letter to you, to be communicated to them, which takes off those restrictions that I laid formerly upon you in a public letter. But the fresh peace is of such absolute necessity, that no compliments or particular respects whatsoever must hinder it. Wherefore I absolutely command you, and without reply, to execute the directions I sent you the 27th February last; giving you leave to get the approbation of the council, so as, and no otherwise, that by seeking it, you do not hazard the peace, or so much as an affront, by their foolish refusing to concur with you, promising you, upon the word of a king, if God prosper me, you shall be so far from receiving any prejudice by doing this so necessary work, though alone, that I will account it as one of the chiefest of your great services to me, and accordingly you shall be thought upon by, &c.

Cardiffe, July 31st, 1645.

Charles I. to Sir Edward Nicholas. 1

Nicholas,

Cardiff, 4th August, 1645.

Having commanded your fellow secretary to give you a full account as well of our proceedings here as resolutions, I will neither trouble you nor myself with repetitions; only for myself I must desire you to let every one know that no distress of fortune whatsoever shall ever make me, by the grace of God, in anything

1

Evelyn MSS. The "fellow secretary' alluded to was Lord Digby.

recede from those grounds I laid down to you, who were my commissioners at Uxbridge, and which, I thank them, the rebels have published in print; and, though I could have wished that pains had been spared, yet I will neither deny that those things are mine which they have set out in my name, (only some words here and there mistaken, and some commas misplaced, but not much material) nor, as a good Protestant or honest man, blush for any of those papers. Indeed, as a discreet man, I will not justify myself, and yet I would fain know him who would be willing that the freedom of all his private letters were publicly seen, as mine have now been. Howsoever, so that one clause be rightly understood, I care not much though the rest take their fortunes; it is concerning the Mongrel parliament. The truth is, that Sussex's factiousness at that time put me somewhat out of patience, which made me freely vent my displeasure against those of his party to my wife ; and the intention of that phrase was, that his faction did what they could to make it come to that, by their raising and fomenting of base propositions. This is clearly evidenced by my following excuse to her for suffering those people to trouble her, the reason being, to eschew those greater inconveniences which they had and were more likely to cause here than there. I am going to supper;

SO

I rest

1

Your most assured friend,
CHARLES R.

1 Thomas Lord Saville, recently created Earl of Sussex.

Charles I. to Sir Edward Nicholas.1

Nicholas,

Doncaster, 18th August, 1645.

I have sent this bearer expressly to give you a particular account of my present condition, which, considering what it was at the beginning of this month, is now, I thank God, miraculously good; and indeed the gentlemen in these parts show themselves really affectionate and hearty in my service; acting cheerfully (without any grumbling) what I desire. Now I expect, not only that (like ants) you have plentifully provided yourselves for winter, but likewise that you so recruit yourselves in men and arms, that it may be a lusty stock for a next year's army.

So I rest your assured friend,

CHARLES R.

As I have commanded my son to commend me to all the ladies, so you must to all the lords, my friends, and particularly to Vulpone, and tell the governor that he has forgotten that he sent me a cipher.

Nicholas,

Charles I. to Sir Edward Nicholas.2

Huntingtown, 25th August, 1645.

I have this morning received yours of the 13th August, with four printed Oxford papers, concerning my published letters, and am glad to find that you there make so fair (indeed just, as concerning my religion, kingdoms and friends) an interpretation of them, and 1 Evelyn MSS. 2 Evelyn MSS.

particularly that you have so great a confidence in my constancy to my just cause; and now methinks I were to blame, if I did not justify the truth of your opinions concerning me by my own declaration, which is this, that let my condition be never so low, my successes never so ill, I resolve, by the grace of God, never to yield up this church to the government of Papists, Presbyterians, or Independents, nor to injure my successors, by lessening the crown of that ecclesiastical and military power which my predecessors left me, nor forsake my friends, much less to let them suffer when I do not for their faithfulness to me; resolving sooner to live as miserable as the violent rage of successful insulting rebels can make me (which I esteem far worse than death) rather than not to be exactly constant to these grounds; from which, whosoever, upon whatsoever occasion, shall persuade me to recede in the least tittle, I shall esteem him either a fool or a knave; but you will ask me, quorsum hoc? Yes; for without this warning, the tender personal affection of some might give me troublesome advice, and yet not blameable, considering the present condition of my affairs, and not knowing this my resolution, which I command you to publish to all whom their quality or judgment makes fit for such discourses, and so I rest CHARLES R.

Your most assured friend,

You may say confidently, and give me for author, that the peace of Ireland is concluded, not yet knowing the particular conditions.1

1 Endorsed by Nicholas, "The king to me from Huntingdon, containing his resolution never to quit the church government, his friends, or to diminish the crown of that military or ecclesiastical power which was left him by his predecessors."

Nicholas,

Charles I. to Sir Edward Nicholas.1

Ragland, 9th September, 1645.

I received yesterday both of your letters (for I perceive by their marks that you have yet written no more) with the advertisements from London, which as you say is worthy my notice, but without considering make this answer, that the just contrary concerning the new discovery of my commission in a letter to the two queens about the Irish Papists is true; for indeed that rogue Hartogen made such a foolish proposition, but it was flatly denied by me; and, if my memory much fail me not, my wife took occasion upon some clause in my answer, whereby it seemed to her (in which she was mistaken) as if I thought she had liked the proposition, to disclaim any part in it (so far from approbation) but only the transmitting of it to me, which certainly was not fit for her to refuse; and this (with many other handsome expressions of her affection to me, even to the venturing of being thought a Protestant in condemning the Irish proceedings) was, as I believe, in that letter which Tom Elliot delivered to me from her, as I was marching over Broadway Hills the 9th of May last; for I am sure the most of that letter was concerning the Irish business, and I know the reason why the rebels have not printed it is, because it clears that point more 1 Evelyn MSS.

2 Queen Henrietta Maria, and her mother the queen of France, the widow of Henry IV.