A NARRATION Of several passages betwixt His MAJESTY AND Master B. REYMES, at NEWMARKET, Concerning the ARMY.  
Communicated to the Committee of the Militia of London.  
And to the Right Honourable the House of Peers, upon Thurday the seventeenth of June. 1647.  

Die Jovis, 17 Jnnii. 1647.  
ORdered by the Lords Assembled in Parliament, That this Narration be forthwith printed and published.  
Jo. Brown Cler. Parliamentorum.   
London printed for John Wright at the King's Head in the old Bayley. 1647.   

A Narration of several Passages betwixt his Majesty and Master B. Reymes, etc.  
IN Obedience to this Right Honourable House their Command, I shall here give an Account of my admission into his Majesty's presence, and Commission of delivering this Message to the Militia of London, who have thought fit it should be communicated to both Houses of Parliament; For the first, partly my occasions, partly my desire of seeing his Majesty drew me to Sir William russel's, where he was then playing at Bowls with some of the Commissioners; among the rest, Major General Browne espying me, proffered me the honour of his Majesty's hand, which I readily accepted of, so it might be without inconvenience; and coming near his Royal Majesty, he was graciously pleased to grant me that favour; withal ask my name, and something else of Major General Browne, which I heard not; but he soon after came to me, and desired my attendance at Court, where at my entrance I was received by him according to his promise, and carried into the presence Room, where he acquainted me with several passages betwixt his Majesty, the General, Lieutenant-generall, and Colonel Whaley, whom the King had that day struck, for being so presumptuous as to listen while his Majesty was in conference with one whom they suspected to become from London; From this he fell to a relation of his Majesty's averseness, and unwillingness to comply at all with the Armies proceed; saying, That all their actions, for aught he saw, were both inequitable in themselves, and disproportionable to their pretences: To this the Major General added, That it did highly concern both the Parliament and City to be careful of their safeties, he being an ear witness daily of their threats, and how much they are animated with the hopes of spoil, and enraged with hatred to the Parliament; this he desired me to deliver, and so led me into the Privy Chamber, and his Majesty presently came out of his Bedchamber, He came towards me, who was standing with the Commissioners; then Major General Browne anticipated his Majesty's Discourse by an humble entreaty, That he would be pleased to confirm the Relation he had given me of his Majesty's unwillingness to come from Holdenby, and how much against his will he stayed here: In answer to which his Majesty clapping his hand on his breast, said; Upon my life I came against my will, which he told me, I might well conjecture myself by the relation he was pleased to afford me of his being taken from Holdendy: But (said he) rather then to be carried by neck and heels (that I may use his own expression) I went along: Nor am I so in love with their proceed that I should be willing to continue here, for I find myself an absolute Prisoner. As concerning my refusal of returning to Holdenby, which by some of my Subjects may be misunderstood, for all the reason I had was, that I chose golden fetters, and a lightsome room before a dark Dungeon, for I conceive this to be the better Air, knowing that my restraint there should not be less than here. Then appealing to the Commissioners, he said, Have I not told the General himself, and others, That I admired by what Authority he dust thus resist him and his Parliament: To which he answered, There was necessity. He told them, They did more than are the King, though in the height of his power, durst, to enforce Justice, either in criminal or Civil affairs; Indeed I have many times hastened it, but never enforced it, as they have done, in saying, Give us Justice, or— Yet for my part (proceeded his Majesty) I know not what they do, or intent, but what I hear from these Gentlemen, pointing to the Commissioners, for they have not sent legally to me since my coming; therefore tell all those whom you think fit Communicants of this business, that I desire nothing more passionately, then to be with my Parliament. After this I assumed the boldness to tell his Majesty, that I thought him then politically absent, when his affection, though not his Person, was alienated from them: To which he answered, It was very right. Next I told him, I thought it would be no small comfort to those whom he was pleased to make partakers of this his intention, that his Majesty's propension and inclination towards them was so great; which he bid me assure them, whatsoever other illusive persuasion would possess them to the contrary. And moreover, That if he were at the head of their Army, he would declare and protest against all their proceed; And whatsoever they heard to the contrary, desired them not to believe, no, though under his hand, unless they spoke with one who had it: from his own mouth. Last of all, at my demand of some Letter, one of the Commissioners, Major General Browne, answered, That that was not so safe, and this would be as effectual. This is all my memory supplies me withal; the incompactednesse of this Narration shall, I hope, obtain your Honour's pardons, being penned without the least premeditation, and without affecting the least methodical stile; only in obedience to Your Honour's Commands, that I might testify myself to be  
Your Lordship's most devoted Servant, B. REYMES.  
FINIS.