THE LAST PAPERS BETWIXT HIS majesty, AND THE Commissioners of PARLIAMENT, CONCERNING Church-Government. AND His Majesties Speech to the Commissioners, to be communicated to both Houses of Parliament. Dated at Newport 4. Novemb. 1648. Royal seal C R HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE London: Printed for Richard Lownes. 1648. The last Papers betwixt His majesty, and the Commissioners. WE are commanded by the Houses of Parliament to desire Your majesty to express your particular Exceptions to the Ordinances mentioned, and contained in the Proposition concerning the Church, that being reduced to certainty and stated, they may be returned to both Houses. Newport, 3. Novemb. 1648. IN answer to your Paper of the 3. November, delivered in late last night, you desire His majesty to express his Exceptions to several Ordinances mentioned in your Proposition concerning the Church. His majesty saith, that those Ordinances being many and large, and finding that after this day you can receive no more Papers without further Instructions, His Majesty conceives himself so limited in time, that he cannot so suddenly give you his particular Exceptions to the said Ordinances. Newport, 4. Novemb. 1648. HIs Majesties Propositions delivered unto you the 17. Octob. 1648. having been transmitted by you to his two Houses, and His Majesty having received no answer thereunto, he desires to know whether you have yet received any Instructions concerning the same. Newport, 4. Novemb. 1648. WHereas we by our Paper of the third instant desired your Majesty to express your particular Exceptions to the Ordinances mentioned and contained in the Proposition concerning the Church; unto which Your majesty by your Answer thereunto this fourth instant is pleased to say, those Ordinances being many and large, and that after this day we can receive no more Papers without further Instructions, and therefore conceive yourself so limited in time, that Your Majesty cannot so suddenly give your particular Exceptions to the said Ordinances: We humbly conceive, those Ordinances having been many daies since the beginning of this Treaty in Your Majesties hands, and under Your Majesties consideration, the same cannot be new unto Your Majesty: And therefore we again humbly desire Your Majesty to express your particular Exceptions to the said Ordinances, as by our said Paper of the third of this instant, we have formerly desired. FOr a final answer to you, as to your Paper of the first of this instant, and the notes therein mentioned concerning the Church, His Majesty saith, that his Concessions expressed in that Paper, and misapprehended in these particulars following, viz. he neither did, nor doth intend to make any more new Bishops during the term of three yeares, nor in the end of three yeares, that the power of Ordination should be practised in the old manner as formerly, for that heretofore the Bishops were at liberty to call what Presbyters they would to assist in ordaining, but were not bound to their counsel or consent; but His Majesty doth now intend, and will consent, that Bishops shall not receive any into Holy Orders without the consent of a limited number of Presbyters, to be chosen in such manner as shall be agreed on by his Majesty, and his two Houses for that purpose. Neither did his majesty intend that after the end of three yeers no certain way should be settled concerning ecclesiastical Government; for that his Majesty did propose during the three years, to have a Consultation with the Assembly of Divines, twenty being added of his own nomination; which if his two Houses shall resolve to entertain, it cannot well be doubted, but upon the debate, such a Government will be agreed upon by his Majesty and his two Houses, as shall be best for the peace of the Church, and most proper to prevent those distractions which his two Houses apprehended may ensue. And as to that part of the Proposition concerning the book of Common-Prayer, for the satisfaction of his two Houses, his Majesty will not insist upon any provision for continuance of the same in his Majesties chapel for himself and his household; nevertheless his majesty declares, that he intends to use some other set form of Divine Service. And as to that part of the Proposition, that an Act or Acts be passed for a stricter course to prevent the saying and hearing of mass in the Court, or any other part of the kingdom, or the kingdom of Ireland, his majesty will consent thereunto. As to all other particulars in your Paper mentioned, his Majesty having in his former Answers consented so far as possibly he can, as he stands at present persuaded in his judgement; doth refer himself thereunto. And since his majesty by his Concessions hath brought all differences concerning the Church into so narrow a compass, that the chief visible obstruction is that, wherein really in conscience he is not satisfied: He hopes his two Houses will not put further pressures of so tender a nature upon him, when it is most likely the time and Debate will happily reconcile all these differences. Newport Novem. 4. 1648. His Majesties final Answer to the Paper concerning the Exceptions to the Ordinances about the Church. FOr a final Answer to you as to your Paper of the 4. instant, whereby you desire his Majesty to express his particular Exceptions to the Ordinances mentioned of the Propositions concerning the Church, His Majesty saith; that by his Answer of the 9. of Octob. he did express the general reason why he did not consent to the several Ordinances in the form they are now penned, and that he heard no more thereof until he received your Paper late in the evening last night; so that though those Ordinances have been many daies in his Majesties hand, and are not new unto him, yet this being the last day wherein you( by your Instructions) can receive any Papers from him, his Majesty cannot in so short time review the several Ordinances, and state the particular Exceptions thereunto; and therefore he adheres to his former Answer therein. Newport 4. Novem. 1648. HAving received your Majesties several Answers to our Paper of the first of this instant concerning the Church, and likewise to our Paper of the fourth of this instant, touching your Majesties particular Exceptions to the Propositions concerning the Church, we shall communicate them to both Houses of Parliament. Newport 4. Novem. 1648. IN Answer to your Majesties Paper delivered unto us this fourth of Novem. instant, whereby your Majesty desires to know whether we have received any Instructions concerning Your Majesties Propositions transmitted by us to both Houses of Parliament; we humbly say, that we have not yet received any Instructions concerning the same. At the close of the Treaty the King made a short Speech to this purpose. That his Majesty hoped, the Commissioners were now sensible, that none was more desirous of a good and lasting peace then himself; That he had gone very far to give his two Houses satisfaction; that he thought, though the time for the Treaty was ended, yet the Treaty itself was not. That he expected to hear from his two Houses about his own Propositions, and would be ready to make his Concessions binding, by giving them the force of laws. He desired that the Commissioners would put a good interpretation upon his vehement expressions in some of his Debates, there being nothing in his intentions but kindness; and that as they had taken abundance of freedom, and shewed great abilities in their Debates, which have taken his Majesty off from some of his own opinions, so his Majesty doubted not( had they had power to recede some of his Reasons) would have prevailed with them, as he is confident, had it been with his two Houses, it would have done with them. And therefore beseeches them to take the same freedom with his two Houses, to press them to a compliance with him in those things his conscience is not yet satisfied in, which more time may do; his opinion not being like the laws of the Medes and Persians, unalterable or infallible. Adding his Majesties very hearty thanks for the pains they have taken to satisfy him, professing, that he wanted eloquence to commend their abilities; desired them candidly to represent all the Transactions of this Treaty to his two Houses, that they might see nothing of his interest, how near or dear soever( but that wherein his conscience is unsatisfied) can hinder on his part a happy conclusion of this Treaty. And then he and the Commissioners took leave; and at night after Supper they came and kissed his hand, and received a great deal of respect from his Majesty. FINIS.