C R  
HONI SOIT x MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
The King's majesty's Answer to the Petition of the House of Commons, sent on Saturday last, the nine and twentieth of this instant Jan. 1642.  
HIs Majesty having seriously considered of the Petition presented to him from the House of Commons, on Wednesday the six and twentieth of this month, returns this answer.  
That he was in good hope his gracious Message, the twentieth of this month, to both Houses would have produced some such overture, which by offering what is fit on their parts to do, and what is proper for his Majesty to grant, might beget a mutual confidence in each other.  
Concerning the Tower of London, His Majesty did not expect, that having preferred a person of a known fortune, and an unquestionable reputation to that trust, he should be pressed to remove him without any particular charge objected against him, and therefore returns this answer, That if upon due examination any particulars shall be presented to his Majesty, whereby it may appear that his Majesty was mistaken in his opinion of the Gentleman, and that he is unfit for the trust committed to him, his Majesty will make no scruple of discharging him, but otherwise his Majesty is obliged in justice to himself, to preserve his own work, lest, his favour and good opinion may prove a disadvantage & misfortune to his servants without any other accusation, of which his Majesty doubts not this House of Commons will be so tender, (as of all business wherein his majesty's honour is so much concerned) that if they find no material exceptions against his person, they will rather endeavour to satisfy and reform the fears of other men then (by complying with them) press his Majesty to any resolution which may seem so much to reflect upon his honour & justice.  
For the Forts and Castles of the kingdom his Majesty is resolved that they shall always be in such hands (and only in such) as the Parliament may safely confide in: But the nomination of any person to those places, being so principal and inseparable a flower of his crown, vested in him, and derived to him from his Ancestors by the fundamental Laws of the kingdom he will reserve to himself; In bestowing whereof, as his majesty will take care that no corrupt or sinister courses shall prevail with him, so he is willing to declare that he shall not be induced to express that favour so soon to any person as to those whose good demeanour shall be eminent to him or his Parliament: And if he now hath or shall at any time by misinformation confer such a trust upon an undeserving person, he is and always will be ready to leave him to the wisdom and justice of his Parliament.  
For the Militia of the kingdom (which by the Law is subject to no command but of his Majesty, and of authority lawfully derived from him) when any particular course for ordering the same (which his Majesty holds very necessary for the peace and security of his kingdom) shall be considered and digested by his Parliament, and proposed to his Majesty, his Majesty will return such an answer, as shall be agreeable to his honour and the safety of his people, His Majesty being resolved only to deny those things, the granting whereof would alter the fundamental Laws, and endanger the very foundation upon which the public happiness and welfare of his people is founded and constituted, and would nourish a greater and more destructive jealousy between the Crown and the Subjects, than any of these which would seem to be taken away by such a satisfaction: And his Majesty doth not doubt that his having granted more than ever King hath granted will ever persuade his House of Commons to ask more than ever Subjects have asked. And if they shall acquaint his Majesty with the particular grounds of their doubts and fears, he will very willingly apply remedies proportional to those fears. For his Majesty calls God to witness, that the preservation of the public peace, and the laws and liberties of the Subject, shall always be his majesty's care and industry as of his life, and the lives of his dearest Children. And therefore his Majesty doth conjure the House of Commons by all the acts of justice and favour they have received from him this Parliament, by their hopes of future happiness in his Majesty, and in one another's love of Religion and the peace of this kingdom (in which that of Ireland cannot be forgotten) that they will not be transported with jealousies and apprehensions of possible dangers, to put themselves and his Majesty into real and present inconveniences, but that they will speedily pursue the way, proposed by his majesties former message which in human reason is the only way to compose the distractions of the Kingdom; and with God's blessing will restore a great measure of felicity to King and People.   

Printed at London for F.C.I.W. 1642.