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<DATE>2009-06-05</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Mona Logarbo</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B090519.pdcc.</ITEM>
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<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B02093">
<STC T="W">c3158a</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">52612075</BIBNO>
<VID>179360</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y"><!-- PDF PAGE 34 -->
<P>HIS MAJESTIES MOST GRACIOUS SPEECH To both Hou&s;es of PARLIAMENT: <HI>Thur&s;day, October</HI> 21. 1680.</P>
<P><FIGURE>
<Q>HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE</Q>
<FIGDESC>royal blazon or coat of arms</FIGDESC>
</FIGURE></P>
<P><HI>EDINB&V;RGH,</HI> Re-Printed by <HI>John Swintoun,</HI> one of His <HI>MAJESTIE'S</HI> Printers: <HI>Anno DOM.</HI> 1680.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="speech">
<PB REF="2"><!-- PDF PAGE 35 -->
<PB N="3" REF="2"><!-- PDF PAGE 35 -->
<HEAD>HIS <HI>MAJESTIE'S</HI> Mo&s;t Gracious SPEECH To both Hou&s;es of PARLIAMENT.</HEAD>
<OPENER><DATELINE><DATE>Thur&s;day, October 21, 1680.</DATE></DATELINE><LB>
<SALUTE>My Lords and Gentle-men,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_THE &s;everal Prorogations I have made, have been very Advanta|gious to Our Neighbours, and very U&s;eful to Me: For I have imployed that time in making and perfecting an Alliance with the Crown of <HI>Spain,</HI> &s;uitable to that I had before made with the States General of the <HI>&V;nited Provinces,</HI> and they al&s;o had with <HI>Spain,</HI> con&s;i&s;ting of mutual Obligations of Succour and De|fence: I have all the rea&s;on in the World to believe, that what was &s;o much de&s;ired by former Parliaments, mu&s;t needs be very grateful to you now; for though &s;ome perhaps may wi&s;h, tho&s;e Mea&s;ures had been taken &s;ooner, yet no Man can with Rea&s;on think, that it is now too late; for they who de&s;ire to make tho&s;e, and they who de&s;ire to break them, &s;how them&s;elves to be of another Opinion.</P>
<P>And as The&s;e are the be&s;t Mea&s;ures that could be taken, for the Safety of <HI>England,</HI> and the Repo&s;e of CHRISTENDOM, &s;o they cannot Fail of their End; And to Spread and Improve Them&s;elves farther; if Our Divi&s;ions at Home, do not render Our Friend&s;hip le&s;s Con&s;iderable Abroad.</P>
<P>To prevent The&s;e as much as may be, I think fit, to Renew to You, all tho&s;e A&s;&s;urances which can, be De&s;ired, that Nothing &s;hall be wanting on My Part, to give You the fulle&s;t Satisfaction Your hearts can wi&s;h, for the Security of the Prote&s;tant Religion, which I am fully Re&s;olved to Maintain again&s;t all the Con&s;pira|cies of Our Enemies; and to Concur with You in any Thing which &s;hall be Propo&s;ed, that may Con&s;i&s;t with the Pre&s;erving the Succe&s;&s;ion of the Crown, in its Right and Legal Cour&s;e of De|&s;cent.</P>
<P><PB N="4" REF="3"><!-- PDF PAGE 36 -->
And in Order to this, I do Recommend it to You, to Pur|&s;ue the Farther Examination of the Plot, with a Strict and Impar|tial Enquiry. I do not think My Self &s;afe, nor You neither, till that Matter be gone Through-with: And therefore it will be Nece&s;&s;a|ry, that the Lords in the Tower may be brought to a Speedy Tryal, that Ju&s;tice may be done.</P>
<P>I need not tell you what Danger the City of <HI>Tangier</HI> is in; Nor of what Importance it is to Us to Pre&s;erve.</P>
<P>I Have with a Mighty Charge and Expence, &s;ent a very Con|&s;iderable Relief thither; But con&s;tantly to Maintain &s;o great a Force as that War will require, and to make the&s;e New-Works, and Fortifications; without which the Place will not long be Tenable, Amounts to &s;o va&s;t a Sum, that without Your Support, it will be Impo&s;&s;ible for me to undergo it. Therefore, I lay the Matter Plainly before You, and de&s;ire your Advice and A&s;&s;i&s;tance. But that which I value above all the Trea&s;ures in the World, and which I am &s;ure, will give Me greater Strength and Reputation, both Home and Abroad, then a Trea&s;ure can do, is a perfect Union among&s;t Our Selves. Nothing but this can re&s;tore the Kingdom to that Strength and Vigor which it &s;eems to have lo&s;t, and rai&s;e Us again to that Con&s;ideration which <HI>England</HI> hath u&s;ually had. All EUROPE hath their Eyes upon this A&s;&s;embly, and think their Own Happine&s;s, or Mi&s;ery, as well as Our's, will depend upon it.</P>
<P>If We then be &s;o unhappy, as to fall into &s;uch a Mi&s;under&s;tan|ding among&s;t Our Selves, as would render Our Friend&s;hip un&s;ate to tru&s;t to, it will not be to be wondered at, if Our Neighbours &s;hould begin to take Re&s;olutions, and perhaps &s;uch as may be Fa|tal to Us.</P>
<P>Let Us therefore take care, that we do not Gratifie Our Ene|mies, and di&s;courage~ our Friend, by any un&s;ea&s;onable Di&s;putes.</P>
<P>If any &s;uch do Happen, the World will &s;ee it was no fault of Mine; For I have done all that was po&s;&s;ible for Me to do, to keep You in Peace while I live, and leave you &s;o when I Dye.</P>
<P>But from &s;o great Prudence, and &s;o good Affections as Yours, I can fear nothing of this kind; But do Rely upon You all, that You would u&s;e your be&s;t Endeavours to bring this Parliament to <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="page cropped" EXTENT="1 word"> good and happy Conclu&s;ion.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>CHARLES REX.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
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