Or.  Bring Chaires there for their Lordships.

[2 Chaires.

Vand.[203] And prepare them A sylent hearing.

Bois.  My good Lords,
We are commaunded by the King our Master
(Who ever hath respected your affaires
As the tranquility of his owne kingdoms)
To let you thus far understand his pleasure: 
He do’s exhort you, as the best foundation
Of your estate, with all care to preserve
The union of your provinces, and wishes
The change that you have made of Maiestrates,
The Advocate and Counsellors of State
In many of your Townes, breed not dissentions
In steed of ceasing them.  Touching your Prisoners
That stand accusd of detestable Crymes,
His Counsaile is, if they be culpable,
That you use speedy Justice and with rigour.

Mor.  Ever remembring that the greatest Princes
Have sometimes to their glory byn most apt
To pardon what was enterprizd against
Their Goverments, nay their lives; and that the freest
And the best Common-Wealthes, have alwaies usd
To spare the blood of their owne Cittizens,
And that in great offenders—­it still being
The principall signe of libertie and freedom
Not easily, but with mature advice,
To touch the lives of Cittizens.

Bois.  And the rather
When question is made of such as are
Your officers placed in authoritie,
Of whom the ancientst Mounsieur Barnavelt,
So much commended for so many good
And notable services don for theis Cuntries,
Deserves most serious regard.  My Master
And other Kings & Princes your allyes,
Lyving yet witnesses of his great meritts
And with such admiration that they can
Be hardly brought to thinck he should conspire
Against these States, for which yourselves best know
What travayles he hath undergon; and therefore
Once more he do’s advice you to use mercy,
Which if you doe, he then shall thinck you merit
The many favours you have tasted from him: 
Yf not, he having given you whollsom Counsaile,
Yf you refuce it he must thinck himself
Slighted in his requests; and then, perhaps,
Hereafter you may misse that promptnes in him
Which you have found when your wants most requird it.

Vand.  May it please your Highnes in the names of all To make their Lordships answeare.

Or.  Willingly;
For I must still be glad to take occasion
To speak how much your Lordships and myself
Ever stand bound to that most Christian King
Whose favours, with all thancks, we must acknowledge
As with all care preserve.  Onely we hope
His Maiestie will give us leave to say
We greive that he is misinformd of us
And our proceedings, of which we hereafter
Will give him certaine and unanswerable proofes
To iustefie our Actions, which we will
Make knowne to all the world; till when we wish
He will be pleasd to give way to the States
To finish what they have begon, with Justice
Temperd with mercy; and that your good Lordships
Will give his Grace to understand thus much,
If with the generall voice you doe approve it.