House of Commons Journal Volume 1: 02 June 1607

Martis, secundo Junii

Prayers.

PRAYERS said by the Clerk, before Mr. Speaker came; being excused by his Attendance upon the King, at Whytehall.

Mr. Speaker being come;

Lord Bruce's Agreement.

Sir Rob. Johnson reporteth from the Committee, the Bill for Confirmation of an Agreement between Edward Lord Brace, and Michael Doyley, &c. without Amendments or Alteration; which, upon the Question, was ordered to be ingrossed.

Letter from the King concerning the Union.

Mr. Speaker maketh known to the House, that he had received a Letter in his Majesty's Name, wherein he was commanded to impart the Purport of it to the House; thereby to give them Satisfaction touching his Intention and Desire in the Matter in Hand.

The Letter Mr. Speaker himself read twice over, by the Direction of the House, as followeth: [a]

HAVING been informed, that the Committees of the Lower House having taken so good Care to prepare a Bill for Abolition of all hostile Laws, as the same was in Effect, upon the Point of a Conclusion, if some new Interruption had not happened, by obtruding new Clauses, without any just Reason; we thought it more convenient to impart our Opinion of that Proceeding, by you our Speaker, to the House, than by assembling them in our own Presence: For which Purpose you may declare thus much in our Name; that, albeit our Zeal to preserve our People from Spoil, and our long Experience of the Impossibility to avoid it (in Case some extraordinary Provision for Punishment of such Offenders were not used) hath given us Cause, since our coming to this Crown, to continue, by Commission, some such Course for remanding Offenders, mutually, which were refuged into England, or Scotland, as was formerly used by Wardens, in Time of both Princes; whereby we have found better Effects of Peace and Safety to our poor Subjects, than could have been preserved, if we had not continued such a Form of Proceeding; nevertheless, because we have found that, notwithstanding many Mens Apprehensions of the Inconvenience rising from such a Commission (wherein we may freely say, if they had Experience, as we have had, Reason itself would change their Minds) there hath been so good Care and Zeal shewed, to supply many Defects in the Laws that now are in Force, as we are content to acknowlege to be agreeable to our Liking, until there hath been an Offer to insert a Clause of Penalty upon all such as should offend in carrying or sending any to be tried out of this Realm ; we cannot now conceal from them the just Dislike we have of any such Motion as Shall carry with it so great a Consequence and Imputation to our Actions, both of past and future Times : For what can be a greater Demonstration upon that which we have done already, by virtue of our Commission, than to inflict Punishment upon the like hereafter, which no Man can warrant, but from our Direction; whereof the least Shadow of Suspicion (pointed at in future) is a direct Profession of. Diffidence in our Sincerity ? Or if it shall be answered, that Men may be remanded, or forced by others, without our Privity; what may better answer that,

than this, which all Men know to be true; namely, that the same Power that would dispense with himself in the Prohibition, may be as well able to remit the Penalty, if he be disposed ? So that, in Effect, whosoever shall compare the Fruit of this strange Curiosity with the Tax which our own Honour shall visibly receive by suffering such a Mark of Jealousy and Distrust towards us to remain in the Records of such a great Council, and after thus much know to them that will persist to insert any Matter to the Purpose aforesaid, must needs be esteemed by us, either secretly inclined to Contradiction, or worse persuaded of their Sovereign's Intention than becometh any well-affected Subject towards Him, that hath hitherto affected nothing more than to observe constantly and graciously whatsoever he hath promised to his People. And therefore it appeareth by those Things that are already assented unto, that all essential Points are well resolved on; and only now this Proposition, containing so unseparable a Mark of Jealousy, without Cause, can only breed the Interruption of the rest of their honest and discreet Endeavours in this Matter. We cannot change our natural Quality, to proceed towards all Men (especially towards our own natural and dear Subjects) with all Truth and Plainness, command you, by this Declaration of ours, to make them see the Images of our own Heart, in that Sincerity and Greatness which may not pass over the Sense of our own Honour (whom God hath made a King) howsoever, in things indifferent, we presume, no Prince on Earth hath been content to depart with more of his own Power or Attributes, wheresoever it hath appeared unto him to be necessary, or profitable to his Subjects ; of whose Affection he esteemeth himself happier to be possessed, than of any other Riches which they could yield him : For Proof whereof, as a plenary Satisfaction, or rather as a Surplusage, to content all Men that seek not Contention, we are willing, not only to approve the Prohibition inserted, but do hereby solemnly promise, that the same shall continue inviolated by us, without any contrary Direction, or Dispensation with any Creature that shall presume to offer any such Indignity to ourself, or Injury to the meanest Subject we have ; which being thus far granted, we make no doubt, but all such as shall observe that we differ not in Matter from their own Desires, but only seek to preserve that Honour, which none but those whom God hath placed in our Rank can tell at what to esteem, the same will honestly and dutifully concur with that which tendeth to our reasonable Satisfaction, and divide themselves from any others, that out of Ignorance or Humour should oppose themselves against the same.