DIEV ET MON DROIT  
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
❧ By the King.  
A Proclamation declaring his Majesty's pleasure concerning the dissolving of the present Convention of Parliament.  
ALbeit the Assembling, Continuing, and Dissolving of Parliaments be a Prerogative so peculiarly belonging to Our Imperial Crown, and the times and seasons thereof so absolutely in Our own power, that we need not give account thereof unto any: yet, according to Our continual custom, to make Our good Subjects acquainted with the reasons of all Our public resolutions & actions; We have thought it expedient at this time to declare, not only Our pleasure and resolution therein, grounded upon mature deliberation, with the advice and uniform consent of Our whole Privy Council; but therewith also to note some especial proceed moving Us to this resolution: And that chiefie to this end, that as God, so the World may witness with Us, that it was Our intent to have made this the happiest Parliament, that ever was in Our time: And that the lets, and impediments thereof being discerned, ail misunderstandings and jealousies might be removed, and all Our people may know and believe, that We are as fare from imputing any of those ill accidents, that have happened in Parliament, to any want or neglect of duty, or good affection towards Us, by them in general, or by the greater and better number of Parliament men, as we are confident (the true causes discovered) they willbe far from imputing it to any default in Us; there having in the beginning of this late Assembly passed greater and more infallible tokens of love and duty from Our Subjects to Us their Sovereign, and more remarkable testimonies from Us of Our Princely care and zeal of their welfare, then have been in any Parliament met in any former Age.  
This Parliament was by Us called, as for making good and profitable Laws, so more especially, in this time of miserable distraction throughout Christendom, for the better settling of peace and Religion, and restoring Our Children to their ancient and lawful patrimony, which We attempted to procure by peaceable treaty, at Our own excessive charge, thereby to save and prevent the effusion of Christian blood, the miserable effect of war, and dissension; yet with full purpose, if that succeeded not, to recover it by the sword; and therefore, as a necessary means conducing to those ends, the supply of Our Treasures was to be provided for.  
This Parliament beginning in january last, proceeded some months with such harmony between Us and Our people, as cannot be paralleled by any former time: For as the House of Commons at the first, both in the manner of their supply, and otherwise, she wed greater love, and more respect than ever any House of Commons did to Us, or (as We think) to any King before Us: So We, upon all their complaints, have afforded them such memorable, and rare examples of justice, as many ages past cannot show the like; wherein, that We preferred the weal of Our people before all particular respects, the things themselves do sufficiently prove, Our justice being extended, not only to persons of ordinary rank and quality, but even to the prime Officer of Our Kingdom. And although, after their first Recess at Easter, We found that they misspent a great deal of time, rather upon the enlarging of the limits of their liberties, and diverse other curious, and unprofitable things, then upon the framing and proponing of good & profitable Laws: Yet We gave them time and scope for their Parliamentary proceed, and prolonged the Session to an unusual length, continuing it until the eight and twentieth day of May, before We signified Our purpose for their Recess; and then We declared, that We would make a Recess on the fourth day of june next following, but only for a time, and in such manner, as might be without disturbance to any their businesses in hand, expressing out of Our Grace (though We needed not) the causes of that Our purpose, which were the season of the year, usually hot, and unfit for great assemblies, Our Progress approaching, the necessity We had to make use of Our Council attending in both houses, both to settle Our weighty affairs of State before We went, and to attend Us when We went Our Progress, the dissurnishing of Our ordinary Courts of justice so many Terms together, the long absence of justices of Peace, and Deputy Lieutenants, whose presence was needful for making and returning of musters, and for subordinate government of the Country; and therefore We appointed to adjourn the Parliament on the fourth day of june, giving that warning longer than usual, that they might set in order their businesses, and prepare their greevances, which We promised both to hear and answer before that Recess, for presenting whereof We appointed them a time. This message graciously intended by Us, was not so well entertained by some, who in a short time dispersed and spread their jealousies unto others, and thereby occasioned discontentment in the House, for being adjourned without passing of bills; Yet made not their address to Us, as had been meet, but desired a conference with the Lords; and at that conference, the nine and twentieth day of May, under colour of desiring to petition Us for some further time, to perfect and pass some special Bills, were emboldened, not only to dispute, but to refel all the reasons that We had given for the adjournment, which being made known unto Us, We again signified Our pleasure to both Houses, that on the fourth day of june the Parliament should rise, but We would then give Our Royal assent to such bills, as were or should be ready and fit to be then passed, continuing all other businesses in state they were by a special Act to be framed for that purpose.  
The Lords with all duty and respect, submitted to Our resolution, passed the Act, & sent it with special recommendation to the house of Commons; but they neither read it, nor proceeded with businesses, but forgetting that the time was Ours & not theirs, continued their discontentment, as they pretended, for being so soon dismissed. We (though it were strange to observe such averseness for Our resolving upon such weighty reasons, that wherein We needed not to be measured by any other rule, but Our own Princely will) yet were contented to descend from our own Right, to alter Our resolution, and to continue the Session for a fortnight more, wherein they might perfect such public Bills, as were esteemed of most importance: for which purpose, We Ourself came in person unto the Higher house of Parliament, and made offer thereof unto them, which being, in effect, as much as the Commons had formerly desired, was no sooner offered, but yielding thankes to Us, the said Commons resolved the same day directly, contrary to their former desire, to refuse it, and to accept Our first Resolution of an adjournment; but attending Us at Greenwich, presented no grievances: This inconstancy, as We passed by with a gentle admonition; so for the matter of grievances, aswell of England, as Ireland, We promised to take them into Our own care, though not presented to Us, and really performed the same so far forth, as time, and the advice of Our Council of each Kingdom could enable Us, as is witnessed by Our several Proclamations, published in both Realms, as like wise in granting at the same time those three suits which were proponed unto Us by the Archbishop of Canterbury, at the request, and in the name of both the Houses: But in conclusion the house of Commons making it their choice, We made a Recess by adjournment of the Parliament, the fourth day of june: Though indeed We must do them this right, that at the said Recess, taking into their serious consideration the present estate of Our children abroad, and the general afflicted estate of the true Professors of Religion in foreign parts, they did with one unanimous consent, in the name of themselves, and the whole body of the Kingdom, make a most dutiful and solemn protestation, that if Our pious Endeavours, by treaty to procure their peace and safety, should not take that good effect which was desired, (in the treaty whereof, they humbly besought Us, not to suffer any long delay) then, upon signification of Our pleasure in Parliament, they would be ready, to the uttermost of their powers, both with lives and fortunes to assist Us, so as that by the divine help of Almighty God, We might be able to do that by Our sword, which by peaceable courses should not be effected.  
But during the time of this long Recess, having to Our great charges mediated with the Emperor, by the means of Our Ambassador, the Lord Digbie, and having found those hopes to fail, which we had to prevail by treaty, We in confidence of the Assistance of Our people, thus freely promised and protested in Parliament, did instantly shorten the time of the Recess, (which We had before appointed to continue until the eighth day of February,) and did reassemble Our Parliament, the twentieth day of November last, and made known unto them the true state and necessity of Our children's affairs, declaring Our resolution unto them, of taking upon us the defence of Our children's patrimony, by way of Arms, since We could not compass it by an amicable treaty; and therefore expected the fruit of that their declaration, whereby We were invited unto this course: wherein, how beit We are well satisfied of the good inclination of the most part of Our House of Commons, testified by their ready assent to the speedy payment of a Subsidy, newly to be granted, yet upon this occasion some particular members of that House took such inordinate liberty, not only to treat of Our high Prerogatives, and of sundry things, that without Our special direction were no fit subjects to be treated of in Parliament; but also to speak with less respect of foreign Princes, Our Allies, than were fit for any Subject to do of anointed Kings, though in enmity and hostility with Us. And when, upon this occasion, We used some reprehension towards those miscarriages, requiring them not to proceed but in such things as were within the capacity of that House, according to the continual custom of Our Predecessors, then by the means of some evil affected and discontented persons, such heat and distemper was raised in the House, that albeit themselves had sued unto Us for a Session, and for a general pardon, unto both which at their earnest suit We assented, yet after this fire kindled, they rejected both, and setting apart all businesses of consequence and weight (notwithstanding Our admonition and earnest pressing them to go on) they either sat as silent, or spent the time in disputing of Privileges, descanting upon the words and syllables of Our Letters and messages, which for better clearing of truth, and satisfaction of all men, We are about to publish in Print, so soon as possibly We can. And although in Our Answer to their petition, We gave them full assurance that we would be as careful of the preservation of their Privileges, as of Our own Royal Prerogative, and in Our explanation after sent unto them by Our Letters, written to Our Secretary, We told them that We never meant to deny them any lawful privileges that ever that House enjoyed in Our predecessors times; and that whatsoever privileges or liberties they enjoyed by any Law or Statute, should ever be inviolably preserved by Us; and We hoped Our posterity would imitate Our footsteps therein; and whatsoever privileges they enjoyed by long custom, and uncontrolled and lawful Precedents, We would likewise be as careful to preserve them, and transmit the care thereof to Our posterity, confessing Ourselves in justice to be bound to maintain them in their Rights, and in grace, that We were rather minded to increase, then infringe any of them, if they should so deserve at Our hands, which might satisfy any reasonable man, that We were far from violating their privileges. And although by Our Letters written to their Speaker, We advised them to proceed, & make this a Session, to the end, that Our good & loving subjects might have some taste, aswell of Our grace & goodness towards them, by Our free pardon & good Laws to be passed, as they had both by the great & unusual examples of justice since this meeting, & the so many eases & comforts given unto them by Proclamation. And although We had given order for the Pardon to go on, and that in a more gracious and liberal manner than hath passed in many years before, and signified Our willingness, that rather than time should be misspent, they might lay aside the thought of the Subsidy, and go on with an Act for continuance of Statutes, and the general Pardon; yet all this prevailed not to satisfy them, either for their pretended Privileges, or to persuade them to proceed with Bills for the good of themselves, and those that sent them. But as the Session and Pardon were by them well desired at first; so were they as ill rejected at the last; and not withstanding the sincerity of Our protestations, not to invade their Privileges; yet by the persuasion of such as had been the cause of all these distempers, they fall to carve for themselves, and pretending causelessly to be occasioned thereunto, in an unseasonable hour of the day, and a very thin House, contrary to their own Custom in all matters of weight, conclude, and enter a protestation for their liberties, in such ambiguous and general words, as might serve for future times to invade most of our inseparable Rights and Prerogatives, annexed to Our Imperial Crown: whereof not only in the times of other Our Progenitors, but in the blessed Reign of Our late Predecessor, that renowned Queen ELIZABETH, We found Our Crown actually possessed; an usurpation that the Majesty of a King can by no means endure. By all which may appear, that howsoever in the general proceed of that House, there are many footsteps of loving and well affected duty to Us: yet some ill tempered spirits, have sowed tares among the corn, and thereby frustrated the hope of that plentiful and good harvest, which might have multiplied the wealth and welfare of this whole land; & by their cunning diversions have imposed upon Us a necessity of discontinuing this present Parliament, without putting unto it the name or period of a Session.  
And therefore, whereas the said assembly of Parliament was by Our Commission adjourned until the eight day of February now next ensuing, We, minding not to continue the same any longer, and therefore not holding it fit to cause the Prelates, Noblemen, and States of this Our Realm, or the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses of the same Parliament to travail thereabout, have thought fit to signify this Our resolution, with the reasons thereof unto all Our Subjects, inhabiting in all parts of this Realm, willing and requiring the said Prelates, Noblemen and States, and also the said Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, and all others, to whom in this case it shall appertain, that they forbear to attend at the day and place prefixed by the said adjournment; and in so doing, they are and shall be hereby discharged thereof against us. And We do hereby further declare, that the said Convention of Parliament, neither is, nor after the ceasing and breaking thereof shall be, nor aught to be esteemed, adjudged, or taken to be, or make any Session of Parliament.  
And albeit We are at this time enforced to break off this Convention of Parliament: yet Our will and desire is, that all Our subjects should take notice, for avoiding of all sinister suspicions and jealousies, that Our intent and full resolution is, to govern Our people in the same manner, as Our progenitors and Predecessors, Kings and Queens of this Realm of best government, have heretofore done; and that We shall be careful, both in Our own person, and by charging Our privy Counsel, Our judges, and other Our Ministers in their several places respectively, to distribute true justice and right unto all Our people; and that We shall be as glad to lay hold of the first occasion in due and convenient time, which We hope shall not be long, to call and assemble Our Parliament, with confidence of the true and hearty love and affection of Our subjects, as either We, or any of Our Progenitors have been at any time heretofore.  
Given at Our Palace at Westminster, the sixth day of january, in the nineteenth year of Our Reign of Great Britain, France, and Ireland. God save the King.   

❧ Imprinted at London by BONHAM NORTON, and JOHN BILL, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. M. DC. XXI.