His Majesty's Most gracious ANSWER TO THE VOTES Of the two Houses OF PARLIAMENT: Presented to Him at Carisbrook Castle, by the Right Honourable the Earl of Middlesex; Sir Io. Hipsley Knight; and John Bulkley Esquire, on Monday the 7th of this present, August. 1648.  
In order to a Personal Treaty for the settling a safe and a well grounded Peace.  
LONDON, Printed August 14. 1648.   


C R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon or coat of arms  
The Kings most gracious Answer to the Votes of both Houses of Parliament; In order to a Personal Treaty, for the settling of a safe and a well grounded Peace.  
Carisbrook Castle 10 August 1648.  
IF the Peace of my Dominions were not much dearer to me, than any particular Interest whatsoever; I had too much reason to take notice of the several Votes which passed against me, and the sad condition I have been in now above these seven Months. But since you my two Houses of Parliament have opened (as it seems to me) a fair beginning to a happy Peace, I shall hearty apply myself thereunto; and to that end, I will as clearly and shortly as I may, set you down those things which I conceive necessary to this blessed Work, so that we together may remove all impediments, that may hinder a happy conclusion of this Treaty, which with all cheerfulness I do embrace.  
And to this wished end, yourselves have laid most excellent grounds: for what can I reasonably expect more, then to Treat with Honour, Freedom, and Safety, upon such Propositions as you have or shall present unto me, and such as I shall make to you? But withal remember, that it is the definition, not names of things which make them rightly known; And that without means to perform, no Proposition can take effect; And truly my present condition is such, that I can no more Treat, than a blind man judge of colours, or one run a race who hath both his feet fast tied together; wherefore my first necessary demand is,  
That you will recall all such Votes and Orders, by which people are frighted from coming, writing, or speaking freely to me.  
Next, that such men of all Professions, whom I shall fend for, as of necessary use to me in this Treaty, may be admitted to wait upon me; In a word, that I may be in the same state of freedom I was in when I was last at Hampton Court. And in deed less cannot in any reasonable measure make good those offers which you have made me by your Votes; for how can I treat with honour so long as people are terrified with Votes and Orders against coming to speak, or write to me; And am I honourably treated, so long as there is none about me (except a Barber who came now with the Commissioners) that ever I named to wait upon me, Or with freedom, (until I may call such unto me of whose services I shall have use in so great and difficult a work) And for safety (I speak not of my Person, having no apprehension that way) how can I judge to make a safe and well grounded Peace, until I may know (without disguise) the true present State of all my Dominions, and particularly of all those whose Interests are necessarily concerned in the Peace of these Kingdoms? which leads me naturally to the last necessary demand I shall make for the bringing of this Treaty to a happy end, which is,  
That you alone, or you and I jointly, do invite the Scots to send some Persons authorised by them to Treat upon such Propositions, as they shall make; for certainly the pulique and necessary Interest they have in this great Settlement, is so clearly plain to all the world, that I believe no body will deny the necessity of their concurrence in this Treaty, in Order to a durable Peace. Wherefore I will only say, that as I am King of both Nations, so will I yield to none in either Kingdom for being truly and zealously affected for the Good and Honour of both; my resolution being never to be partial for either, to the prejudice of the other.  
Now as to the Place (because I conceive it to be rather a circumstanstiall then real part of this Treaty, I shall not much insist upon it) I name Newport in this Isle, yet the fervent zeal I have that a speedy end be put to these unhappy distractions, doth force me earnestly to desire you to consider what a great loss of time it will be to Treat so fare from the Body of my two Houses, when every small debate (of which doubtless there will be many) must be transmitted to Westminster before it be concluded: And really I think (though to some it may seem a paradox) that people's minds will be much more apt to settle, seeing me Treat in or near London, then in this Isle, because so long as I am here, it will never be believed by many, that I am really so free, as before this Treaty begin I expect to be: And so I leave and recommend this point to your serious consideration; And thus I have not only fully accepted of the Treaty, which you have proposed to me by your Votes of the third of this Month; but also given it all the furtherance that lies in me, by demanding the necessary means, for the effectual performance thereof: All which are so necessarily employed by, though not particularly mentioned in your Votes, as I can no ways doubt of your ready compliance with me herein; I have now no more to say, but to conjure you, by all that is dear to Christians, Honest men, or good Patriots: that ye will make all the expedition possible to begin this happy work, by hasting down your Commissioners fully Authorized and well instructed, and by enabling me (as I have showed you) to Treat; Praying the God of peace so to bless our endeavours, that all my Dominions may speedily enjoy a safe and well-grounded Peace.  
CHARLES R.  
To the Speaker of the Lords House pro tempore, to be communicated to the Lords and Commons in the Parliament of England at Westminster.   

HIS MAJESTY'S Message To both Houses of Parliament; Brought from the Isle of WIGHT upon Mouday the fourteenth of August 1648.  
By the Right Honourable, the Earl of Middlesex, Sir john Hipsley, and Master Bunckley concerning the Personal Treaty.  
C R  DI●V ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y 〈◊〉  royal blazon or coat of arms 
Printed in the Year. 1648.   

CARISBROOKE Aug. 10. 1648.  
IF the peace of my Dominions were not much dearer to me than any particular interest whatsoever, I had too much reason to take notice of the several Votes which passed against Me, and the sad condition I have been in now above these seven months; But since you, my two Houses of Parliament, have opened (as it seems to me) a fair beginning to a happy Peace, I shall hearty apply myself thereunto, and to that end I will as clearly and shortly as I may, set you down those things which I conceive necessary to this blessed work; so that we together may remove all impediments that may hinder a happy conclusion of this Treaty, which with all cheerfulness I embrace.  
And to this wished end yourselves have laid most excellent grounds; for what can I reasonably expect more than to treat with Honour, Freedom & Safety, upon such propositions as you have, or shall present unto Me, and such as I shall make to you. But withal remember that it is the definition not names of things, which make them rightly known; and that without means to perform no proposition can take effect: and truly my present condition is such, that I can no more treat, than a blind man judge of colours, or one run a race who hath both his feet fast tied together; wherefore my first necessary demand is, That ye would recall all such Votes and Orders by which people are frighted from coming, writing, or speaking freely to Me; next, that such men of all professions whom I shall send for as of necessary use to me in this Treaty may be admitted to wait upon me. In a word, that I may be in the same state of freedom I was in when I was last at Hampton-Court, and indeed less cannot in any reasonable measure make good those offers which you have made me by your Votes; for how can I treat with Honour as long as people are terrified by Votes, and order to come, speak, or write to me, and am I honourably treated so long as there is none about me except a Barber, who now came with the Commissioners that I ever named to wait upon me: or with freedom until I may call such unto me, of whose services I shall have use in so great and difficult work: and for Safety (I speak not of my Person having no apprehension that way,) how can I judge to make a safe and well grounded Peace, until I may know without disguise the true present state of all my Dominions, and particularly of all those whose interests are necessarily concerned in the Peace of these Kingdoms which leads me naturally to the last necessary demand, I shall make for the bringing of this Treaty to a happy end, which is.  
That I alone, or you and I jointly; do invite the Scots to send some persons authorized by them, to Treat upon such Propositions as they shall make, for certainly, the public and necessary interest they have in this great settelement, is so clearly plain to all the world that I believe no body will deny the necessity of their concurrence in order to a durable Peace, wherefore I will only say, that as I am a King of both Nations, so I will yield to none in either Kingdom for being truly and zealously affected, for the good and honour of both, my resolution being never to be partial for either, to the prejudice of the other. Now as to the place, because I conceive it to be rather a circumstantial then real part of this Treaty, I shall not much insist upon it, I name Newport in this Isle, yet the fervent zeal I have that a speedy end be put to these unhappy distractions, doth move me earnestly to desire you to consider what a great loss of time it will be to Treat so fare from the body of my two Houses, when every small debate of which, doubtless there will be may nigh, must be transmitted to Westminster before it be concluded.  
And really I think, though to some it may seem a Parodox, that people's minds will be much more apt to settle, seeing me Treat in or near London, then in this Isle, because so long as I am here, it will never be believed by many, that I am so really free, as before this Treaty begin I expect to be: and so I leave and recommend this point to your serious consideration. And thus I have not only fully accepted of the Treaty, which you have proposed to me, by your votes of the third of this month; but also given it all the furtherance that lies in me, by demanding the necessary means for the effectual performance thereof, all which is so necessarily employed by, though not particulary mentioned in your Votes, as I can no ways doubt of your ready compliance with me herein, I have now no more to say but to conjure you by all that is dear to Christians, honest menor good Patriots, that ye will make all the expedition possible to begin this happy work, by hasting down your Commissioners, fully authorized and well instructed, and by enabling me (as I have showed you) to Treat praying the God of Peace so to bless our endeavours, that all my Dominions may speedily enjoy a safe well grounded Peace.  
Charles R.  
For the Speaker of the Lords House pro tempore, to be communicated to the Lords and Commons in the Parliament of England at Westminster.   
FINIS.