Survey of the Annals of King Charles, Part 12
The Speech of the Lord Louthen, Chancellour of Scotland, to the King at Newcaſtle, July, 1646.
YOur Majeſty was plcaſed on Monday laſt to call the Lords of Your Councell and Committee, to acquaint them with the Propoſitions, and told them before you would deliver Your Anſwer, You would make the ſame known to them: The time aſſigned to the Commiſſioners ſtay is ſo ſhort, and the conſequence of your Majeſties Anſwer of ſo great importance, either for the perſervation or ruine of Your Crowne, and Kingdomes, as we could not be anſwerable to God, nor to that Truſt repoſed in us unleſſe we repreſent to your Majeſty how neceſſary it is that your Maieſty aſſent to the Propoſitions as the … of affaires now … that the danger and … of your refuſall will be remedileſſe, and b…ing on a ſuddaine ruine and deſtruction.
I ſhall begin firſt with the laſt, which is the danger and ſhall next ſpeake a word of the remedy.
The differences betwixt your Majeſty and your Parliament (which no man knoweth better than your Majeſties ſelfe,) are growne to ſuch a height, that after many, bloudy battels; the Parliament having your Majeſty, all the Forts, Garriſons, and ſtrong holds in their hands, having your Majeſties Revenue, Exciſe, Aſſeſſements, Sequeſtrations, and the Authority to raiſe all the men and money in the Kingdome, and having, after many victories and great ſucceſſes, a ſtrong Army on Foot, are now in ſuch a p…ſture for ſtrength and power: they are in a capacity to doe what they will, both in Church and State. And ſome are ſo afraid, and others ſo unwilling to ſubmit themſelves to your Majeſties Government, that they deſire not you, nor any of your Race, longer to reigne over them: But the people are ſo wearied of the Warre, and great burthens they doe groane under, are ſo loath to have Monarchieall Government deſtroyed, that they dare not attempt to caſt it totally off, till once they ſend Propoſitions of Peace to your Majeſty, leaſt the people (without whoſe concurrence they are not able to carry on their deſign) ſhould fall from them; but after ſo great Warre and trouble, that they may have a perfect ſecurity from oppoſition and Arbitrary power, they have reſolved upon the Propoſitions, which are tendred to your Majeſty, as that without which the Kingdome and your people cannot be in ſafety, and that there cannot be a firme peace upon any other tearmes.
Your Majeſties friends in the Houſes, and the Commiſſioners from Scotland, (after much wra…ing) did conſent to the ſending of thoſe Propoſitions, or to be rated the hinderers of peace, or otherwayes to ſend no Propoſitions at all.
And now Sir, if your Majeſty (as God fo…bid) ſhall refuſe to aſſent to the Propoſitions, You will loſe all Your friends in the Houſes, loſe the City, and all the Countrey. And all England will joyne againſt you as one man; they will proceſſe and depoſe you, and ſet up another Government; they will charge us to deliver your Majeſty to them, and to render their Garriſons, and remove our Armies out of England, and upon your Maieſties refuſall of the propoſitions, both Kingdomes will be conſtrained for their mutuall ſafety, to agree and ſettle Religion and peace without You, which (to our unſpeakable griefe) will ruine your Maieſtyy and your poſterity, and if your Maieſty refuſe our faithfull advice (who deſire nothing on Earth more than the preſervation of your Maieſties Royall Throne.) And if your Maieſty loſe England by your wilfulneſſe, You will not be permitted to come and reigne in Scotland.
Sir, we have laid our hands upon our hearts, we have asked Counſell and direction from God, and have had our moſt ſerious thoughts upon the remedy, but can finde no other to ſave your Crowne and Kingdomes, than your Maieſties aſſenting to the propoſitions, and dare not ſay but they are higher in ſome things, (if it were in our power and option to remedy) than we approved of, but when we ſee no other meanes for curing the diſtempers of the Kingdomes, and cloſing the breach between your Majeſty and your Parliament, our moſt humble and ſafe adviſe is, your Majeſty will be graciouſly pleaſed to aſſent to them as the onelyonly way to eſtabliſh your Throne; becauſe your Majeſty ſhall be thereby received againe in your Parliament, with the applauſe and acclamations of your people, by your Royall preſence all friends will be ſtrengthened, and all Enemies, (who feare nothing ſo much as the granting the propoſitions) will be weakned; your Maieſty will have a fit opportunity hereafter, to offer ſuch propoſitions as You and your Parliament in wiſedome ſhall thinke fit, for your Crowne and Kingdome, the Armies will be disbanded, and your people finding the ſweet fruit of a peaceable Government: you will gaine their hearts and affections, and that will be your Maieſties ſtrength and glory, and will recover all that you have loſt in this time of tempeſt of trouble.
And if it pleaſe God to incline your Royall heart to this adviſe of your humble, and faithfull ſervants, who next to the honour and ſervice of God, eſteem nothing more pretious, than the ſafety of your perſon, and Crowne: our actions ſhall make it appeare, that we eſteem no hazard too great for your Maieſties ſafety, and that we are willing to ſacrifice our lives and fortunes for eſtabliſhing your Throne and iuſt Right.
Collected by John Vicars.
FINIS.
Printed at London by John Dever & … Ibbitſon, for T. Jenn… and are to be ſold at the Royall-Exchange. 1646.
End of the text · John Vicars, Survey of the Annals of King Charles (1646)