A LETTER FROM HIS MAJETTIES' COURT AT HOLMBIE WITH Advertisement of Propositions from the King to the Parliament; in Answer to the Propositions for Peace.  
With His Majesty's consent to have the Presbyterian Government settled for three years. And other particulars concerning the Queen's Letter to His MAJESTY.  
C R   printer's device, consisting of a central circle flanked by the English lion on the left and the Scottish unicorn on the right and containing the initials of King Charles, all of these figures enclosed within a rectangle flanked by angel on the left and right 
London, Printed by B. A. May 21. 1647.   

Right Honourable;  
I Had thought to have been at London before this, but seeing that I have been prevented, I shall make this use of my stay, to acquaint your Honour, that about 3 weeks since, one (who calls herself the) Lady Cave (as she saith) received a letter for the King, which letter was brought to her from the queen in France, by a French Gentleman, (but) he said, by her servant, perhaps he, was so (in some sense.) This Lady Cave is a Gentleman's daughter about Stamford, whether she hath married some Knight, or Col. of the King's party, or how she comes to be a Lady, I know not, but it seems that upon the receipt of the said letter, from the Queen to his Maj. she addressed herself to another Gentlewoman who liveth in these parts, an acquaintance of hers, who was to be the Usherer of her business, thus.  
The said Gentlewoman being as great a Royalist as herself, came (before the Lady Cave) into these parrs, and visited Captain Abbots Landlady, some five miles from Holmby House where he quarters, being one of the Captains who are under Colonel Graves for this business of waiting upon His Majesty's Person at Holmby, and (it seems) confiding in her, that she would be faithful to her design, lay there some nights, until she had prevailed by her Laudladies means with Captain Abbot, who is a very honest faithful Gentleman, but being ignorant of any design (by her importunity) she prevailed, to procure with him, to get her to kiss the King's hand, which she did at Holmby.  
After she saw how the way lay for the Lady CAVE (by doing the like to put the Letter into the King's hands, which she had to deliver to Him from the Queen, she again addressed herself to the Lady Cave, having first contracted with this Gentlewoman to lie at her house, end by her means to prevail with Captain Abbot, to make way for her to kiss the King's hand if she could.  
The Lady Cave accordingly came, and lay there, with the Letter, and the Gentlewoman had importuned Capt. Abbot to procure way for her to kiss the King's hand, which the Gentleman (thinking no harm, as any other, in civility to his Landlady, desiring it would have done, was willing to try an offer of it; in her behalf.  
His Landlady conceiving that a business of so great weight was fit to be imparted to her husband, to require his assistance, for the better carrying of it on, acquainted him with it, and with the manner of the progress that was made in it.  
The man (however it is supposed, that he is so fare a Royalist, that he had a good will (probably) to have assisted it, yet) considering that if it should be discovered, which by all likelihood it would, because of the Commissioners about the King their vigilant eyes, he durst not run the hazard of secrecy to the business, but acquainted Capt. Abbot with the business.  
The time being come wherein the Lady Cave should go to Holmby to the King (she little thinking that Capt. Abbot knew her business) to Holmby they went, and being alighted, the Captain addressed himself to the Commissioners, to acquaint them with the design she had, to deliver a Letter to the King, and that under pretence to kiss his Majesty's hand, she was then come to deliver it.  
Hereupon she was appointed presently to be taken into a room to be searched for the said Letter. But notwithstanding all this care, and that she had the Letter about her when she went into the room, yet she (they being by) had so conveyed away her Letter, that nothing was found about her; but she said, that she had a Letter to deliver to the King, and that it should be delivered.  
So the Commissioners after they had examined her, sent her prisoner to the Mayor of Northampton, she is a very handsome Lady, and wondrous bold.  
Some 2 or 3 days after (upon an accident) the Letter was found behind an hanging, in the room where she was searched, where it seems she had put it, when she stood with her back to the Hang, and conveyed it with her hands behind her, whilst she talked with the Gentlewomen.  
The letter is all Characters, so that none can understand what they import.  
After this, His Majesty was two or three days very private in writing, and then told the Earl of Denbigh, and the rest of the Commissioners, that be wondered the Propositions were not sent to him. And that he had drawn up Propositions (from what was presented to him formerly at Newcastle) to be sent to the Parliament, appointing them to be sent forthwith.  
And accordingly on Thursday last, a messenger was dispatched, with a letter from his Majesty, directed to the Speaker of the House of Piers, pro tempore, to be communicated to the two Houses of Parliament at Westminster assembled, and to the Scots Commissioners.  
His Majesty told the Commissioners that He hoped, they would justify him to the Parliament, the City, and the Kingdom.  
The letter propounds (by His Majesty) to consent to have Militia settled for ten years, the Presbyterian Government for three years, the Public Debts satisfied, His own paid, and many other particulars very large.  
Concerning the question your Honour desires to be satisfied in, whether the Army, or any from them, did send, or offer to send any Petition, or any thing else to the King, or receved any thing from the King, I can assure you, that there is not so much as any resemblance of such a thing, nor hath his Majesty spoken any thing relating to any business in that kind of himself, nor any ways any shadow or colour for such a business to be related; and therefore, who ever report it, do much traduce, both the King, and also the Army.  
His Majesty told the Commissioners the other day, that He could wish He was at London, that the Church and Kingdom were settled.  
And they told Him, that the Propositions would speedily be sent to Him, to be passed for that purpose.  
His Majesty is very inquisitive concerning the affairs of Ireland, the Officers, and number of Forces. His Majesty writes all his own papers himself. This is all that I have to trouble your Honour with at present, who am at all times.  
Holmby, 15 May 1647. Your Honour's humble servant, ROGER CORBET.