His Majeſties Anſwer To a Petition preſented to Him at York, April 18. 1642. by the Earle of Stamford, &c. in the name of both Houſes: Concerning His Meſſage lately ſent to them, declaring His Reſolution to go into Ireland.

WE are ſo troubled and aſtoniſhed to finde the unexpected reception, and miſunderſtanding of Our Meſ­ſage of the eighth of April, con­cerning Our Iriſh journey, that being ſo much diſappointed of the approbation and thanks We looked for to that De­claration; We have great cauſe to doubt, whether it be in Our power to ſay or do any thing which ſhall not fall within the like interpretation. But as We have in that Meſſage called God to wit­neſſe the ſincerity of the profeſſion of Our onely Ends for the undertaking that Iourney: ſo We muſt appeal to all Our good Subjects, and the whole world, whether the Reaſons alleadged againſt that Iourney be of weight to ſatisfie Our7underſtanding, or the counſell preſented to diſſwade Vs from it, be full of that duety as is like to pre­vail over Our affections.

For Our reſolving of ſo great a Buſineſſe with­out the Advice of Our Parliament; We muſt re­member you howoften by Our Meſſages We made the ſame offer, if you ſhould adviſe Vs thereunto: To which you never gave Vs the leaſt anſwer: But in your late Declaration told Vs, That ye were not to be ſatisfied with words: ſo that We had reaſon to conceive you rather avoided (out of regard to Our perſon) to give Vs counſell to run that hazard, then that you diſapproved the inclina­tion. And what greater comfort or ſecurity can the Proteſtants of Chriſtendome receive, then by ſeeing a Proteſtant King venture and engage His Perſon for the defence of that Profeſſion, and the ſuppreſſion of Popery, to which We ſolemnly pro­teſted in that Meſſage, never to grant a Tolerati­on, upon what pretence ſoever, or an Abolition of any of the Lawes there in force againſt the Profeſ­ſors of it. And when We conſider the great cala­mities, and unheard of cruelties Our poor Prote­ſtant Subjects in that Kingdom have under­gone for the ſpace of neer, or full ſix Moneths, the growth and encreaſe of the ſtrength of thoſe barba­rous Rebells, and the evident probabilitie of Forreign Supplies, (if they are not ſpeedily ſuppreſſed) The very ſlow ſuccours hitherto ſent them from hence; That the Officers of ſeverall Regiments, who have long ſince been allowed en­tertainment from you for that Service, have not raiſed any Supply or Succour for that Kingdom:8 That many troups of Horſe have long lien neer Cheſter untranſported; That the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, on whom We relied principally for the Conduct and managing of Affairs there, is ſtill in this Kingdom, notwithſtanding Our earneſt­neſſe expreſſed that he ſhould repair to his Com­mand; And when We conſider the many and great ſcandals raiſed upon Our Self by report of the Rebells, and not ſufficiently diſcountenanced here, notwithſtanding ſo many profeſſions of Ours; And had ſeen a Book lately printed by the Order of the Houſe of Commons, Entituled; A Remonſtrance of divers remarkable Paſſages concerning the Church and Kingdom of Ireland, Wherein ſome Examinations are ſet down, which (how impro­bable or impoſſible ſoever) may make an impreſ­ſion in the mindes of many of Our weak Sub­jects; And laſtly, When We duely weigh the diſho­nour which will perpetually lie upon this King­dom, if full and ſpeedy relief be not diſpatched thi­ther, We could, nor cannot think of a better way to diſcharge Our duety to Almighty God, for the defence of the true Proteſtant Profeſſion, or to ma­nifeſt Our affection to Our three Kingdoms for their preſervation, then by engaging Our Perſon in this Expedition, as many of Our Royall Pro­genitors have done, even in Forreign parts, upon cauſes of leſſe Importance and Pietie, with great Honour to themſelves, and advantage to this Kingdom: And therefore We expected at leaſt thanks for ſuch Our Inclination.

For the danger to Our Perſon; We conceive it neceſſary and worthy of a King to adventure His9life to preſerve His Kingdom, neither can it be imagined, that We will ſit ſtill, and ſuffer Our Kingdoms to be loſt, and Our good Proteſtant Subjects to be Maſſacred, without expoſing Our own Perſon to the utmoſt hazard for their relief and preſervation: Our life, when it was moſt pleaſant, being nothing ſo precious to Vs, as it is, and ſhall be to govern and preſerve Our people with Honour and Iuſtice.

For any encouragement to the Rebells, becauſe of the reports they raiſed, We cannot conceive that the Rebells are capable of a greater Terrour, then by the preſence of their Lawfull King in the head of an Army to chaſtiſe them: Beſides, it will be an unſpeakable advantage to them, if any re­ports of theirs could hinder Vs from doing any thing which were fit for Vs to do, if ſuch reports were not raiſed: This would quickly teach them, in this jealous Age, to prevent by ſuch reports any other perſons coming againſt them, whom they had no minde ſhould be ſo imployed.

We marvell that the Adventurers, whoſe advan­tage was a principall Motive (next the reaſon be­fore mentioned) to Vs, ſhould ſo much miſtake Our purpoſe, whoſe Intereſt we conceive muſt be much improved by the Expedition we hope (by Gods bleſſing) to uſe in this Service: this being the moſt probable way for the ſpeedy Conqueſt of the Rebells: Their Lands are ſufficiently ſecured by Act of Parliament.

We think not Our ſelf kindely uſed, That the ad­dition of ſo few men to your Leavies (for a Guard to Our Perſon in Ireland) ſhould be thought fit for10your refuſall: and much more, that having uſed ſo many Cautions in this Meſſage, both in the ſmalneſſe of the number: In Our having raiſed none untill your Anſwer: In their being to be rai­ſed onely neer their place of Shipping: In their being there to be Armed, and that, not till they were ready to be Shipped: In the proviſion, by the Oaths, that none of them ſhould be Papiſts (all Which appears ſufficient to deſtroy all grounds of jealouſie of any force intended by them in oppoſiti­on to the Parliament, or favour to any malignant partie) any ſuſpicion ſhould notwithſtanding be grounded upon it.

Neither can it be underſtood, That when We recommended the Managing of that War to you, That We intended to exclude Our ſelf, or not to be concerned in your counſels, That if We found any expedient (which in Our conſcience or under­ſtanding We thought neceſſary for that great work) We might not put it in practice. We look upon you as Our great Councell, whoſe advice We alwayes have and will (with great regard and deliberati­on) weigh and conſider: But We look upon Our ſelf, as neither deprived of Our underſtanding, or deveſted of any right we had, if there were no Par­liament ſitting. We called you together by Our own Writ and Authority (without which you could not have met) to give Vs faithfull Counſell about Our great Affairs: But We reſigned not up Our own Intereſt and Freedom. We never ſubjected Our ſelf to your abſolute determination. We have alwayes weighed your Counſels, as proceeding from a Body entruſted by Vs: And when we11have diſſented from you, We have returned you the Reaſons, which have prevailed with our conſci­ence and underſtanding, with that Candor as a Prince ſhould uſe towards His Subjects; and that Affection, which a father can expreſſe to his children. What application hath been uſed to rectifie Our underſtanding by reaſons, or what Motives have been given to perſwade Our Affe­ctions, We leave all the world to judge. And then We muſt tell you, howſoever a Major part may binde you in matter of Opinion, We hold Our ſelf (and We are ſure the Law, and the Conſtitution of the Kingdom hath alwayes held the ſame) as free to diſſent (till Our Reaſon be convinced for the generall Good) as if you delivered no Opinion.

For Our Iourney it ſelf, The circumſtances of your Petition are ſuch, as We know not well what anſwer to return, or whether We were beſt to give any. That part which pretends to carry reaſon with it, doth no way ſatisfie Vs: The other, which is rather reprehenſion and Menace, then advice, can­not ſtagger Vs. Our Anſwer therefore is, That we ſhall be very glad to finde the work of Ireland ſo eaſie as you ſeem to think it, which did not ſo appear by any thing known to Vs, when we ſent Our Meſſage. And though we will never refuſe, or be unwilling to venture Our perſon for the good and ſafetie of Our People; We are not ſo weary of Our life, as to hazard it impertinently. And there­fore ſince you ſeem to have received Advertiſe­ments of ſome late and great Succeſſes in that Kingdom, We will ſtay ſome time to ſee the event of thoſe, and not purſue this Reſolution, till we12have given you a ſecond Notice. But if We finde the miſerable Condition of Our poor Subjects of that Kingdom be not ſpeedily releeved, We will (with Gods aſſiſtance) viſit them with ſuccours, as Our particular Credit and Intereſt can ſupply Vs with, if you refuſe to ioyn with Vs. And We doubt not but the Leavies We ſhall make (in which We will obſerve punctually the former, and all other Cautions, as may beſt prevent all Fears and Iealouſies, and to uſe no Power but what is Le­gall) will be ſo much to the ſatisfaction of Our Subjects, as no perſon will dare preſume to reſiſt Our Commands; and if they ſhould, at their perill. In the meane time We hope Our forwardneſſe, ſo remarkable to that ſervice, ſhall be notorious to al the world, and that all ſcandals laid on Vs in that Buſineſſe, ſhall be clearly wiped away.

We were ſo carefull that Our Iourney into Ireland ſhould not interrupt the proceedings of Par­liament, nor deprive Our Subjects of any Acts of Iuſtice, or further Acts of Grace, for the reall benefit of Our People; That We made a Free offer of leaving ſuch Power behinde, as ſhould not onely be neceſſary for the Peace and Safetie of the Kingdom; but fully provide for the happy Progreſſe of the Parliament. And therefore We cannot but wonder, ſince ſuch Power hath been alwayes left here by Commiſſion for the Govern­ment of this Kingdom, when Our Progenitours have been out of the ſame during the ſitting of Parliaments: and ſince your ſelves deſired that ſuch a Power might be left here by Vs, at Our laſt going into Scotland, what Law of the Land13have you now found to diſpenſe with you, from ſubmitting to ſuch Authority Legally derived from Vs in Our abſence, and to enable you to Go­vern this Kingdom by your own meer Autho­ritie?

For Our return towards London, We have given you ſo full an Anſwer in Our late Declara­tion, and in Anſwer to your Petition preſented to Vs at York the 26 of March laſt, that We know not what to adde, if you will not provide for Our Security with you, nor agree to remove to another Place, where there may not be the ſame Danger to Vs. We expected that (ſince We have been ſo particular in the Cauſes and Grounds of Our Fears) you ſhould have ſent Vs word, that you had publiſhed ſuch Declarations againſt future Tumults, and unlawfull Aſſemblies, and taken ſuch Courſes for the Suppreſſing of Sedi­tious Sermons and Pamphlets, that Our Fears of that kinde might be laid aſide, before you ſhould preſſe Our return.

To Conclude, We could wiſh that you would (with the ſame ſtrictneſſe and ſeverity) weigh and examine your Meſſages and Expreſſions to Vs, as you do thoſe you receive from Vs: For We are very confident, that if you examine Our Rights and Priviledges, by what Our Predeceſſours have enjoyed; and your own addreſſes, by the uſuall Courſes of your Anceſtors; ye will finde ma­ny Expreſſions in this Petition, warranted onely by your own Authority, which indeed We for­bear to take notice of, or to give Anſwer to, leſt We ſhould be tempted (in a juſt indignation) to14expreſſe a greater Paſſion, then We are yet willing to put on. God in his good time (We hope) will ſo inform the hearts of all Our Subiects, that We ſhall recover from the miſchief and dan­ger of this Diſtemper; On whoſe good pleaſure We will wait with all pa­tience and humilitie.