A LETTER FROM HIS MAJETTIES COVRT AT HOLMBIE WITH Advertiſement of Propoſitions from the King to the Parliament; in Anſwer to the Propoſitions for Peace.
With His Majeſties conſent to have the Presbyterian Government ſetled for three yeares. And other particulars concerning the Queenes Letter to His MAJESTIE.
London, Printed by B. A. May 21. 1647.
I Had thought to have been at London before this, but ſeeing that I have been prevented, I ſhall make this uſe of my ſtay, to acquaint your Honour, that about 3 weeks ſince, one (who cals her ſelf the) Lady Cave (as ſhe ſaith) received a letter for the King, which letter was brought to her from the queen in France, by a French Gentleman, (but) he ſaid, by her ſervant, perhaps he, was ſo (in ſome ſence.) This Lady Cave is a Gentlemans daughter about Stamford, whether ſhe hath marryed ſome Knight, or Col. of the Kings party, or how ſhe comes to be a Lady, I know not, but it ſeems that upon the receit of the ſaid letter, from the Queen to his Maj. ſhe addreſſed her ſelfe to another Gentlewoman who liveth in theſe parts, an acquaintance of hers, who was to be the Uſherer of her buſineſſe, thus.
The ſaid Gentlewoman being as great a Royaliſt as her ſelfe, came (before the Lady Cave) into theſe parrs, and viſited Captaine Abbots Landlady, ſome five miles from Holmby Houſe where he quarters, being one of the Captaines who are under Collonell Graves for this buſineſſe of wayting upon His Majeſties Perſon at Holmby, and (it ſeemes) confiding in her, that ſhe would be faithfull to her deſigne, lay there ſome nights, untill ſhee had prevailed by her Laudladies meanes with Captaine Abbot, who is a very honeſt faithfull Gentleman, but being ignorant of any deſigne (by her importunity) ſhe prevailed, to procure with him, to get her to kiſſe the Kings hand, which ſhe did at Holmby.
After ſhe ſaw how the way lay for the Lady CAVE (by doing the like to put the Letter into the Kings hands, which ſhe had to deliver to Him from the Queene, ſhee againe addreſſed her ſelfe to the Lady Cave, having firſt contracted with this Gentlewoman to lye at her houſe, end by her meanes to prevaile with Captain Abbot, to make way for her to kiſſe the Kings hand if ſhe could.
The Lady Cave accordingly came, and lay there, with the Letter, and the Gentlewoman had importuned Capt. Abbot to procure way for her to kiſſe the Kings hand, which the Gentleman (thinking no harme, as any other, in civility to his Landlady, deſiring it would have done, was willing to try an offer of it; in her behalfe.
His Landlady conceiving that a buſineſſe of ſo great weight was fit to be imparted to her husband, to require his aſſiſtance, for the better carrying of it on, acquainted him with it, and with the manner of the progreſſe that was made in it.
The man (however it is ſuppoſed, that hee is ſo farre a Royaliſt, that he had a good will (probably) to have aſſisted it, yet) conſidering that if it ſhould bee diſcovered, which by all likelyhood it would, becauſe of the Commiſſioners about the King their vigilant eyes, he durſt not run the hazzard of ſecrefie to the buſineſſe, but acquainted Capt. Abbot with the buſineſſe.
The time being come wherein thr Lady Cave ſhould go to Holmby to the King (ſhee little thinking that Capt. Abbot knew her buſineſſe) to Holmby they went, and being alighted, the Captain addreſſed himſelfe to the Commiſſioners, to acquaint them with the deſigne ſhee had, to deliver a Letter to the King, and that under pretence to kiſſe his Majeſties hand, ſhee was then come to deliver it.
Hereupon ſhe was appointed preſently to be taken into a room to be ſearched for the ſaid Letter. But notwithſtanding all this care, and that ſhe had the Letter about her when ſhe went into the roome, yet ſhe (they being by) had ſo conveyed away her Letter, that nothing was found about her; but ſhe ſaid, that ſhe had a Letter to deliver to the King, and that it ſhould be delivered.
So the Commiſſioners after they had examined her, ſent her priſoner to the Mayor of Northampton, ſhe is a very handſome Lady, and wondrous bold.
Some 2 or 3 dayes after (upon an accident) the Letter was found behind an hanging, in the room where ſhe was ſearched, where it ſeemes ſhe had put it, when ſhe ſtood with her back to the Hangings, and conveyed it with her hands behind her, whileſt ſhe talked with the Gentlewomen.
The letter is all Charactors, ſo that none can underſtand what they import.
After this, His Majeſty was two or three dayes very private in writing, and then told the Earle of Denbigh, and the reſt of the Commiſſioners, that be wondered the Propoſitions were not ſent to him. And that he had drawne up Propoſitions (from what was preſented to him formerly at Newcaſtle) to be ſent to the Parliament, appointing them to be ſent forthwith.
And accordingly on Thurſday laſt, a meſſenger was diſpatched, with a letter from his Majeſty, directed to the Speaker of the Houſe of Piers, pro tempore, to be communicated to the two Houſes of Parliament at Weſtminſter aſſembled, and to the Scots Commiſſioners.
His Majeſty told the Commiſſioners that He hoped, they would juſtifie him to the Parliament, the City, and the Kingdome.
The letter propound•(by His Majeſty) to conſent to have Militia ſetled for ten yeares, the Presbyterian Government for three years, the Publique Debts ſatisfied, His owne paid, and many other particulars very large.
Concerning the queſtion your Honour deſires to be ſatisfied in, whether the Army, or any from them, did ſend, or offer to ſend any Petition, or any thing elſe to the King, or receved any thing from the King, I can aſſure you, that there is not ſo much as any reſemblance of ſuch a thing, nor hath his Majeſty ſpoken any thing relating to any buſineſſe in that kind of himſelfe, nor any wayes any ſhaddow or colour for ſuch a buſineſſe to be related; and therefore, who ever report it, do much traduce, both the King, and alſo the Army.
His Majeſty told the Commiſſioners the other day, that He could wiſh He was at London, that the Church and Kingdome were ſetled.
And they told Him, that the Propoſitions would ſpeedily be ſent to Him, to be paſſed for that purpoſe.
His Majeſty is very inquiſitive concerning the affaires of Ireland, the Officers, and number of Forces. His Majeſty writes all his owne papers himſelf. This is all that I have to trouble your Honour with at preſent, who am at all times.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A80560)
Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 114160)
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