1660. the King fhould be oblig'd to fwear to, as the Conditions of Anno 12Car. Ik his Restoration: But the Spring-Tide of Zeal and Loyalty, both within doors and without, running too fiercely to be withstood, and the popular Cry being, That they had procee ded too far already in their Vote upon the Receipt of the Letter to fall back again, and offend the King with colder Expreffions of their Duty; thefe wholefome Precautions were, after two Days Debate, given up, and the Refult was the following unreferved and courtly Letter: Moft Royal Sovereign, The CommoN'S We your Majefty's most loyal Subjects the Commons of Reply, England, aflembled in Parliament, do, with all Humblenefs, prefent unto your Majefty the unfeigned Thankfulness of our Hearts for thofe gracious Expreffions of Piety and Goodnefs, and Love to us and the Nations under your Dominions, which your Majesty's Letter of the 14th of April, dated from Breda, together with the Declaration inclofed in it, of the fame Date, do fo evidently contain. For which we do, in the firft Place, look up to the great King of Kings, and bless his Name who hath put thefe Things into the Heart of our King, to make him glorious in the Eyes of his People: As thofe great Deliverances which that di vine Majefty hath afforded unto your Royal Perfon from many Dangers, and the Support which he hath given to your he roic and princely Mind under various Tryals, make it appear to all the World that you are precious in his Sight. And give us Leave to fay, that as your Majefty is pleased to declare your Confidence in Parliaments, your Efteem of them, and this your Judgment and Character of them, that they are fo neceffary for the Government of the Kingdom, that neither Prince nor People can be in any tolerable Degree happy without them, and therefore fay that you will hearken to their Councils, be tender of their Privileges, and careful to preferve and protect them; fo we truft, and, with all Humility, be bold to affirm, that your Majefty will not be deceived in us, and that we will never depart from that Fidelity which we owe unto your Majefty, that Zeal which we bear unto your Service, and a conftant Endeavour to advance your Honour and Greatnefs. And we beseech your Majefty we may add this farther for the Vindication of Parliaments, and even of the laft Parliament, convened under your Royal Father of happy Memory, when, as your Majefty well obferves, through Miftakes and Mifunderstandings, many Inconveniencies were produc'd which were not intended, that thofe very Inconveniencies could not have been brought upon us by thofe Perfons who had defign'd them without violating the Parliament. For they well knew it was not pofible to do Anno 12 Car. II. a Violence to that facred Perfon whilft the Parliament 1660. which had vow'd and covenanted for the Defence and Safety of that Perfon, remain'd entire. Surely, Sir, as the Perfons of our Kings have ever been dear unto Parliaments, fo we cannot think of that horrid A&t committed against the precious Life of our late Sovereign but with fuch a Deteftation and Abhorrency as we want Words to exprefs it; and, next to wishing it had never been, we wish it may never be remember'd by your Majefty, to be unto you as an Occafion of Sorrow, as it will never be remembered by us but with that Grief and Trouble of Mind which it deferves, being the greatest Reproach that ever was incurr'd by any of the English Nation, an Offence to all the Proteftant Churches abroad, and a Scandal to the Profeffion of the Truth of Religion here at home; though both Profeffion and true Profeflors, and the Nation itself, as well as the Parliament, were most innocent of it, it having been only the Contrivance and Act of fome few ambitious and bloody Perfons, and fuch others as by their Influence were missed. And as we hope and pray that God will not impute the Guilt of it, nor of all the evil Confequences thereof, unto the Land, whofe divine Juftice never involves the Guiltless with the Guilty, fo we cannot but give due Praise to your Majefty's Goodness, who are pleafed to entertain fuch reconcil'd and reconciling Thoughts, and with them not only meet, but as it were prevent your Parliament and People, propofing yourfelf in a great measure, and inviting the Parliament to confider farther and advise your Majefty what may be neceflary to restore the Nation to what it hath loft, raise up again the Banks and Fences of it, and make the Kingdom happy by the Advancement of Religion, the Security of our Laws, Liberties, and Eftates, and the removing all Jealoufies and Animofities which may render our Peace lefs certain and durable Wherein your Majefty gives a large Evidence of your great Wifdom; judging aright, that, after fo high a Diftemper, and fuch an univerfal Shaking of the very Foundations, great Care must be had to repair the Breaches, and much Circumfpection and Induftry ufed to provide Things neceflary for the ftrengthning thofe Repairs, and preventing whatever may disturb or weaken them. We fhall immediately apply ourselves to the preparing of these Things; and, in a very fhort Time, we hope to be able to prefent them to your Majefty; and, for the prefent, do, with all humble Thankfulness, acknowledge your Grace and Favour, in affuring us of your Royal Concurrence with us, and faying, that we fhall not expect any Thing from you but what you will be as ready to give as we 1660. we to receive; and we cannot doubt of your Majefty's effe- Anno 12 Car.II. And we have yet more Caufe to enlarge our Praise and our Prayers to God for your Majefty, that you have continued unfhaken in your Faith, that neither the Temptation of Allurements, Perfuafions and Promifes from feducing Papifts on the one hand, nor the Perfecution and hard U fage of fome feduc'd and misguided Profeffors of the Protestant Religion on the other hand, could at all prevail on your Majefty to make you forfake the Rock of Ifrael, the God of your Fathers, and the true Proteftant Religion in which your Majefty hath been bred, but have ftill been as a Rock to yourself, firm to your and our God, even now expreffing your Zeal and Affection for the Proteftant Religion, and your Care and Study for the Propagation thereof. This hath been a Rejoicing of Heart to all the Faithful of the Land, and an Affurance to them that God would not forfake you; but, after many Trials, which should but make you more precious, as Gold out of the Fire, would restore your Majefty to your Patrimony, and People with more Splendor and Dignity, and make you the Glory of Kings and the Joy of your Subjects; which is and ever fhall be the Prayer of your Majefty's moft loyal Subjects the Commons of England, affembled in Parliament. Sign'd, HARBOTTLE GRIMSTONE, Speaker. The Letter being engrofs'd and fign'd, Sir John Greenvil was appointed to attend the Houfe; and being conducted to the Bar, the Speaker ftood up, and thus addrefs'd himself Greenvil to him: I need not tell you with what grateful Hearts the Com- Thanks given B People 1660. Anno 12 Car.II. People have cry'd aloud to the King of Kings in their Prayers Long live King Charles the Second! I am likewife to tell you, That the House do not think fit that you return back to our Royal Sovereign without fome Teftimony of our Respects to yourSelf; and therefore have ordered that Five Hundred Pounds fhou'd be deliver'd to you to buy you a Jewel, as a Badge of that Honour which is due to a Perfon whom the King has honour'd with fo gracious a Meffage: And I am commanded in the Name of the Houfe to return you their very hearty Thanks. The Procla mation, up The next great Affair that took the Attention of the Houfe was, in conjunction with the Lords, to proclaim the King, which was done in the following Form, as agreed upon in a Conference between the Two Houfes. ་ ་ Altho' it can no way be doubted but that his Majesty's Right and Title to his Crown and Kingdoms, is, and was every way compleated by the Death of his moft Royal Father of glorious Memory, without the Ceremony or Solemnity of a Proclamation; yet, fince Proclama'tions in fuch Cafes have been always ufed, to the End that all good Subjects might upon this Occafion teftify their Duty and Refpect; and fince the armed Violence, and ⚫ other the Calamities of many Years last past, have hitherto deprived us of any fuch Opportunity, whereby we might exprefs our Loyalty and Allegiance to his Majefty: We therefore the Lords and Commons now affembled in "Parliament, together with the Lord-Mayor, Aldermen, ་ and Commons of the City of London, and other Free Men of this Kingdom now prefent, do, according to our * Duty and Allegiance, heartily, joyfully, and unanimoufly proclaim, That immediately upon the Deceafe of our late Sovereign Lord King Charles, the Imperial Crown of the Realm of England, and of all the Kingdoms, Dominions, and Rights belonging to the fame, did, by Inherent Birth-Right and Lawful "Undoubted Succeffion, defcend and come to his moft Excellent Majefty Charles the Second, as being Lineally, Juftly, and Lawfully next Heir of the Blood Royal of this Realm; and that by the Goodness and Providence of Almighty God, He is, of Eng< land, Scotland, and Ireland, the moft Potent, Mighty, and • Undoubted King; and thereunto We most humbly and faithfully fubmit, and oblige our Selves, Our Heirs, and Pofterity for ever. God fave the King." Soon after this the two Houfes fent over a Deputation to the King to invite him home, which, on the Side of the Commons, was accompany'd with large* Prefents in Money, both to his Majefty and his two Brothers, the Dukes of York and Gloucefter. The Inftructions given to the Commiffioners on this unprecedented Occafion are as follow: Inftructions 50,000l. to the King; 10,000 l, to the Duke of York ; jand gooo to the Duke of Gloucester, 1660. Inftructions to Inftructions for Aubrey Earl of Oxford, Charles Earl of Warwick, Anno12 Car. II. YOU are to begin your Journey towards his Majefty the Committee. on || Friday next, and make a speedy Repair to fuch 18 May, 1660, Place where his Majefty fhall be, and humbly to prefent the Letters wherewith you are refpectively intrusted by both Houses of Parliament. You are to acquaint his Majefty with what great Joy and Acclamation he was proclaimed, in and about the Cities of London and Weftminfter, upon the Eighth Day of May inftant, and prefent the Proclamation itfelf to his Majesty'; and to acquaint him with the Orders of both Houfes to have the fame proclaimed throughout the Kingdoms of England and Ireland, Dominion of Wales, and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed; and that both Houses have ordered, That all and every the Minifters throughout the Kingdoms of England and Ireland be enjoined in their public Prayers to pray for his moft Excellent Majefty, and for the most Illuftrious Prince James Duke of York, and the reft of the Royal Progeny. And alfo that they have ordered, That the affumed Arms of the late pretended Commonwealth, wherever they are ftanding, be taken down, and that hts Majefty's Arms be set up in ftead thereof: And you are to communicate to his Majelty the Refolutions of both Houfes relating to this Inftruction. You are to acquaint his Majefty with the earneft Defire of both Houses, That his Majefty will be pleafed to make a fpeedy Return to his Parliament, and to the Exercise of his Kingly Office, and that in order thereunto both Houses have given Directions to General Montague, one of the Generals at Sea, and other Officers of the Fleet, to observe fuch Commands as his Majefty fhall pleafe to give him or them for disposal of the Fleet, in order to his Majefty's Return and you are to communicate to his Majefty the Refolutions of both Houfes relating to this Inftruction. That the Committee from both Houfes do befeech his Majesty that they may know where he purpofeth to take Shipping, and to land at his coming over, that Preparation may be made for his Reception; and which of his Majesty's Houses he intendeth to make use of at his firft coming to London, and whether he will come all the Way by Land after B 2 Afterwards made Lord Holles in the fame Reign, and fent Ambassan dox to France. † Afterwards Earl of Shaftsbury and Lord Chancellor, |