THE KINGS majesties LAST Most Gracious Message for PEACE: Sent to the Two Houses of PARLIAMENT the 29. of january, 1645.  
 arms of Charles I 
C R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENCE dieu ET MON DROIT  
Printed in the year 1646.   

The KINGS Majesties last most Gracious Message for Peace.  
Charles R.  
HIs majesty having received Information from the Lord Lieutenant and counsel in Ireland, that the earl of Glamorgan hath, without His, or their directions or privity, entred into a treaty with some Commissioners on the Roman catholic party there: And also drawn up, and agreed unto certain Articles with the said Commissioners, highly derogatory to His Majesties Honour and royal dignity, and most prejudicial to the Protestant Religion, and Church there in Ireland: Whereupon the said earl of Glamorgan is Arrested upon suspicion of High Treason, and Imprisoned by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and counsel, at the instance, and by the Impeachment of the Lord Digby: Who, by reason of his place, and former employment in those affairs, doth best know how contrary that proceeding of the said earl hath been to His Majesties Intentions and Directions, and what prejudice it might bring to His affairs, if those proceedings of the Earl of Glamorgan should be any ways understood to have been done by the Direction, Liking, or Approbation of His majesty, His majesty( having in his former Messages for a personal treaty, offered to give contentment to his two Houses in the business of Ireland) hath now thought fitting, the better to show His clear intentions, and to give satisfaction to His said Houses of Parliament, and the rest of His Subjects in all His kingdoms, to sand this Declaration to the said Houses, containing the whole Truth of this business: which is,  
That the earl of Glamorgan, having made offer unto Him, to raise Forces in the kingdom of Ireland, and to conduct them into England for His Majesties service, had a Commission to that purpose, and to that purpose onely.  
That he had no Commission at all to Treat of any thing else, without the privity and directions of the Lord Lieutenant, much less to Capitulate any thing concerning Religion, or any propriety belonging either to Church or Laity.  
That it clearly appeareth by the Lord Lieutenants proceedings with the said earl, that he had no notice at all of what the said earl had Treated and pretended to have Capitulated with the Irish, until by accident it came to his knowledge. And His majesty doth protest, that until such time as he had advertisement that the person of the said Earl of Glamorgan was Arrested and restrained, as abovesaid, he never heard, or had any kind of notice, that the said earl had entred into any kind of treaty or Capitulation with those Irish Commissioners, much less, that he had concluded or Signed those Articles, so destructive to Church and State, and so repugnant to His Majesties Professions and known Resolutions. And for the further Vindication of His Majesties Honour and integrity herein, he doth Declare, That he is so far from considering any thing contained in those Papers or Writings, framed by the said earl, and those Commissioners with whom he Treated, as he doth absolutely dis-avow him therein, and hath given commandement to the Lord Lieutenant and counsel there, to proceed against the said earl, as one, who either out of falseness, presumption, or folly, hath so hazarded the blemishing of His Majesties Reputation with His good Subjects, and so impertinently framed those Articles of his own head, without the Consent, privity, or Directions of his Majesty, or the Lord Lieutenant, or any of his counsel there. But true it is, that for the necessary preservation of his Majesties Protestant Subjects in Ireland( whose case was daily represented unto him to be so desperate) his majesty had given Commission to the Lord Lieutenant to Treat, and conclude such a Peace there, as might be for the safety of the crown, the preservation of the Protestant Religion, and no way derogatory to His own Honour and public professions.  
But, to the end His Majesties real Intentions in this business of Ireland, may be the more clearly understood, and to give the more ample satisfaction to both Houses of Parliament, and Commissioners of the kingdom of Scotland, especially concerning His Majesties being engaged in any Peace or Agreement there; He doth desire, if the two Houses shall resolve to admit of His Majesties repair to London, for a personal Treaty, as was formerly proposed, that speedy notice thereof be given to His majesty, and a pass or safe Conduct with a blank sent for a Messenger to be immediately dispatched into Ireland, to prevent any accident that may happen to hinder His Majesties Resolutions of leaving the Managing of the business of Ireland wholly to the Houses, and to make no Peace there without their consent: which, in case it shall please God to bless His Endeavours in the Treaty with success, His majesty doth hereby engage himself to do.  
And for further Explanation of His Majesties Intentions in His former Messages, he doth now Declare, That if His personal repair to London, as aforesaid, shalbe admitted, and a Peace thereon shall ensue, he will then leave the nomination of the Persons to be entrusted with the Militia wholly to His two Houses, with such Power and Limitations as are expressed in the Paper delivered by His Majesties Commissioners at Uxbridge, the 6. of February, 1644. for the term of seven yeares, as hath been desired; to begin immediately after the Conclusion of the Peace, the disbanding of all Forces on both sides, and the dismantling of the Garrisons erected since these present troubles.  
So, as at the expiration of the time before mentioned, the Power of the said Militia shall entirely revert and remain as before. And for their better Security, His majesty( the Peace succeeding) will be content that pro hac 'vice, the two Houses shall nominate the admiral, Officers of State, and Judges, to hold their places during life, or quam diu se been gesserint, which shall be best liked, to be accountable to none but to the King, & the two Houses of Parliament. As for the matter of Religion, His majesty doth further Declare, That by the liberty offered in His Message of the 15. present, for the Ease of their Consciences, who will not Communicate in the Service already established by Acts of Parliament in this kingdom; He intends, that all other Protestants, behaving themselves peaceably in and toward the Civill Government, shall have the free exercise of their Religion, according to their own way.  
And for a total removal of fears and jealousies, His majesty is willing to agree; that upon the conclusion of Peace, there shall be a general Act of Oblivion and free Pardon, passed by Acts of Parliament in both kingdoms respectively: and least it should be imagined, that in the making of the Propositions, His Majesties kingdom of Scotland, and His Subjects there, have been forgotten or neglected, His majesty declares, That what is herein mentioned touching the Militia, the naming of Officers of State and Iudges, shall likewise extend to his kingdom of Scotland.  
And now His majesty having so fully and clearly expressed His intentions and desires, of making a happy and well-grounded Peace: if any person shall decline that happiness, by opposing of so apparent a way of attaining it; He will sufficiently demonstrate to all the World, his Intention and design can be no other then the total Subversion and change of the ancient and Happy Government of this kingdom, under which the English Nation hath so long flourished.  
Given at the Court at Oxford, the 29. of Jan. 1645.  

For the Speaker of the House of peers pro tempore, to be communicated to the House of Commons at Westminster, and to the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland.   
FINIS.