The Kings majesties DECLARATION To both Houses of PARLIAMENT.  
( Which He likewise recommends to the consideration of all His loving Subjects)  
In Answer to that Declaration presented to him by both Houses of Parliament at New-market, the 9th of March, 1641.  
 arms of Charles I 
C R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  
London, Printed for 〈◇〉. 1642.   

His Majesties Declaration to both Houses of Parliament.  
THough the Declaration lately presented to us at New-market, from both Our Houses of Parliament, be of so strange a nature, in respect of what We expected( after so many Acts of Grace and Favour to Our People) and some expressions in it so different from the usual Language to Princes, that We might well take a very long time to consider it; Yet the clearness and upr●ghtnesse of Our Conscience to God,& love to our Subiects, hath supplied Us with a speedy Answer, and Our unalterable Affection to Our People prevailed with Us, to suppress that Passion, which might well enough become Us, upon such an Invitation.  
We haue reconsidered Our Answer of the first of this month at Theobalds, which is urged to have given just cause of sorrow to Our Subjects. Whosoever looks over that Message( which was in effect to tell Us, That if we would not join with th m( ●n an Act which we conceived might prove prejudicial and d●ngerous to Us and the whole kingdom) they would make a Law without Us, and impose it upon Our People) will not think that sudden Answer can be accepted to.  
We have little encouragement to replies of this nature, when we are  told of how little value Our words are like to be w●th you, though they come accompanied with all the Actions of Love and Justice( where there is room for Actions to accomp●ny them) yet we cannot but disavow the having any such evil council or Councellors about Us, to our knowledge, as are mentioned, and if any such be discovered, we will leave them to the Censure and Judgement of Our Parliament▪ In ●he mean time, We cou●d wish, that Our own immediate Actions which We avow, and Our own Ho●●●● mi●●● 〈…〉 roughly censured and wounded, under that common style of evil councillors.  
For Our faithful and zealous affection to the true Protestant Profession, and Our resolution to concur with our Parliament in any possible course for the propagation of it, and suppression of Popery. We can say no more then We have already expressed in Our Declaration to all Our loving Subjects published in Jan. last by the advice of Our Privy council, in which We endeavoured to make as lively a Confession of ourself, in this point, as We were able, being most assured that the constant practise of our Life hath been answerable thereunto: And therefore We did rather expect a Testimony, and Acknowledgement of such Our Zeal and P●ety, then those Expressions We meet with in this Declaration, of any design of altering Religion in this kingdom. And we do( out of the Innocency of Our soul) wish, That the Judgements of Heaven may be manifested upon those, who have, or had any such design.  
As for the Scots troubles, We had well thought that those unhappy differences had been wrapped up in perpetual silence, by the Act of Oblivion, which being solemnly past in the Parliament● of both kingdoms, stops Our mouth from any other Reply then to show Our great dislike for reviving the memory thereof.  
If the Rebellion in Jreland,( so odious to all Christians) seems to have been framed and maintained in England, or to have any countenance from hence. We conjure both Our Houses of Parliament, and all Our loving Subiects whatsoever, to use all possible means to discover and find such out, that We may join in the most exemplary vengeance upon them that can be imagined: But We must thin●e ourself highly and causelessly injured in Our Reputation, if any Declaration, Action, or Expression of the Irish Rebels, any Letter from Count Rosetti to the Papists, for fasting and praying, or from Trestram Whitcombe, of strange Speeches u tered in Jreland, shall beget any ●ealousie, or misapprehension in Out Subjects, of Our Iustice, Piety and affection it being evident to all understandings, That th●se mischievous and wicked Rebels are not so capable of great advantage as by having their false discours●s so far believed, as to raise Fe●res and Jea●ousies to the distraction of thi● kingdom, the onely way to their security: And we cannot express a deeper sense of the suffering of Our poor protestant Subjects in that Kingdom, then we have done in Our often Messages to both Houses, by which we have offered, and are still ready to venture Our royal Person for their Redemption, well knowing, that a● We are( in Our own ●nterest) more concerned in them, so We are to make a strict account to Almighty God for any neglect of Our duty, or their preservation.  
For the manifold attempts to provoke our late Army, and the Army of the Scots, and to raise a faction in the City of London, and other parts of the kingdom; If it be said, as relating to us, we cannot without great indignation, suffer Out self to be reproached, to have intended the least force or threatening to our Parliament; as the being privy to the bringing up of the Army would imply: wheteas we call God to witness, we never had any such thought, or knew of any such resolution concerning our late Army.  
For the Petition shewed to us by captain leg, we well remember the same, and the occasion of that Conference: captain leg being lately come out of the North, and repairing to us at Whitehall, we asked him of the state of our Army, and( after some relation made of it) he  told us, that the Commanders and Officers of the army had a mind to petition the Parliament, as others of our people had done, and shewed us the copy of a Petition, which we red, and finding it to be very humble, desiring the Parliament might receive no interruption in the Reformation of the Church and State, to the model of Queen Elizabeths dayes; We  told him, We saw no harm in it, Whereupon he replied, that he believed all the Officers of the Army would like it, onely he thought Sir Jaccob Ashley would be unwilling to sign it, out of fear it might displease Us. We then red the Petition over again, and then observing nothing in matter or form We conceived could possi●ly give just cause of offence, We delivered it to him again, bidding him give it to Sir jacob A●hley, for whose satisfact on We had written C. R. upon it, to testify Our approbation; and Wi●h that the Petition might be seen and published, and then We believe it will appear no dangerous one. not a just ground for the least jealousy, or misapprehension.  
For Master jermin, it is well known that he was gone from Whitehall before We received the desire of both Houses for the restraint of Our servants: neither returned he thither, or passed over by any Warrant granted by Us after that time.  
For the breach of privilege in the Accusation of the Lord Kymbolton, and the five Members of the house of Commons, We tho●ght We had given so am●le satisfaction in Our several Messages to that purpose, that it should be no more pressed against us, being confident if the breach of privilege had been greater then hath been ever before offered, Out acknowledgement and retractation hath been greater then ever King hath given, besides the not examining how many of Our privileges have been invaded in defence and vindication of the other; And therefore We hoped Our true and earnest Protestation in Our answer to your Order concerning the Militia, would so far have satisfied you of your intentions then, that you would no more have entertained any imagination of any other design then We there expressed.  
But why the listing of so many Officers, and entertaining them at Whitehall should be misconstrued, We much marvel, when it is notoriously known; the tumults at Westminster were so great, and their demeanours so scandalous and seditious, that We had good cause to suppose Our own Person, and those of Our Wife and Children to be in apparent danger, and therefore We had great reason to appoint a Guard about us, and to accept the dutiful tender of the services of any of Our loving Subjects, which was all we did to the Gentlemen of the inns of Court.  
For the Lord Digby, We assure you in the word of a King, that he had Our Warrant to pass the Seas, and had left Our Court before We ever heard of the Vote of the house of Commons, or had any cause to imagine that his absence would have been excepted against.  
What your advertisements are from Rome, Venice, Paris, and other parts, or what the Popes Nun●io solicits the Kings of France or spain to do, or from what persons such informations come to you, or how the credit and reputation of such persons have been sifted and examined, we know not, but are confident, no sober honest man in Our kingdoms can believe, that wee are so desperate or so senseless, to entertain such designs, as would not onely bury this Our kingdom in sudden distraction and ruin, but ●ur own Name and Posterity in perpetual scorn and infamy. And therefore we could have wished, that in matters of so high and tender a nature( wherewith the minds of Our good Subjects must needs be startled) all the expressions were so plain and easy, that nothing might stick with them with reflection upon Us, since you thought fit to publish it at all.  
And having now dealt thus plainly& freely with you by way of Answer to the particular grounds of your Fears, We hope( upon a due consideration and weighing both together) you will not find the Grounds to be of that moment to beget, or longer to continue a misunderstand●ng betwixt Us, or force you to apply yourselves to the use of any other power then what the Law hath given you, the which we always intend shall be the measure of Our own power, and expect it shall be the rule of our Subiects Obedience.  
Concerning Our fears and jealousies, as Wee had no intention of accusing you, so are We sure no words spoken by Us( on the sudden) at Theobalds will bear that Interpretation We said for Our Residence near you We wished it might be so safe and Honourable, that We had no cause to absent ourself from White-Hall, And how this can be a breach of privilege of Parliament We cannot understand, We explained Our meaning in Our Answer at New-Market, at the Presentation of this Declaration concerning the printed seditious pamphlets and Sermons, and the great tumults at Westminster: And We must appeal to you and all the world whether we might not justly suppose ourself in danger of either, And if we were now at White-Hall, what security have we, that the like shall not be again, especially if any Delinquents of that Natu e have been apprehended by the Ministers of ●ustice, And been res●ued by the people. And so as yet escape unpunished; if you have not been informed of the seditious words used in, and the circumstances of those Tumults, and will appoint some way for the Examination of them We will requ●re some of Ou● Le●rn●d council to atte●d with such evidence as may satisfy you, And till that and done, or some o●her cout●e taken for Our security, you cannot( with reason) wonder that We intend not to be where We most desire to be.  
And can there yet want evidence of Our hearty and importunate desire to join with our Parliament, and all Our faithful Subjects, in defence of the Religion and public good of the kingdom; Have we given you no other earnest but words, to secure you of those desires; The very Remonstrance of the House of Commons( published in November last) of the state of the kingdom allows us a more real testimony of our good Affections then words: That Remonstrance valued Our Acts of Grace and Justice at so high a rate, that it declared the kingdom to be then a gainer, though it had charged itself by bills of Subsidies and Pol-money, with levy of 600000 pounds, besides the contracting of a Debt to Our Scots Subjects of 220000 pounds.  
Are the bills for the triennial Parliament, For relinquishing Our Title of Jmposing upon Merchand●ze, and Power of Pressing of Souldiers, For the taking away the star-chamber, and high Commission Courts For the Regulating the council Table, but words? Are the Bills for the Forrests, the Stannery Courts, The clerk of the Market, And the taking away the Votes of Bishops out of the Lords House, but words? Lastly, what greater earnest of Our trust and reliance on Our Parliament could or can we give, then the passing of the Bill for the continuance of this present Parliament? The length of which We hope will never alter the nature of Parliaments, and the Constitution of this kingdom, or invite Our Subjects so much to abuse our Confidence, as to esteem any thing fit for this Parliament to do, which were not, if it were in Our power to dissolve it to morrow. And after all these, and many other Acts of Grace on Our part that We m●ght be su●e of a perfect Reconciliation betwixt Us and all our Subjects) We have offered, and are still ready to grant a free and general Pardon, as amp●e as yourselves shall think fit. Now if these be not real expressions of the Affections of our soul, for the public good of Our kingdom, We must confess that We want skill to manifest them.  
To conclude( although we think our Answer already full to that point) concerning our return to London: We are willing to Declare, that we look upon it as a matter of so great weight, own inclinations and desires, that if all we can say or do, can raise a mutual Confidence( the onely way with Gods blessing to make us all happy, and by your encouragement the laws of the Land, and the government of the City of London, may recover some life for our Security, we will overtake your desires▪ and be as soon with you as you can wish. And in the mean time, we will be sure, that ne●ther the business of Jreland, or any other advantage for this kingdom shall suffer through Our default, or by our absence: not being so far from repenting the Acts of Our Justice and Grace, which we have already performed to Our People, that we shall with the same Alacrity, bee still ready to add such new Ones, as may best advance the peace, Honour, and prosperity of this Nation.  
FINIS.