,76 6 `The HIS T ORY of the PURITANS. Chap. XI. K. Charles L" caufes of their fears and jealoufies, and their earneft defires that his 1642. " majefly would put from him thofe wicked and mifchievous counfellors t`-""v° -7" that have caufed thefe differences between him and his parliament ; " that he would come to Whitehall, and continue his own and the prince's " refidence near his parliament, which he may do with more honour " and fàfety than in anyother place. We befeech you majefly (fay they) " to confider in what bate you are, and how eafy the way is to happi- " nefs greatnefs and honour, if you will join with your parliament ; this is all we expert and for this we will return you our lives and fortunes, and do every thing we can to fupport your juft fovereignty and power. But it is not words alone that will fecure us ; that which we defire is " force real effed in granting thofe things that the prefent neceflìties of the kingdom require." They add further, " that his majefty's re- " moval to fo great a diftance not only obflruéled the proceedings ofpar- liament, but look'd like an alienation of the kingdom from himfelf and )Rufhw. " family." His majefly's bell friends advifed him to take this opportu- , P.533. nity of returning to London.; and it mull be folely imputed to his majßy's own refolutions (lays lord Clarendon) that he took not that courfe ; but in- fiead of this, he broke out into a paflion and told them, he had his fears for the true proteftant profeffion and the laws as well as they; " What " would you have (fays his majefly ?) have I violated your laws, or de- " nied topafs any bill for the eate of my fubjedts ? I do no afk you what you have done for me--God fo deal with me and mine, as my inten- " tions are upright for maintaining the true proteftant profeflion and the " laws of the land." Being afked by the earl of Pembroke, whether he would not grant the militia for a little time ? his majefly fwore byGod, no, notfor an hour. When he was put in mind of his frequent violation of the laws, his majefly replied, that he had made ample reparation and did not expeét tobe reproached with the aftions of his minifters. As his majefly infifted upon the militia, he claimed alto an unalienable right to all theforts andgarrifons ofthe kingdom, with an uncontroulable power to difpfeof the arms and ammunition laid up in them, as hisproper goods. This the parliament difputed, and maintained that they were his majefly's only in trzfl fir the public, and that in difcharge of this truft the parliament fitting are his counfellors ; for if theking had fuch a pro - perty in the forts and magazines as he claimed, hemight then fell or tranf- fer them into an enemy's hand as abfolutely as a private perfon may his lands and goods ; which is a ftrange maxim, and contrary to the a& of 4o Edw. Ill. Many declarations palled between the king and his parlia- ment on this argument, while each party were getting poffefíion ofall that they could. The king was contriving tomake lure of the magazine of
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