ARTICLES OF PEACE BETWEEN CHARLES KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, France, and Ireland, to the PARLIAMENT  
With JOHN the 4. King of Portugal, Algerres, &c.  
Also, His Majesties several Messages to both Houses.  
With the Parliaments respective Answers thereunto.  
London, printed for J. Harrison. 1642.   

Articles of Peace between Charles King of of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, with John the 4. King of Portugall, &c.  
THis kingdom being dangerously involved in distempers, distractions, fears, and approaching calamities, his Majesty hath taken into his Princely care, the manifold disturbances thereof; and for the better security of the kingdom from the suppository invasion of any foreign power, his Majesty hath concluded 21. Articles of peace and commerce between John the 4. King of Portugal; The full scope and sense of those Articles run thus( as hath been collected from a copy sent from his majesty.  
That the King of Great Britain, and the King of Portugall shall be united in a brotherly peace.  
That any War, or the intention thereof betwixt either kingdoms, shall be prevented during this Treatise.  
That any Subject in either kingdoms,( excluding onely those of the Romish Religion) shall have liberty of Commerce& free traffic in the said Kings Dominions.  
That free Commerce shall be made as well by Sea as Land, and in every Territory by the subjects of each kingdom.  
That no violation or extremity of imprisonment shall be offered unto any person, but if any Merchants of either part be engaged to any other man for Merchandise, that contentive satisfaction shalbe fully made within a year and a day.  
That this unite confederation and accord betwixt both kingdoms shall continue inviolable.  
There are( I must confess impartially) more words expressed at length in the Articles, but the full sense and intent of them includes no more then I have here declared. Notwithstanding his Majesty hath absolutely concluded these Articles of peace and Commerce betwixt the King of Portugal, yet the Parliament have not subscribed, condescended, or given their assent thereunto: Wherefore it is now my intended resolution to revolve certain passages and Messages between the King and the Parliament, sent to each other.  
His Majesty professeth in one Message, that he will shut his ears against any that would incline him to a Civill war, and doth abhor the apprehension of it, whereof the Parliament and others have had cause to be suspicious, who replied to his Majesty in this manner, That they did confess it was a resolution most worthy of a Prince; but they could not believe that mind to have been in those that came with his Majesty in a warlike manner to the House of Commons, or in those that accompanied his Majesty to Hampton Court, and appeared in a Hostile manner at kingston upon Thames, or in divers others that followed his Majesty lately to Hull, or in those that after drew their Swords at york, demanding who would be for the King; or in those that advised his Majesty to declare Sir John Hotham a traitor, before the Message was sent concerning that business to the Parliament, or to make propositions to the Gentlemen of the County of york to assist his majesty to proceed against him in a way of force before he had, or possibly could receive an Answer from the Parliament, to whom he had sent to demand Justice of them against Sir John Hotham for that fact.  
His Majesty tells them, that instead of giving his majesty satisfaction concerning that business, they published a Declaration, as an appeal to the people, and as if their intercourse with his majesty, and for his satisfaction were now to no purpose, which course of the Parliament is alleged to bee very unagreeable to the modesty and duty of former times, and not warrantable by any Presidents, but what their selves have made.  
The Parliament answer, That both Houses( especially being burdened as they were at that time with so many pressing and urgent affairs) could not move as fast as himself, otherwise they would have sent it to his majesty by a Committee of both Houses, whereby it plainly doth appear, that they did it not upon that ground, that they thought it was no more to any purpose to endeavour to give his Majesty satisfaction; and as for the duty and modesty of former times, from which they are said to have varied, and to want the warrant of any presidents therein, but what their selves have made; but if they have made any Presidents this Parliament, they have made them for posterity, and upon the same and better grounds of reason and Law, then those were, which their predecessors first made any for them; and as some Presidents ought not to be Rules for them to follow: so none can be limits to bound their proceedings, which may, and must vary, according to the different condition of times: And for this particular of setting forth Declarations for the satisfaction of the people, who have chosen and entrusted them with all that is dearest to them,( they say) if there be no example for it, it is because there were never any such Monsters before, that ever attempted to dis●ffect the people from a Parliament, or could ever harbour a thought, that it might be effected: and( they say also) that if they have do●e more then ever their ancestors have done before, they have suffered more then ever they have suffered.  
His Majesty declareth, That there is no legal power in either or both Houses of Parliament upon any pretence whatsoever, without his Majesties censent to command a●y part of the Militia of the kingdom.  
The Parliament affirmeth contrarily, and that they may dispose of any thing, wherein his majesty, or any Subjects hath a right in such a way, as that the kingdom may not bee exposed to any hazard or danger, but may be secured thereby.  
His majesty proclaimeth Sir John Hotham a Traitor, and declareth that Hull is his own properly, and that his intention to go thither was onely to visit the Magazine.  
The Parliament answer and proclaim Sir John Hotham a faithful Servant of theirs, and that Hull is no more his Majesties own, then the Kingdom is his own.  
The Parliament cannot believe, that any man, that shall seriously consider the circumstances of that journey to Hull, can think that his Majesty would have gone thither at that time, and in that posture, that he pleased to put himself in towards the Parliament, if he had intended onely a visit of the town, and his own Magazine.  
His majesty desireth to know, what the malignant party is, which the Parliament so often presseth on him.  
The Parliament telleth him, that for the malignant party his majesty needeth not a definition of the Law, nor yet a more full Character of them from both Houses of Parliament for to find them out: if he will please onely to apply the Character, that himself hath made of them, to those to whom it doth duly and properly belong, who are so much disaffected to the peace of the kingdom, as they that endeavour to disaffect his majesty from the Houses of Parliament, and persuade him to at such a distance from them both in place and affection: This is that malignant party and if his majesty would be pleased to remove them from about him, it would be the more effectual means to compose all the distractions, and to cure the distempers of this kingdom.  
FINIS.