A MESSAGE From both HOUSES of PARLIAMENT unto His Majesty, Concerning the PRINCE, His SON.  
With the ANSWER of His Majesty thereunto.  
Together with His Majesty's Answer to the desire of both Houses concerning the MILITIA.  
LONDON: Printed by ROBERT BARKER, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty: And by the Assigns of JOHN BILL.  
1641.   

❧ A Message from both Houses of Parliament unto His Majesty, concerning the Prince, his Son.  
THe Lords and Commons in Parliament humbly desire His Majesty, That the Prince may not be removed from Hampton-Court; And that for these ensuing Reasons.  
1. They conceive His Majesty had Resolved that the Prince should stay at Hampton Court until His Majesty's Return.  
2. That the Lord marquis Hertford, appointed by His Majesty to be Governor of the Prince, and approved of, and commanded by the Parliament to give his personal attendance on the Prince, Is now so indisposed in his health, that he is not able to attend the Prince to any other place.  
3. That the Prince his Removal at this time from Hampton-Court may be a cause to promote jealousies and Fears in the hearts of His Majesty's good Subjects, which they conceive very necessary to avoid.  

Die Jovis 24. Febr. 1641.  
ORdered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, that the Lord Howard of Char shall attend upon the King, and present these Reasons unto his Majesty.  
Io. Browne Cler. Parliamen.    

¶ His Majesties Answer to the Reasons He Received by way of Message from both Houses concerning the Prince, his SON.  
THat His Majesty intended at His remove from Hampton-Court with His Royal Consort the Queen, towards Dover, That the Prince His Son should stay at Hampton-Court, till His Majesty returned to some of His Houses, and thereupon, as soon as His Majesty resolved upon a certain day to be at Greenwich, He commanded that His Son should attend Him there, which was no way contrary to His former Intention.  
2. That His Majesty was very sorry to hear of the Indisposition of the marquis Hertford, being the Person upon whom He principally relies for the Care of His dearest Son; But if that Indisposition should have lasted, His Majesty could no ways think fit, that his want of health should have hindered the Prince from waiting upon His Majesty, according to His Command, and therefore would have been much offended if the Prince had failed of meeting His Majesty, according to His appointment.  
3. To the Fears and jealousies, His Majesty knows not what Answer to give, not being able to imagine from what grounds they proceed. But if any Information have been given to that purpose, His Majesty much desires that the same may be examined to the bottom, and then He hopes that their Fears and jealousies will be hereaster continued only with Reference to His Majesty's Rights and Honour.   

His Majesty's Answer to both Houses concerning the MILITIA.  
HIs Majesty having with His best care and understanding perused and considered that which was sent Him from both Houses for the ordering of the Militia, presented unto Him to be made an Ordinance of Parliament, by the giving of His Royal assent; as He can by no means do it, for the reasons hereafter mentioned, so He doth not conceive Himself obliged by any promise made in His Answer of the second of this month, to the Petition of both Houses to yield to the same.  
His Majesty finds great cause to except against the Preface or Introduction to that Order, which confesseth a most dangerous and desperate Design upon the House of Commons, of late, supposed to be an effect of the bloody Counsels of Papists, and other illaffected persons; by which many may understand (looking upon other printed Papers to that purpose) His coming in Person to the House of Commons, on the fourth day of january, which begot so unhappy a misunderstanding between Him and His people: And for that, though He believes it, upon, the Information since given Him, to be an apparent breach of their Privilege, and hath offered, and is ready to repair the same for the future, by any Act shall be desired of His Majesty; Yet He must declare and require to be believed, That He had no other Design upon that House, or any Member of it, then to require (as He did) the persons of those five Gentlemen His Majesty had the day before accused of high Treason, And to declare that He meant to proceed against them legally, and speedily; upon which He believed that House would have delivered them up; And His Majesty calls the Almighty God to witness, that He was so far from any intention or thought of force or violence, although that House had not delivered them according to His Demand, or in any Case whatsoever, That he gave those His servants and others (who than waited on His Majesty) express Charge and Command, that they should give no offence to any man; Nay if they received any provocation or injury, that they should bear it without Return. And His Majesty neither saw or knew that any person of His Train had any other weapons, but His Pensioners & Guard, those with which they usually attend His Person to Parliament, and the other Gentlemen Swords. And therefore His Majesty doubts not, but His Parliament will be soregardfull of His Honour herein, that He shall not undergo any imputation by the rash or indiscreet expressions of any young men then in His Train, or by any desperate words uttered by others, who might mingle with them without His Consent or approbation.  
For the persons nominated to be Lieutenants of the several Counties of England and Wales, His Majesty is contented to allow that Recommendation, only concerning the City of London and such other Corporations as by ancient Charters have granted unto them the power of the Militia, His Majesty doth not conceive that it can stand with justice or Policy to alter their Government in that particular; And His Majesty is willing forthwith to grant every of them (that of London and those other Corporations excepted) such Commissions as He hath done this Parliament to some Lord Lieutenants by your advice. But if that power be not thought enough, but that more shall be thought fit to he granted to these persons named, then by the Law is in the Crown itself, His Majesty holds it reasonable, that the 〈◊〉 be by some Law first vested in Him, with power to transfer it to these persons, which He will willingly do; And what ever that power shall be, to avoid all 〈◊〉 doubts and questions, His Majesty desires it may be digested into an Act of Parliament rather than an Ordinance, so that an His loving Subjects may thereby particularly know, both what they are to do and what they are to suffer for their neglect, that there be the least Latitude for His good Subjects to suffer under any arbitrary power whatsoever.  
As to the time desired for the continuance of the powers to be granted, His Majesty giveth this Answer, That He cannot consent to divest Himself of the just power which God and the Laws of this Kingdom have placed in Him for the defence of His people, and to put it into the hands of others for any indefinite time. And since the ground of this Request from His Parliament was to secure their present fears and jealousies, that they might with safety apply themselves to the matter of His Message of the 20. of january, His Majesty hopeth that His Grace to them since that time in yielding to so many of their desires, and in agreeing to the Persons now recommended to Him by His Parliament, and the power before expressed to be placed in them, will wholly dispel those Fears and jealousies, and assureth them that as His Majesty hath now applied this unusual remedy to their doubts, so (if there shall be cause) He will continue the same to such time as shall be agreeable to the same care He now expresseth towards them.  
And in this Answer, His Majesty is so far from receding from any thing He promised, or intended to grant in His Answer to the former Petition, that His Majesty hath hereby consented to all was then asked of Him by that Petition concerning the Militia of the Kingdom (except that of London, and those other Corporations) which was to put the same into the hands of such persons as should be recommended unto Him by both Houses of Parliament: And His Majesty doubts not, but the Parliament, upon well weighing the particulars of this His Answer, will find the 〈◊〉 more satisfactory to their ends, and the peace and welfare of all His good Subjects, than the way proposed by this intended Ordinance, to which, for these Reasons, His Majesty cannot consent.  
And whereas His Majesty observes by the Petition of both Houses, presented unto Him by the Earl of Portland, Sir Thomas Healt, & Sir William S●●ile, That in some peaces, some persons begin already to intermeddle of themselves with the Militia, His Majesty expecteth that His Parliament should examine the particulars thereof, it being a matter of high 〈◊〉, and very great consequence.  
And His Majesty requireth, that if it shall appear to His Parliament, that any persons whatsoever have presumed to command the Militia without lawful Authority, they may be proceeded against according to Law.  
FINIS.