little vnfold your eyes herein. The beginning of this miserable warre, which hath set all Christendome on fire, was not for Religion; but onely caused by Our Sonne in law his hastie and rash Resolution, following euill counsell, to take to himselfe the Crowne of Bohemia: And that this is true, himselfe wrote Letters vnto Vs at that time, desiring Vs to giue aßurance, both to the French King, and State of Venice, that his accepting of the Crowne of Bohemia had no reference to the cause of Religion, but onely by reason of his right by Election (as hee called it:) And we would be sorrie that that aspersion should come vpon Our Religion, as to make it a good pretext for dethroning of Kings, and vsurping their Crownes. And Wee would bee loath that Our people here should be taught that doctrine: No, let vs not so farre wrong the Iesuits, as to rob them of their sweet Positions and practise in that point. And vpon the other part, We aßure Our selfe so farre of your charitable thoughts of Vs, that Wee would neuer haue constantly denyed Our Sonne in law, both the title and aßistance in that point, if Wee had beene well perswaded of the iustice of his quarrell. But to conclude this point, This vniust vsurpation of the Crownes of Bohemia and Hungaria from the Emperour, hath giuen the Pope, and all that partie, too faire a ground, and opened them too wide a gate for the curbing and oppreßing of many thousands of Our Religion, in diuers parts of Christendome. And whereas yee excuse your touching vpon the King of Spaine vpon the occasion of the incidents by you repeated in that place, and yet affirme that it is without any touch to his honor, We cannot wonder ynough, that ye are so forgetfull, both of your words and writs. For in your former Petition ye plainely affirme, that hee affects the Temporall Monarchie of the whole earth, then which there can be no more malice vttered against any great King, to make all other Princes and Potentates, both enuie and hate him. But, if ye list, it may be easily tryed, whether that speech touched him in honour or not, if We shall aske him the question, whether hee meanes to aßume to himselfe that title or no; For euery King can best iudge of his owne honour. Wee omit the particular eiaculations of some foule mouthed Orators in your House, against the honour of his Crowne and State. And touching your excuse of not determining any thing concerning the Match of Our dearest Sonne, but onely to tell your opinions, and lay it downe at Our feet; First, We desire to know how you could haue presumed to determine in that point, without committing of high Treason. And next, you cannot deny, but your talking of his Match after that manner was a direct breach of Our commandement & Declaration out of Our own mouth, at the first sitting downe of this Parliament; where We plainely professed, that We were in treatie of his Match with Spaine, and wished you to haue that confidence in Our Religion and Wisedome, that We would so manage it, as our Religion should receiue no preiudice by it. And the same We now repeat vnto you, professing, that We are so farre ingaged in that Match, as We cannot in honour goe backe, except the King of Spaine performe not such things as We expect at his hands. And therefore We are sorrie, that ye should shew to haue so great distrust in Vs, or to conceiue that We should be cold in our Religion: Otherwise We cannot imagine how Our former publike Declaration should not haue stopped your mouthes in this point. And as to your request, that We would now receiue your former Petition, We wonder what could make you presume that Wee would now receiue it; whereas in Our former Letter We plainely declared the contrarie vnto you; and therefore Wee haue iustly reiected that suit of yours: For what haue you left vnattempted in the highest points of Soueraigntie in that Petition of yours, except the striking of Coine; For it containes the violation of Leagues, the particular way how to gouerne a warre, and the Marriage of Our dearest Sonne, both negatiue with Spaine, nay with any other Popish Princesse; and also affirmatiue, as to the matching with one of Our Religion, which Wee confesse is a straine beyond any prouidence or wisedome God hath giuen Vs, as things now stand. These are vnfit things to be handled in Parliament, except your King should require it of you; For who can haue wisedome to iudge of things of that nature, but such as are daily acquainted with the particulars of Treaties, and of the variable or fixed connexion of affaires of State, together with the knowledge of the secret wayes, ends, and intentions of Princes in their seuerall negotiations; otherwise a small mistaking in matters of this nature, may produce more effects then can be imagined: And therefore, Ne sutor vltra crepidam. And besides, the intermedling in Parliament with matters of Peace or Warre, and Marriage of Our dearest Sonne, would be such a diminution to Vs and to Our Crowne in forreine Countreys, as would make any Prince neglect to treat with Vs, either in matters of Peace or Marriage, except they might be assured by the assent of Parliament. And so it prooued long agoe with a King of France, who vpon a tricke procuring his States to dissent from some treaty, which before he had made, was after refused treating with by other Princes, to his great reproach, vnlesse hee Would first procure the assent of the three Estates to their proposition. And will you cast your eyes vpon the late times, you shall finde, that the late Queene of famous memorie was humbly petitioned by a Parliament to be pleased to Marrie; But her answere was, That shee liked their Petition well, because it was simple, not limiting her to place or person, as not befitting her liking to their fancies; and if they had done otherwise, shee would haue thought it a high presumption in them. Iudge then what Wee may doe in such a case, hauing made Our publique Declaration alreadie, as VVee said before, directly contrary to that which you haue now petitioned. Now to those points in your Petition, whereof you desire an answere, as properly belonging to a Parliament; The first and greatest point is that of Religion, concerning which at this time Wee can giue you no other answere then in the generall, which is, That you may rest secure, that Wee will neuer be wearie to doe all Wee can for the propagation of Our Religion, and repreßing of Poperie; but the maner and forme you must remit to Our care and prouidence, who can best consider of times and seasons, not by vndertakng a publique warre of Religion through all the world at once, which how hard and dangerous a taske it would prooue, you may iudge. But this puts vs in mind, how all the world complained the last yeere of plentie of Corne, and God hath sent vs a cooling card this yeere for that heat; And so We pray God, that this desire amongst you of kindling warres, shewing your wearinesse of Peace and Plentie, may not make God permit vs to fall in the miseries of both. But as Wee alreadie said, Our care of Religion must be such, as on the one part We must not by the hote prosecution of Our Recusants at home irritate forreine Princes of contrary Religion, and teach them the way to plague the Protestants in their Dominions, whom with Wee daily intercede, and at this time principally, for ease to them of Our profeßion that liue vnder them; yet vpon the other part, We neuer meane to spare from due and seuere punishment any Papist that will grow insolent for liuing vnder