Our so milde Gouernment. And you may also be assured, We will leaue no care vntaken, as well for the good education of the youth at home, especially the children of Papists, as also for preseruing at all times hereafter the youth that are, or shall be abroad, from being bred in dangerous places, and so poisoned in Popish Seminaries. And as in this point, namely concerning the good education of the Popish youth at home, We haue alreadie giuen some good proofe, both in this Kingdome and in Ireland: So will We be well pleased to passe any good Lawes that shall be made, either now, or at any time hereafter to this purpose. And as to your request, of making this a Seßion, and granting a generall Pardon, it shall be in your defaults if Wee make not this a Seßion before Christmas, as in Our former Letter We notified vnto you. But for the Pardon, yee craue such particulars in it as Wee must be well aduised vpon, lest otherwise Wee giue you backe the double or triple of that Wee are to receiue by your entire Subsidie without Fifteens. But the ordinarie course Wee hold fittest to bee vsed still in this case, which is, that Wee should of Our free grace send you downe a Pardon from the Higher House, containing such points as We shall thinke fittest, wherein We hope ye shall receiue good satisfaction. But We cannot omit to shew you how strange We thinke it, that ye should make so bad and vniust a Commentarie vpon some words of Our former Letter, as if We meant to restraine you thereby of your ancient priuiledges and liberties in Parliament. Truly a scholler would bee ashamed so to misplace and misiudge any sentences in another mans booke. For whereas in the fore-end of Our former Letter We discharge you to meddle with matters of gouernment, or mysteries of State, namely matters of Warre or Peace, or Our dearest Sonnes Match with Spaine; by which particular denominations We interpret and restraine Our former words; and then towards the end of Our Letter We forbid you to meddle with such things as haue their ordinarie course in Courts of Justice: Yee couple together those two sentences, lying farre asunder, and plainly leaue out these words, of mysteries of State; So as ye erre à bene diuisis ad male coniuncta. For of the former part, concerning mysteries of State, Wee plainelie restrained Our meaning to the particulars that were after mentioned: and in the latter We confeße We meant it by S^ir Edward Cokes foolish busineße, because these heades he is accused of were before your meeting presented vnto Vs, and We had setled a legall course of proceeding therein. And therefore it had well become him, especiallie being Our Seruant, and one of Our Councell, if hee had had any thing against it, to haue complained vnto Vs, which he neuer did, though he was ordinarilie at Our Court, since that time, and neuer had acceße refused vnto him. And although We cannot allow of the stile, calling it your ancient and vndoubted right and inheritance, but could rather haue wished, that ye had said that your priuiledges were deriued from the grace and permißion of Our Ancestours and Vs; For most of them grow from precedents, which shewes rather a toleration then inheritance. Yet Wee are pleased to giue you Our Royall assurance, That as long as you shall continue to containe your selues within the limits of your dutie and respect to Vs (as Wee aßure Our selfe you will doe) Wee will bee as carefull to maintaine and preserue your lawfull liberties and priuiledges as euer any Our Predeceßours were, nay as to preserue Our owne Royall Prerogatiue. So as your House shall onelie haue neede to beware to trench vpon the Prerogatiue of the Crowne, which would enforce Vs, or any iust King to retrench them of their priuiledges, that would pare his Prerogatiue and flowers of the Crowne. But of this We hope there shall neuer be cause giuen. And to conclude, since Wee haue now so largely expressed the sinceritie of Our meaning vnto you, We require you to goe on cheerefullie, and to vse all conuenient diligence for preparing such good Lawes for Vs to paße at this time, as the people may see the care, that both Wee and you haue for the good gouernement of the Kingdome; ending as We did in Our former Letter; If there be not a happie Seßion made at this time, it shall bee in your default. And aboue all, beware by your waywardneße at this time, to giue Our Childrens Aduersaries cause to insult vpon them, vpon the rumour that shall be spred abroad of a distraction betweene Vs and Our people, wherof ye are the representatiue bodie. At Our Court at Newmarket the 11. day of December, 1621.

THis Answere being giuen at Newmarket, on Tuesday, the eighth of December, and returned to the house on Friday, the fourteenth of December, some carping wits that were more inclinable to peruert and wrest Our words vnto a sence contrary to our meaning, then to doe any good office betweene Vs and Our people, began to take exception at some words concerning their priuiledges toward the end of Our sayd Answere, that thereby their Priuiledges were denied and infringed; And by their example others of more moderate and better temper were drawen into some doubts and iealousies, which occasioned much discontentment in the House, which comming to Our eares, and being willing to omit nothing on Our part, that might aßure the Commons that Wee meant nothing lesse then to violate their Priuiledges, for explanation of Our true intent in the former, We wrote Our Letters directed to Our Secretary, which followe in these words.

RIght trusty and Welbeloued Councellour, Wee greet you well. Wee are sorrie to heare, that, notwithstanding Our reiterated Meßages to Our House of Commons, for going on in their businesses in regard of the shortneße of time, betwixt this and Christmas, and of their owne earnest desire, that Wee should now conclude a Seßion, by making of good and profitable Lawes, they continue to loose time; And now of late, vpon Our gracious Answer sent vnto them, haue taken occasion to make more delay, in appointing a Committee to morrow, to consider vpon the points of Our Answer; and especially concerning that point in it which maketh mention of their priuiledges. Our pleasure therefore is, that you shall in Our name tell them, that We are so loath to haue time mis-spent, which is so pretious a thing, in the well vsing whereof Our people may receiue so great a benefit, as We are thus farre contented to discend from Our Royall dignity, by explaining at this time Our meaning in Our sayd Answer, touching that point, That all Our good Subiects in that House, that intend nothing but Our Honour, and the weale of the Common-wealth, may cleerely see Our intention. Whereas in Our sayd Answere We told them, that Wee could not allow of the stile, calling it their ancient and vndoubted right and inheritance; but could rather haue wished, that they had sayd their priuiledges were deriued from the grace and permißion of Our Ancestors and Vs: (for most of them grow from presidents, which shewes rather a toleration then inheritance) the plaine truth is, That Wee cannot with