, without Our Royall allowance, it were a great and vnusuall breach vpon the Royall power: Besides, who knoweth not that the preferring of a Petition, includes an expectation to haue it graunted? and therefore to nippe this springing euill in the beginning, Wee directed Our Letters to the Speaker of that House, the tenour of which Letters followeth.
MAster Speaker, Wee haue heard by diuers reports to Our great griefe, That the farre distance of Our Person at this time from Our high Court of Parliament, caused by Our want of health, hath emboldened some fiery and popular spirits in Our House of Commons, to debate and argue publikely, in matters farre beyond their reach or capacitie, and so tending to Our high dishonour, and to the trenching vpon Our Prerogatiue Royall. You shall therefore acquaint that House with Our Pleasure, That none therein shall henceforth presume to meddle with any thing concerning Our gouernment, or mysteries of State; namely, not to speake of Our dearest Sonnes match with the Daughter of
