Charles I 'Speech to the Lords at York (24 September 1640)'

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His Ma[jes]tyes speech to the Lords Sept. 24. 1640. At the meeting of the Peares at Yorke.

My Lords,

Vpon sudden incursions w[he]n the dangers are neare, & instant, it hath beene the custome of my pr[e]decessours to assemble the g[rea]t Councill of [th]e Peeres, & by their advice, & assistance to giue a timely remedy to such evills, as could not admitt a delay so long as must of necessity be allowed, for the assembling of the Parliam[en]t, this being o[u]r con-dition at this time; & an army of Rebles Rebells lodged w[i]thin this K[ing]dome, I thought it most fitt to conforme my selfe to the practise of my Predecessours in like cases, [tha]t w[i]th yo[u]r advise, & assistance we might ioyntly proceed to the chastisem[en]t of these insolencies & the securing of my good Subj[ec]ts.

In the 1st place I must let yo[u] know [tha]t I desire nothing more [tha]n to be rightly und[e]rstood by my people, & to that end I haue of my selfe resolved to call a par-liam[en]t, having allready given order to my L[or]d Keep[er] to issue the writts instantly, so [tha]t the Parliam[en]t may be assembled by [th]e 3d of Nov. next, whether if my subiects bring [th]os[e] good affections w[hi]ch becomes [the]m towards me, it shall not fayle on my p[ar]t to make it an happy meeting.

In the meane time [the]r[e] are 2 points wherin I shall desire yo[u]r advise, w[hi]ch indeed w[e]r[e] the chiefe causes of yo[u]r meeting.

First w[ha]t answeare to giue to the Petition of the Rebells, & in w[ha]t manner to treate w[i]th them, of w[hi]ch that yo[u] may giue a surer iudgm[en]t, I haue ordered [yha]t yo[u]r Lor[dshi]pps shalbe clearly informed of [th]e state of the whole businesse, & upon w[ha]t reasons [th]e advise [tha]t my privy councell unanimously gaue me, w[e]r[e] grounded

The 2d is, How my army shalbe kept on foot, & maintained, untill the supplies of a parliam[en]t may be had, for so long as the Scotts Army remaines in England, I think no man will councell me to disband mine, for [tha]t wold be an unspeakeable losse to all this p[ar]t of the K[ing]dome, by subiecting [the]m to [th]e greedy appetite of the Rebells; be-sides [th]e unspeakable dishono[u]r [tha]t wold [the]r[e]by fall upon this Nation.

Lords appointed to treate Hartford Bedford Left margin: Earles Essex Bristoll Holland Berks Sulisbury Warwicke Maundevile Pagett Savill Left margin: Lords Dunsmore Howard Brooke Paulett Wharton

Mr Wha Belloses the Messenger to goe to gett the Scottish Lords to meete these English at North-allarton, or Rippon. on Septemb. 29.