HIS majesty's LAST ANSWER To the PAPERS and PROPOSITIONS Of the Commissioners of Scotland.  
I Have considered the several Papers and propositions delivered to me by you, and do assure you, that I desire nothing more, then that I may entirely unite the hearts and affections of all my good Subjects of Scotland to me, and amongst themselves, as well for the honour, peace, and prosperity of that Kingdom, as that they may jointly and unanimously assist me in the revenge of that horrid and impious murder of my Father, and the recovery of my just rights in my other Dominions, to which they are all equally engaged by the laws of God and of that Kingdom: and to the obtaining of such an union, I will consent to all that in conscience and honour I may, without imposing on my other Kingdoms; as first I will maintain, confirm and defend the Government ecclesiastical and civil of Scotland as it is settled by Law, and all the ancient known laws of that Kingdom, as likewise all such Acts of Parliament as have been actually consented unto by the King my Father, being personally present in Parliament, or by his Counsellors lawfully authorized by him; and particularly those laws concerning the national Covenant, the Confession of Faith and presbyterial Government of that Church. Touching that part of the League and Covenant which concerns my other Kingdoms of England and Ireland, it is not in my power justly to take any resolution therein, without the advice of my respective Parliaments of those Kingdoms, by whose advice and consent only laws are there to be made and altered. Neither can I consent to any thing which shall oppose or disturb the peace lately concluded in Ireland; but i am very willing to refer the full consideration of the League and Covenant, and all the other particulars you mentioned as to England, to a free Parliament to be convened there by my Writ, as soon as the condition of that kingdom will permit me so to do, by whose advice i am resolved to govern myself therein. In the mean time as i am ready to do all that is in my power to the safe and quiet protection of my people of Scotland under the benefit of the laws of that Kingdom, as likewise further to gratify them in all that may really tend to their welfare, so i shall expect that obedience and duty from them in the exercise of my regal power, as is due to me by their allegiance, to which they submitting, and for the burial of all bitterness and animosities which the former distractions and divisions may have produced, and the better effecting the happy union before mentioned, I am very willing and desirous to consent to an Act of Oblivion and indemnity to all persons of what condition soever of that Kingdom of Scotland, excepting only such persons (if any such there be in or of that Kingdom) that shall hereafter upon sufficient and due evidence in a lawful trial be found actually and expressly guilty of that last unparalleled horrid act of the murder of their late sovereign. And if it shall appear unto me that the League and Covenant containeth any thing in it not comprised in those Acts concerning the national Covenant, and presbyterial Government of the Church of Scotland, and necessary to the welfare of the said Church and Kingdom, without reference to England or Ireland, i shall upon the full settling of such an Union, and the passing of such an Act of Oblivion as is before mentioned, apply myself to give full satisfaction therein, passionately desiring to remove all occasions of misunderstanding between myself and all my good Subjects of that my Kingdom of Scotland: and what is not plenarily answered at this time, shall be supplied by an express which I will dispatch into Scotland as soon as conveniently I can.  
CHARLES R.   

June 5 Printed in the year 1649.