A Memorandum in King Charles the First's own handwriting: Freedome in Conscience & Honnor and Security for all those that shall come with me, & in case I shall not agree with them, that I may be set doune at such of my Garisons as I shall name to them: wch condition I hope not to put them to, for I shall no differ with them about Ecclesiasticall businesses, wch they shall make apeare to me not to be against my conscience; & for other matters, I expect no difference, & in case there be, I am content to be judged by the two Queenes. And befor I take my jurny I must send to the Marquis of Montrose to aduertice him upon what conditions I come to the Scots Army, that he may be admitted forthwith into our conjunction, & instantly march up to us. Indorsed by Sir E. Nicholas. "A Note written with ye Kings owne pen concerning his going to ye Scotts." The King to Sir Edward Nicholas. OATLANDS, 19 Aug. 1647.1 Nicholas to ease my paines, I haue comanded Oudart to answer some particulars in your last letter: this being only to thanke you for your aduertisments & freedome: desyring you still to continue the same, asseuring you that I haue a particular care of you, weh I hope shortly shall be visible to all the world: so I rest Your most asseured constant frend, OATLANDS, Aug. 1647. His Maties ltr to me. ! It was on the 3rd of June that the King was seized by Joyce, and after a desultory progress arrived at Oatlands on the 14th of August. Soon after, he removed to Hampton Court. › Oudart was afterwards one of the King's Commissioners The King to Sir Edward Nicholas. Nicholas, Yo' fidelity & industry in our seruice & eminent affecc'ons to our person, haue made in us too great an impression to be forgotten; on the contrary you must continue in this confidence, that we very highly retaine you in our value & remembrance, as you will finde if it please God to restore us to a condic'con for it. As an earnest whereof at present you will receive herewith a direction to our dearest Sonn the Prince on your behalfe, whom as we know you will serue with the same duety and zeale as you haue serued us, so will he assuredly giue you that reception & admission to his confidence weh you haue had with us. We thanck you for yo' severall letters & aduises, and are very tenderly sensible of yo' pressures, and if you could gett them removed by the help of friends, we thinck you would do well not to neglect so doing in respect of yo family, there being no certainty yet what successe will follow this Treaty. That Providence we permits these afflictions to lye upon Us, We trust will yet in good time take them off. Doe you continue yo affections towards Us, not doubting of the constant fauor to you & yo" of Your most asseured Frend, From Newport in ye Isle of Wight, 24 Novemb: 1648.1 in the Conferences at Newport with the Parliamentary agents. In such confidence was he with the King as to be employed during that treaty in writing his private dispatches to the Prince of Wales. See Warwick's Memoirs, p. 325. The several historical facts, to which this letters refers, are too well known to require comment; but the letter itself is an important testimony to Sir Edward Nicholas's claim on the patronage of Charles II. alluded to in a subsequent com munication to that prince respecting the office of Secretary. His Mae Farewell Speech unto y' Lords Com'ssioners at Newport in y' Isle of Wight.' "My Lords, You are come to take your leaue of mee, and I beleeue wee shall scarce euer see each other againe : -but Gods will be done. I thanke God I haue made my peace wth him, & shall wthout feare undergoe what he shall please to suffer men to doe unto mee. my My Lords, you cannot but knowe that in fall and ruine you see yo' owne, and that also neere to you. I pray God send you better frends then I haue found. I am fully informed of y° whole carriage of y plott against me & myne, and nothing soe much afflicts mee as the sense and feelinge I haue of y sufferings of my subjects, and y' mischief that hangs ouer my three Kingdomes, drawne upon them by those who (upon pretences of good) violently pursue their owne interestes and ends." These words his Mate deliuered wth much alacrity and cheerefullnes, with a serene countenance, & carriage free from all disturbance. Thus he parted why Lords leauing many tender impressions (if not in them) yet in ye other hearers." His Maties farewell Speech to the Lodes at Newport, 1° Dec. 1648. 1 The Commissioners were the Earls of Northumberland, Pembroke, Salisbury, and Middlesex; Viscount Say and Sele; Lord Wenman; Messrs. Pierpoint, Hollis, Crew, Bulkeley; Sirs Henry Vane, jun., Harbottle Grimstone, and John Potts; Serjeants Glynne and Browne, and some others. This conference took place almost immediately before the King's death. On the 4th of December took place the third day's debate in the House of Commons of the question whether the royal concessions in the Newport treaty were a ground of settlement; which, at five o'clock next morning, was resolved in the affirmative by a majority of 129 to 83. The day following, Wednesday the 6th of December, was the day of Pride's Purge. Within a month from that date the King was brought to trial; and on the 29th January, 16-18-9, the death-warrant was signed. |