sideration of all those necessary causes, and important reasons, which we have heard delivered by your royal direction, we have thought meet, not only to make it one of our first works, to consult of that matter, which, in other sessions of parliament, hath usually succeeded many other acts and consultations; but, so to enlarge and improve the measure of this oblation, which we shall offer to your royal person, as it might give your majesty an assured testimony of our internal zeals and duties, to be further manifested hereafter, by the hazard of our lives and fortunes, at all times, for your majesty's service, whereof we beseech you to vouchsafe, at this present, the gracious acceptation, as proceed. ing from those loving and faithful subjects of yours, who do desire to testify, both in the extraordinary form and substance of our present offer, that though there liveth, and ever shall, in the hearts of your most humble and obedient subjects, an extraordinary zeal to your majesty's person; yet, that we desire, and intend that this, which is done to you at this time, shall be no otherwise interpreted, than as a lively monument of those great duties and affections, which we do contentedly and comfortably strain for your majesty, and in a manner, far exceeding any former precedent, because no age either hath, or can produce the like precedent of so much happiness under any prince's reign, nor of so continual gracious care for our preservation, as your majesty hath shewed in all your actions, having never stuck to hazard, or rather neglect, for our preservation, any part of those worldly blessings, wherewith Almighty God hath so plentifully indued you, in this time of your most happy government.

The following, which might have been given in Vol. II. is here added to the preceding.

KING JAMES'S SPEECH TO HIS FIRST PARLIAMENT, Monday, the Nineteenth of March, 1603.

BUT of one thing I would have the papists of this land to be admo

nished, that they presume not so much upon my lenity, because I would be loth to be thought a persecutor, as thereupon to think it lawful for them daily to increase their number and strength in this kingdom, whereby, if not in my time, at least in the time of my posterity, they might be in hope to erect their religion again. No, let them assure themselves, that, as I am a friend to their persons, if they be good subjects, so am I an avowed enemy, and do denounce mor tal war to their errors; and that, as I would be sorry to be driven, by their ill behaviour, from the protection, and conservation of their bodies and lives, so will I never cease, as far as I can, to tread down their errors and wrong opinions, for I could not permit the increase and growing of their religion, without first betraying of myself, and mine own conscience. Secondly, this whole isle, as well the part I am come from, as the part I remain in, in betraying their liberties, and

reducing them to the former slavish yoke, which both had cast off before I came amongst them. And thirdly, the liberty of the crown in my posterity, which I should leave again under a new slavery, having found it left free to me by my predecessors; and therefore would I wish all good subjects, that are deceived with that corruption, first, if they find any beginning of instinction in themselves of knowledge, and love to the truth, to foster the same by all lawful means, and to beware of quenching the spirit that worketh within them; and, if they can find as yet no motion tending that way, to be studious to read and confer with learned men, and to use all such means as may further their resolution; assuring themselves, that, as long as they are disconformable in religion from us, they cannot be but half my subjects, be able to do but half service, and I to want the best half of them, which is their souls.

END OF VOL. VIII.