An Excellent SPEECH Spoken by the Right Honourable Algernon Piercy EARLE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, TO The Kings moſt Excelent Majeſty, on Satterday laſt, concerning His Royall Perſon, and this diſtracted Kingdom. And His Majeſties gracious anſwer thereunto (in preſence of the Dukes, Earles, Lords, and Gentlemen appointed for the Treaty) touching a Generall pardon to all his Subjects.
ALSO, The moſt Excelent, Divine, and Heavenly prayer of the Kings moſt Excellent Majeſty, and his Commiſſioners, on Sunday laſt for a bleſſing upon the Treaty, compoſed, and made by derections and dicta••ons from his Majeſty,
LIKEWISE, Good Newes from the Treaty, their proceedi•gs on Munday laſt, and His Majeſties Meſſage to the Scots touching that engaging againſt England. Signed, CHARLES R.
September 20. Imprim••••London forR. Wilſiamſon 1648.
THis morning about 9 of the clock the Treaty began, the Kings Majeſty, and his Commiſſioners, having by prayer, prepared themſelves for ſo great a work; the Right honourable the Earl of Northumberland, and the reſt of the Parl. Commiſſioners, met at the aforeſaid houre appointed, and being all conveened together the Propoſitions were read, and it is thought Religion will be the firſt thing inſiſted on, and ſo proceed in order to the reſt, the Earl of Northumborland on Satterday laſt, made an excelent ſpeech to his Soveraign, purporting the earneſt deſires of both houſes for a firm and wel grounded peace, and to compoſe all differences with in his Maj. Realms and Dominions, that ſo the peace of Church and State, may4 once againe be brought to its ſplendor, and purity, and all diſtractions end in triumph and tranquillity.
And having ended his Speech his Majeſty (in preſence of the reſt of the Commiſſioners) returned Anſwer, as followeth.
That none could have more hearty deſires of peace then He, How He had nothing of ill will to any, but indeed was, and would to the utmoſt, endeavour to appeare a friend to ill, eſpe. wally to the languiſhing Kingdom.
The King deſired the Treaty might not begin on a broken part of the laſt day of the week, ſo that Sunday laſt were ſet a part for a day of Prayer and Humiliation for a bleſſing upon the Treaty, and this preſent Munday begins the Treaty.
Newport in Inſula vectis,September 16. 1648.
O Moſt Mercifull Father, Lord God of Peace and Truth, we a People ſorely afficted by the ſcourage of an unnaturall war, do earneſtly peſeech Thee, to command a bleſſing from Heaven upon this preſent Treaty, begun for the eſtabliſhment of an happy peace. Soften the moſt Oodurate Hearts with a true Chriſtian deſire of ſaving thoſe mens bloud, for whom Chriſt himſelfe hath ſhed his. Or if the guilt of our great ſins, cauſe this Treaty to break of in valne, Lord let the Truth clearly3 appear, who thoſe men are, which under pretence of the publike good do purſue their own private ends; that this people may be no longer ſo blindly miſerable, as not to ſee, at leaſt in this their Day, the things that belong unto their Peace. Grant this gratious God for his ſake who is our Peace it ſelf, even Jeſus Chriſt our Lord Amen.
Other Letters ſay as followeth.
Two dayes have been ſpent in Complements, and kiffing the Kings Majeſties hand, The Commons having denied a paſſe for ſuch Commiſſioners as his Majeſty ſhould name to come from Scotland, to adviſe with him concerning the affairs of that Nation (not the old main deſigne that for twelve moneths laſt paſt was working with and by them, againſt the Parliament and Kingdome of England,) hath notwithſtanding ſent for Commiſſioners from that Nation, according to the liberty given him in the former votes, but whether they will pleaſe, or date to come, not having the Parliaments ſafe Conduct, is the queſtion.
The Treaty begines to morrow morning, which we ſhall proſecute according to our inſtructions. The Commiſſioners of his Majeſty Court us with good Language, and as much Civility, but the events of things are uncertain, though we know his Majeſty is neceſſitated to doe more than the Propoſitions do require of him, both himſelfe & all his party being in a loſt & miſerable condition with out the mercy of Parl. which in the beſt mens thoughts will be no leſſe then cruelty to the honeſt party, who have beſt him by a totall Conqueſt to this ſubmiſſion.
We ſhall perform the truſt repoſed in us, and give an4 account daly of all Tranſactions, and leave them to the Judgment of thoſe that imployed us, upon this buſineſſe.
It is no ſmall comfort to me, that my Native Countrey hath ſo true a ſence of my preſent Condition, as I find expreſſed by your Letter of the eight of this Month, and your Declaration, both which I received upon Friday laſt, & the ſame reaſon which makes you Diſcrectly and Generouſſ at this time forbear to preſſe any thing to me, hinders me likewiſ to make any particular Profeſſions unto you, leſt it may be imagined that deſire of liberty ſhould now be the onely Secretary to my thoughts: Yet thus much I cannot but ſay; that, as in all humane Reaſon, nothing but a free Perſonall Treaty with me, can ſettle the unhappy Diſtractions of theſe diſtreſſed Kingdomes: So, if that could once be had, I would not doubt, but, that (by the grace of God) a happy Peace would ſoon follow.
Such force (I believe) trve Reaſon has in the hearts of all men, when it may be clearly and calmly heardy and I am not aſhamed, at all times, to profeſſs, that it hath, &5 ſo ſhall be alwayes want of underſtanding, not of will, if I do not yeeld to reaſon whenſoever, and from whenſoever I hear it.
And it were a ſtrange thing, if Reaſon ſhould be leſſe eſteemed becauſe it comes from me, which (truly) I doe not expect from you: your Declaration ſeeming to me, (and I hope your actions will prove that I am not deceived) to be ſo well grounded upon Honour and Juſtice; that albeit by way of opinion, I cannot give a Placetto every Clauſe in it: Yet I am confident, upon a calme & friendly Debate, we ſhall very well agree.
To conclude, I cannot (for the preſent) better ſhew my thankfulnes to you, for the Generous and Loyall expreſſions of your Affections to me, then by giving you my honeſt and ſincere Advice; which is, Really and Cenſtantly, without ſeeking private ends, to purſue the publik profeſſions in your declaration, as ſincere Chriſtians and good ſubjects ought to do, alwaies remembring, that the beſt foundation of loyalty is Chriſtianity; So true chriſtianity teaches perfect loyatly, for without this reciprocation, neither is truly what they pretend to be: But I am confident that needes not to you, as likewiſe that you will rightly underſtand this which is affectionatly intended by
This morning the Kings Majeſty, and the Commiſſioners met Sir William Hodges in Nuport (the place appointed for the Treaty) where the Earl of Northumberland made a Declaratory Speach to the King, touching a reconciliation betwen the King and his people: And in anſwer thereunto, his Majeſty Declared himſelfe in a ſet Speech to the ſaid Earl, the reſt of the Commiſſioners, repreſenting, how welcome this long expected day is to him, to reconcile the diſtractions of his diſtreſed Kingdomes, and to put aperlod to their ſuffring and his own.
We heare that his Majeſty hath had a ſight of the larg Petition, preſented to the Houſe of Commons on Munday September the 11, 1648. by a party of Citizens, (which ſome have intituled Independents) and if by circumſtances, we may conjecture of the event, it is believed that it will extraordinary prevaile upon his Majeſty, in ſome ſpeedy, and cloſe complyanee with his Parl. the King and the Commiſſioners ſat from nine in the forenoone, till, in the afternoone, the firſt Propoſitions being read, and ſome progreſſe made therein; and it is hoped the ſilver coards Family, will be firmly knit in a true knot of Unity, between the King and his people for the future, that ſo they may go hard in hand againſt the Common enemy, which will be a joyfull day of triumph and all that love Peace and Truth ſay,
Cowes CaſtleSept. 18 1648. 7. at night.God bleſse the KING And PARLIAMENT.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A89731)
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