Hauing anticipated the time of reassembling Our Parliament to the twentieth day of Nouember last, (which Wee formerly appointed to haue met vpon the eighth of February next,) vpon the confidence that their noble and generous declaration at their parting the fourth of Iune put vs in, of their free and liberall assistance to the recouery of Our Childrens ancient inheritance, and hauing declared to them Our resolution of taking vpon Vs the defence of Our childrens patrimonie by way of Armes, the Commons very heartily and dutifully fell immediatly after their reassembling, to treat of a necessary supplie, and concluded, for the present, to grant a Subsidie to be paid in February next, (the last paiment of the latter Subsidie granted by them being not to come in vntill May following) whereby Wee were well and cleerly satisfied of the good intenti[=o] of the Commons in generall, by whose vniforme vote & assent that Subsidy was resolued on, not without intimation of a more ample supplie to be yeelded in conuenient time.
But before this their resolution was reduced into a formall Acte or Bill, some discontented persons that were the cause of all that euill which succeeded, endeauouring to clog the good will of the Commons with their owne vnreasonable ends, fell to dispute in the House of Our high Prerogatiues, namely of the match of Our dearest sonne the Prince, of the making warre with forreigne Princes Our Allies, betweene whom and Vs there was a firme peace religiously made and obserued hitherunto: All which they couered with the cloake of Religion, and with the faire pretence of a duetifull Petition to bee preferred to Vs. Wee vnderstanding right well, that those points were not disputable in Parliament, without Our owne Royall direction, being of Our highest Prerogatiues, the very Characters of Souereignty; & thinking, that when euery Subiect by nature, and the Lawes of the Realme, had the power of matching their children according to their owne best liking, none should denie Vs the like; especially Wee hauing at the beginning of the Parliament declared Our purpose concerning the matching of Our Sonne, the Prince, were fully perswaded, that those specious outsides of Religion and humble petitioning, were added onely to gaine passage vnto those things, which being propounded in their true colours, must needs haue appeared vniust and vnreasonable, as matters wherewith neuer any Parliament had presumed to meddle before, except they had bene thereunto required by their King; nay, not befitting Our Priuie Councell to meddle with, without Our speciall command and allowance; since the very consulting vpon such matters (though in neuer so priuate a maner) being discouered abroad, might at some time produce as ill effects, as if they were publikely resolued vpon. For as concerning the point of Religion, We aswell in the beginning of the Parliament, by a publike and open Declaration made to both Houses in the higher House of Parliament, as also shortly after, by a gracious answere vnto a former Petition of theirs, expressed to the full Our immutable resolution to maintaine true Religion, besides the vntainted practise of Our whole life in that point. And howsoeuer an humble Petition beare a faire shew of respect; yet if vnder colour of concluding on a Petition, a way should bee opened to treat in Parliament of the mysteries of State, without Our Royall allowance, it were a great and vnusuall breach vpon the Royall power: Besides, who knoweth not that the preferring of a Petition, includes an expectation to haue it graunted? and therefore to nippe this springing euill in the beginning, Wee directed Our Letters to the Speaker of that House, the tenour of which Letters followeth.
MAster Speaker, Wee haue heard by diuers reports to Our great griefe, That the farre distance of Our Person at this time from Our high Court of Parliament, caused by Our want of health, hath emboldened some fiery and popular spirits in Our House of Commons, to debate and argue publikely, in matters farre beyond their reach or capacitie, and so tending to Our high dishonour, and to the trenching vpon Our Prerogatiue Royall. You shall therefore acquaint that House with Our Pleasure, That none therein shall henceforth presume to meddle with any thing concerning Our gouernment, or mysteries of State; namely, not to speake of Our dearest Sonnes match with the Daughter of Spaine, nor to touch the Honour of that King, or any other Our friends or Confederates: And also not to meddle with any mens particulars, which haue their due motion in Our ordinarie Courts of Justice. And whereas We heare that they haue sent a message to Sir Edwin Sandys, to know the reasons of his late restraint, you shall in Our name resolue them, That it was not for any misdemeanour of his in Parliament: But to put them out of doubt of any question of that nature that may arise among them hereafter, you shall resolue them in Our name, That We thinke our Selfe very free and able to punish any mans misdemeanours in Parliament, as well during their sitting, as after; which We meane not to spare hereafter, vpon any occasion of any mans insolent behauiour there, that shall be ministred vnto Us. And if they haue already touched any of these points which Wee haue here forbidden, in any Petition of theirs which is to be sent vnto Vs, it is Our pleasure that you shall tell them, That except they reforme it before it come to Our hands, Wee will not deigne the hearing nor answering of it. And whereas Wee heare that they are desirous, that We should make this a Seßion of Parliament before Christmas, You may tell them, It shall be in their default if they want it: For if they will make ready betweene this and that time, some such Lawes as shall be really good for the Common-wealth, Wee will very willingly giue Our Royall assent vnto them: And so it shall thereby appeare, That if good Lawes be not made at this time for the weale of the people, the blame shall onely and most iustly lie vpon such turbulent spirits, as shall preferre their particular ends to the weale of this Kingdome and Common-wealth. And so We bid you farewell. Giuen at Our Court at Newmarket, the third day of December, 1621.
To Our trustie and welbeloued,
The Speaker of Our Commons
House of Parliament.
