they should not look upon the considerations, mentioned in this bill, as a full compensation and recompence for your majesty's parting with two such royal prerogatives and antient flowers of the crown, if more were not implied than is expressed; for, royal sir, your tenures in capite are not only turned into a tenure of socage, (though that alone will for ever give your majesty a just right and title to the labour of your ploughs and the sweat of our brows) but they are likewise turned into a tenure in corde. What your majesty had before in your Court of Wards, you will be sure to find it hereafter in the exchequer of your people's hearts. The king of Spain's mines will sooner deceive him than this revenue will fail you, for his mines have bottoms; but the deeper your majesty sinks yourself into the hearts and

tions to your majesty's most dear and royal and Liveries, together with Tenures in capite, person, they have passed another Bill for the Knight's Service, Tenures, and Purveyances. raising of 70,000l. for your majesty's further This bill, ex re nata, may properly be called a Supply; all which bills I am commanded hum- bill of exchange; for as care is therein taken bly to present your majesty withal, and to for the ease of your people, so the supply of pray your gracious acceptance thereof, and that part of your majesty's revenue, which your royal assent thereunto.-There are other formerly came into your treasury by your te bills likewise, of public concernment, which nures, and for your purveyances is thereby have passed both houses, and do now attend likewise full provided for by the grant of ano upon your majesty, waiting for your royal as-ther imposition, to be taken upon ale, beer, sent; the one is intituled, An Act for the and other liquors, to hold to your majesty, Attainder of several persons guilty of the hor-your heirs and successors for ever; and that rid Murder of his late sacred majesty, your royal father of ever blessed memory.' There is another Bill, intituled, An Act for the confirmation of Leases and Grants from Colleges and Hospitals; this will tend much to the quitting many men's estates that in the late unhappy times were inforced to renew and change their estates much for the worse, were it not for the favour your majesty intends them in this Bill: there is another bill to prohibit the exportation of Wool, Wool-Fells, Fullers Earth, or any other scouring earth: woollen manufactures, besides the duties they pay for your majesty's customs here at home, have great impositions laid upon them in foreign parts where they are vended, in the Low Countries 16 or 17 per cent. and in Portugal 20 per cent. at least; but those who, for their own filthy lucre sake, having no regard or res-affections of your people, the greater you will pect to the public good, that steal over the materials of which those manufactures are made, pay not one penny here or there, and by that means strangers do make those manufactures of our wool upon such easy terms, that they can afford, and do undersell your merchants; which is the occasion of a double loss, first, to your majesty in your customs, and, in the next place, to your people, who are thereby disheartened and discouraged; and in a short time, if not prevented, will be utterly beaten out of that antient native staple trade, upon which many thousand families do wholly depend for all their livelihood and subsistence. There is another Bill, intituled, An Act to prohibit the planting, setting, or sowing of Tobacco in England and Ireland.' This climate is so cold that it never comes to any maturity or perfection; for we find, by experience, though it be ever so well healed, and made up with the greatest art and skill that can be possible, yet it is impossible, after it is made up into the roll, to keep and preserve it from putrifying above 3 or 4 months at the nost; and therefore physicians, even those that love it best and use it most, conclude, generally, that it is unwholesome for men's bodies; besides many other great damages and inconveniences will follow upon it, if it should be permitted, the abatement of your majesty's customs, the destruction of your plantations abroad, the discouragement of navigation, and so consequently the decay of shipping, which are the walls and bulwarks of your majesty's kingdom.There is another bill, intituled, 4 An Act for taking away the Court of Wards

find your wealth to be, and the more invincible your strength.-Royal sir; we have nothing more to offer or to ask, but must conclude all our work this parliament with an humble and thankful acknowledgment of God's infinite goodness and mercy, in restoring your majesty to your royal and imperial crown, throne, and dignity, and for making you the restorer of that which is dearer unto us than our lives, our religion; in which, through God's blessing and gracious assistance, we are resolved to live and die: as likewise for restoring us to our Magna Charta liberties, having taken the charge and care of them into your own heart, which is our greatest security, and more than a thousand confirmations-Royal sir; you have denied us nothing we have asked this parliament; indeed you have out-done your parliament, by doing much more for us than we could agree amongst ourselves to ask, and therefore must needs be a happy parliament: this is a healing parliament, a reconciling peace-making parliament, a blessed parliament; a parliament propter excellentiam, that may truly be called, Parliamentissimum Parliamentum.' No man can say, that hath made the most curious search into books and records, that there ever was such a parliament as this; and it is our unspeakable joy and comfort that no man can say, so long as your majesty lives, but we may have such another, for you have set your royal heart upon it to do your people good.-And as we have nothing more to say, so we have nothing more to do, but that which will be a-doing as long as we have a being, the pouring out of our souls unto Almighty God

for your majesty's long, long, long, and most happy, blessed, glorious, and prosperous reign over us."

The King's Speech.] After which, the Speaker presented his majesty with 11 public, and 21 private bills. All these Bills being passed, the King was pleased to make the following Speech to both houses:

invention and appetite.-There are many other particulars which I will not trust my own memory with, but will require the Chancellor to say the rest to you."

The Lord Chancellor's Speech.] After his majesty had done, the lord chancellor Hyde came from his place and kneeled down close by his majesty's chair, and received his ma"My lords and gentlemen; I will not en- jesty's directions what to say further; and betertain you with a long discourse, the sum of ing returned to his place, he said as followeth: all I have to say to you being but to give you "My lords, and you the knights, citizens, thanks, and I assure you I find it a very diffi- and burgesses of the house of commons; There cult work to satisfy myself in my own expres- cannot be a greater manifestation of an excelsions of those thanks; perfunctory thanks, or-lent temper and harmony of affections throughdinary thanks, for ordinary civilities are easily out the nation, than that the king and his two given, but when the heart is as full as mine is, houses of parliament meet with the same atit is a labour to thank you; you have taken fections and chearfulness, the same alacrity in great pains to oblige me, and therefore it cau- their countenance, at the dissolution, as when not be easy for me to express the sense I have they met at the convention of parliament. It of it.—I will enlarge no further on this occa- is an unquestionable evidence that they are exsion than to tell you that, when God brought ceedingly satisfied in what they have done tome hither, I brought with me an extraordinary wards each other, that they have very well done affection and esteem for parliaments. I need all the business they came about; this is now not tell you how much it is improved by your your case, you have so well satisfied your own carriage towards me; you have out-done all consciences, that you are sure you have satisfied the good and obliging acts of your predecessors the king's expectation and his hope, and the detowards the crown; and, therefore, you can- sire and wishes of the country.-It was very justnot but believe my heart is exceedingly en- ly observed by you, Mr. Speaker, that you have larged with the acknowledgement. Many never asked any one thing of the king which former parliaments have had particular deno- he hath not (with all imaginable chearfulness) minations from what they have done; they granted; in truth, his majesty doth, with great have been stiled learned and unlearned, comfort, acknowledge that you have been so and sometimes have had worse epithets; I far from denying him any thing he hath asked, pray let us all resolve that this be for ever that he hath scarce wished any thing that you called The Healing and Blessed Parliament.' have not granted; and it is no wonder that, As I thank you, though not enough, for having so fully complied with your obligawhat you have done, so I have not the least tions, and having so well composed the minds doubt, by the blessing of God, but when I of the nation, you are willing to be relieved sball call the next parliament, which I shall from this extraordinary fatigue you have subdo as soon as you can reasonably expect, or mitted so long to, and to return to the considesire, I shall receive your thanks for what I deration of your own particular affairs, which have done since I parted from you, for I deal you have so long sacrificed to the public; and truly with you. I shall not more propose any this reasonable wish and desire hath brought one real good to myself in my actions and in the king to comply with you, and, which nomy councils than this, What is a parliament thing else could do, to part with you with an like to think of this action or this council? and equal chearfulness; and he makes no doubt it shall be for want of understanding in me, but all succeeding parliaments will pay you if it will not bear that test.—I shall conclude their thanks for all you have done, and look with this, which I cannot say too often, nor upon your actions and your example with all you too often where you go, That, next to the possible approbation and reverence. The king miraculous blessing of God Almighty, and, in- and you have given such carnest to one anodeed, as an immediate effect of that blessing, I ther of your mutual affection; you have been do impute the good disposition and security so exact and punctual in your proceedings towe are all in, to the happy Act of Indemnity wards each other, that you have made no proand Oblivion, which is the principal corner-mise, no profession to each other, of making stone that supports this excellent building, and good, to the performing of which the world is creates kindness in us to each other; confi- not witness. You declared at the adjourn dence being our joint and common security. ment, in Sept. last, your resolution to settle a You may be sure I will not only observe, reli- noble Revenue on the crown; you have done giously and inviolably, myself, but also ex-it with all the circumstances of affection and act the observation of it from others; and if any person should ever have the boldness to attempt to persuade me to the contrary, he will find such an acceptation from me as he would have who should persuade me to burn Magna Charta, cancel all the old laws, and to erect a new government after my own

prudence: the king promised you to establish a Council of Trade, a Council for the foreign Plantations, a Commission for composing all differences upon Sales; all this be did before your coming together, and with very good effect, and you shall hear that the proceedings in every one of them are more vigorous and

effectual after your dissolution. His majesty vigilance to frustrate those designs.You have then promised you that he will give up all his heard of many suspected and dangerous perendeavours to compose the unhappy differences sons which have lately been clapt up; and it in matters of Religion, and to restore the lan- was high time to look about. His majesty guishing Church to peace and order: Constan- hath spent many hours himself in the exami tine himself spent so much of his own time in nation of this business, and some of the prinprivate and public conferences; to that pur- cipal officers, who, before they came to his pose his majesty, in private, conferred with majesty's presence, could not be brought to the learned men, and heard all that could be acknowledge any thing, after the king himself said upon several opinions and interests apart; had spoken to them, confessed that their spiand that, in the presence of both parties, him- rits were insensibly prevailed upon and subdued, self moderating in the debates; and less care, and that it was not in their power to conceal and diligence, and authority would not have their guilt from him: they have confessed that done that work; and God hath so blessed his there is a party of the late disbanded officers labour, and inade his determination in that and soldiers, and others, full of discontent and affair so generally agreeable, that he hath re- seditious purposes, and a resolution to attempt ceived Thanks from his houses of parliament; the change of the present government, and to that is, from the whole kingdom: if, after all erect the republic: they acknowledge that this, his majesty doth not reap the full barvest they did purpose to have made their attempt he expected from those condescensions; if for the rescue of those wretches who were so some men, by their writing and their preach-justly condemned at Newgate, and so worthily ing, endeavour to continue those breaches, executed, and that Ludlow should have then and very rashly, and I think unconscientiously, appeared at the head of them; that they made keep up the distinctions, and publicly justify themselves sure at the same time, by parties and maintain what hath heretofore been done and confederacy, to have surprized the Tower amiss, and for which the Act of Indemnity was of London and the Castle of Windsor, but the best defence, I shall say no more than that that they found, or at least apprebended, that I hope their want of modesty and obedience their design was discovered; which so broke will cause them to be disclaimed by all pious their spirits, that they concluded they must and peaceable men; who cannot but be well acquiesce for the present, and stay till the contented to see them reduced by laws, to the Army should be disbanded; which, they said, obedience they owe to law and his majesty is was generally debauched; that is, returned to confident that this his beloved city, towards an honest and fast obedience to the king; and which his heart is so gracious and so full of that it is evident they were betrayed by those princely designs to improve their honour, their who were most intirely trusted by them, and wealth, and their beauty, will discountenance they were in the right. The king had notice all these seditious designs; and, by returning of all their designs, what progress they made, and fixing themselves upon their good old fouu- and the night they intended to surprise the dations, make themselves the great example of Tower and Windsor, and gave notice to the piety, of loyalty, and of hearty affection to the several governors; and so, without any noise, whole kingdom.-This discourse puts me in that mischief was, by God's goodness, prenind to say to you, that though the king won- vented. They acknowledge that they have ders much more at the many great things you since recovered their courage and resolution, have done than that you left any thing undone, and were about this time to make their full yet he could have wished, and would have attempt. They have been promised some been glad, that your other weighty affairs had considerable rising in the West under Ludlow, given you time to have published your opinion and in the North under others; but this place and advice in the business of the Militia; that was the scene of greatest hopes; they made the people, after so many disputes upon that sure of a body here, I think they say of 2500 argument, might have discerned that the king men, with which they resolved, in the first and his two houses of parliament are as much place, to secure (you know what that security in the same mind in that as in all other things, is) the person of the General the duke of as no doubt they are; but since that could Albemarle, with whom they have so much reanot be done, you may all assure yourselves son to be angry, and at the same time to posthat the king will proceed therein with all ima- sess themselves of Whitehall: you know the ginable care and circumspection, for the ease, method used in such possession, kill and take quiet, and security of his people; and as he possession. And this insupportable calamity did before the last recess, by the unanimous God hath again diverted from us; though I advice of his privy council, issue out his com- must tell you the poor men, who seem to mission of lieutenancy for the settling the speak honestly, and upon the impulsion of Militia in the several counties, to prevent any conscience, are very far from being confident disorders which many apprchended might arise that there will not be some desperate insurupon the disbanding the Army, so he will now rection and attempts in several parts of this again recommend it to themselves to put it in kingdom, within a short time, which all possuch a posture, as may disappoint any sedi- sible care will be taken to prevent; and, in tious designs which are now on foot; and truth, this very good city so well requires the there cannot be too much circumspection and king's abundant grace and kindness to it, that

not only by the unwearied pains and diligence you, and from your practice they will make a of the worthy lord mayor, but by the general judgment of the king himself. They know temper and constitution of the whole city, the very well that you are not only admitted to discontented and seditious party (which can his presence, but to his conversation, and even never be totally extirpated out of such a me- in a degree to his friendship, for you are his tropolis) is like to have little encouragement to great council; by your example they will form pursue their desperate councils.-The king their own mauners, and by yours they will doth not believe that all those persons, who, make a guess at the king's; therefore, under at present, are apprehended and in custody, that obligation, you will cause your piety, your will be found guilty of this treason; it is a justice, your affability, and your charity, to vulgar and known artifice to corrupt inferior shine as bright as is possible before them. persons, by persuading them that better men They are too much in love with England, too are engaged in the same enterprize, and the partial to it, who believe it the best country in king will make as much haste as he can to set the world; there is a better earth, and a better those at liberty, against whom the evidence or air, and better, that is a warmer, sun in other suspicion is not too treasonable. In the mean countries; but we are no more than just when tune, they who, in truth, are innocent, must we say, that England is an inclosure of the confess, that the proceedings towards them best people in the world, when they are well hath been very natural and full of clemency; informed and instructed; a people, in sobriety and no man will wonder if his majesty be very of conscience, the most devoted to God Aldesirous that, in this conjuncture, and in order mighty; in the integrity of their affections, the to prevent or suppress these two visible dis- most dutiful to the king; in their good mantempers and machinations, his majesty in all | ners and inclinations, most regardful and places be in good order and preparation; loving to the nobility; no nobility in Europe and you may assure yourselves that, in the so intirely beloved by the people; there may forming and conduct of it, he will have so be more awe, and fear, and terror of them, great a care for the ease and quiet of his but no such respect towards them as in Engpeople, that if any person trusted by him land. I beseech your lordships do not undershall, through want of skill or want of temper, value this love; they have looked upon your satisfy his own passion, or appetite, in grieving lordships, and they will look upon your or vexing his neighbours, his majesty will be so lordships again, as the greatest example and sensible of it, that, if it can be cured no other patron of duty; to the king, as their greatest way, his trust shall be quickly determined: security and protection from injury and inand he is not at all reserved in giving those justice, and for their enjoying whatsoever is animadversions and reprehensions when there due to them by the law; and as the most is occasion, and his ears will be always open to proper mediators and interposers to the king, receive those complaints.-My lords and gen-if, by any failure of justice, they should be extlemen; You are now returning to your coun- posed to any oppression and violence; and tries, to receive the thanks and acknowledge- this exercise of your justice and kindness toments of your friends and neighbours for the wards them will make them the more abhor great things you have done; and to make the and abominate that party upon which a comburden you have laid upon them easy, by con-monwealth must be founded, because it would vincing them of the inevitable necessity of their submitting to them. You will make them see that you have proceeded very far towards the separation, and even divorce, of that necessity from them, to which they have been so long married; that they are now restored to that blessed temper of government, under which their ancestors enjoyed, so many hundred years, that full measure of felicity, and the misery of being deprived of which they have so sensibly felt; that they are now free from those midnight alarms with which they have been so terrified, and rise off their beds, at their own healthy houses, without being saluted with the death of a husband, a son, and friend, miserably killed the night or day before, and with such circumstances killed, as improved the misery beyond the loss itself. This infranchisement is worth all they pay for it. Your lordships will easily recover that estimation and reverence that is due to your high condition, by the exercise and practice of that virtue from whence your honours first sprang; the example of your justice and piety will inflame the hearts of the people towards

extirpate, or suppress, or deprive them of their beloved nobility, which are such a support and security to their full happiness.-And you gentlemen of the house of commons, who are now returning to your country, laden with a trust not inferior or less weighty than that you brought from thence: you came up their deputies to the king, and he returns you now his deputies to them; his plenipotentiaries to inform and assure them, that he thinks himself the happiest and greatest prince in the world, not from the situation of his dominions, and the power of his great navy, with which he can visit his neighbours, and keep them from visiting him; or from the noble revenue you have settled upon him, which he will improve with all good husbandry; but being possessed of the affections and hearts of such subjects, that he doth so intirely love them and depend upon them, that all his actions and all his councils shall tend to no other end but to make them happy and prosperous; that he thinks his honour and his interest principally to consist in providing for, and advancing the honour and interest of, the nation.-That you