royal blazon or coat of arms C R HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT HIS MAJESTY'S Gracious Letter And DECLARATION, Sent to the House of PEERS, By Sir John Greenvill, Knight. From BREDA: And read in the House the first of May, 1660. Die Martis, 1ᵒ Maii, 1660. ORdered by the Lords in Parliament Assembled, That His Majesty's Gracious Letter and Declaration be forthwith Printed and Published, for the Service of the House and Satisfaction of the Kingdom: And that no Person do presume to Re-Print either of them. JO. BROWN Cleric. Parliamentorum. London, Printed by John Macock, and Francis Titan, Printers to the House of Lords, 1660. TO THE SPEAKER OF THE House of Peers, And to the LORDS There Assembled. CHARLES R. RIght Trusty and Right Cousins, and Right Trusty and Cousins, and Trusty and Right , We Greet you Well: We cannot have a better reason to promise Ourselves an end of Our Common Sufferings and Calamities, and that Our Own Just Power and Authority will with God's Blessing be Restored to Us, then that We hear You are again acknowledged to have that Authority and Jurisdiction, which hath always belonged to You, by Your Birth, and the Fundamental Laws of the Land: And We have thought it very fit and safe for Us, to call to you for your help in the composing the confounding Distempers and Distractions of the Kingdom, in which your Sufferings are next to those We have undergone Ourselves; And therefore you cannot but be the most proper Counsellors for removing those Mischiefs, and for preventing the like for the future: How great a Trust We repose in you for the Procuring and Establishing a Blessed Peace and Security for the Kingdom; will appear to You by Our Enclosed Declaration; which Trust, We are most confident You will discharge with that Justice and Wisdom, that becomes You, and must always be expected from You; and that upon your Experience, how one Violation Succeeds another, when the known Relations, and Rules of Justice, are once transgressed, you will be as jealous for the Rights of the Crown, and for the Honour of your King, as for yourselves: And then you cannot but discharge your Trust with good Success, and provide for, and Establish the Peace, Happiness, and Honour of King, Lords, and Commons, upon that Foundation which can only support it, and We shall be all happy in each other: And as the whole Kingdom will bless God for you all, so We shall hold Ourselves obliged in an especial manner to thank you in particular, according to the Affection you shall express towards Us: We need the less enlarge to you upon this Subject, because We have likewise writ to the House of Commons, which We suppose they will Communicate to you: And We pray God to bless your joint Endeavours for the good of Us all; and so We bid you very hearty farewel. Given at our Court at Breda, this _____ Day of April, 1660. In the Twelfth Year of our Reign. Charles R. CHARLES By the Grace of God King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. To all Our Loving Subjects of what degree or quality soever, Greeting. If the general Distraction and Confusion which is spread over the whole Kingdom, doth not awaken all men to a desire and longing, that those wounds which have so many years together been kept bleeding, may be bound up, all We can say will be to no purpose. However after this long silence, We have thought it Our duty to Declare, How much We desire to Contribute thereunto; and that as We can never give over the hope in good time to obtain the possession of that Right which God and Nature hath made Our Due; So We do make it Our daily Suit to the Divine Providence, That He will in compassion to Us and Our Subjects, after so long Misery and Sufferings, remit, and put Us into a quiet and peaceable possession of that Our Right, with as little blood and damage to Our people as is possible. Nor do We desire more to enjoy what is Ours, then that all Our Subjects may enjoy what by Law is theirs, by a full and entire Administration of Justice throughout the Land, and by extending Our Mercy where it is wanted and deserved. And to the End that the fear of Punishment may not engage any conscious to themselves of what is passed, to a perseverance in guilt for the future, by opposing the Quiet and Happiness of their Country in the Restoration both of King, Peers and People to their just, ancient, and Fundamental Rights, We do by these presents Declare, That We do grant a Free and General Pardon, which We are ready upon demand to pass under Our Great Seal of England, to all Our Subjects of what degree or quality soever, who within forty days after the publishing hereof shall lay hold upon this Our Grace and Favour; and shall by any public Act declare their doing so, and that they return to the Loyalty and obedience of good Subjects: Excepting only such persons as shall hereafter be excepted by Parliament: Those only excepted, let all Our Subjects how faulty soever rely upon the Word of a King, solemnly given by this present Declaration, That no crime whatsoever committed against Us, or Our Royal Father before the publication of this, shall ever rise in judgement, or be brought in question against any of them, to the least endamagement of them, either in their Lives, Liberties or Estates, or (as far forth as lies in Our power) so much as to the prejudice of their Reputations, by any Reproach or term of distinction from the rest of Our best Subjects. We desiring and Ordaining that hence forward all Notes of discord, separation and difference of parties be utterly abolished among all Our Subjects, whom We invite and conjure to a perfect Union among themselves, under Our Protection, for the Re-settlement of Our just Rights and theirs in a Free Parliament, by which upon the Word of a King, We will be advised. And because the Passion and uncharitableness of the times have produced several Opinions in Religion, by which men are engaged in parties and animosities against each other, which when they shall hereafter unite in a freedom of conversation will be composed, or better understood: We do declare a Liberty to tender Consciences; and that no man shall be disquieted or called in question for differences of opinion in matter of Religion, which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom; And that We shall be ready to Consent to such an Act of Parliament, as upon mature deliberation shall be offered to Us for the full granting that Indulgence. And because in the continued distractions of so many years, and so many and great Revolutions, many Grants and Purchases of Estates have been made to, and by, many Officers, Soldiers, and others, who are now possessed of the same, and who may be liable to Actions at Law upon several Titles, We are likewise willing, That all such Differences, and all things relating to such Grants, Seals, and Purchases shall be determined in Parliament, which can best provide for the just satisfaction of all men who are concerned. And We do further declare, That We will be ready to consent to any Act or Acts of Parliament to the purposes aforesaid, and for the full satisfaction of all Arrears due to the Officers and Soldiers of the Army under the Command of General Monck: And that they shall be received into Our Service upon as good pay and Conditions as they now enjoy. Given under Our Sign Manual and Privy Signet at Our Court at Breda this 4/14 day of April 1660. in the twelfth year of Our Reign. LONDON, Printed by John Macock and Francis Titan, Printers to the House of LORDS. 1660.