[Footnote 1:  “He frequently went to Harrowden, a house of the Lord Vaux’s, where there was a good bowling-green with gardens, groves, and walks, and to Althorp, a fair house, two or three miles from Holmby, belonging to the Lord Spenser, where there was a green well kept.”—­Herbert, 18.]

[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1647.  Feb. 17.] [Sidenote b:  A.D. 1647.  March 6.] [Sidenote c:  A.D. 1647.  March 8.]

Thus three months passed away without any official communication from the two houses.  The king’s patience was exhausted; and he addressed them in a[a] letter, which, as it must have been the production of his own pen, furnishes an undoubted and favourable specimen of his abilities.  In it he observed that the want of advisers might, in the estimation of any reasonable man, excuse him from noticing the important propositions presented to him at Newcastle; but his wish to restore a good understanding between himself and his houses of parliament had induced him to make them the subjects of his daily study; and, if he could not return an answer satisfactory in every particular, it must be attributed not to want of will, but to the prohibition of his conscience.  Many things he would cheerfully concede:  with respect to the others he was ready to receive information, and that in person, if such were the pleasure of the Lords and Commons.  Individuals in his situation might persuade themselves that promises extorted from a prisoner are not binding.  If such were his opinion, he would not hesitate a moment to grant whatever had been asked.  His very reluctance proved beyond dispute, that with him at least the words of a king were sacred.

After this preamble he proceeds to signify his assent to most of the propositions; but to the three principal points in debate, he answers:  1.  That he is ready to confirm the Presbyterian government for the space of three years, on condition that liberty of worship be allowed to himself and his household; that twenty divines of his nomination be added to the assembly at Westminster; and that the final settlement of religion at the expiration of that period be made in the regular way by himself and the two houses:  2. he is willing

[Sidenote a:  A.D. 1647.  May 12.]

that the command of the army and navy be vested in persons to be named by them, on condition that after ten years it may revert to the crown; and 3. if these things be accorded, he pledges himself to give full satisfaction with respect to the war in Ireland.  By[a] the Lords the royal answer was favourably received, and they resolved by a majority of thirteen to nine that the king should be removed from Holmby to Oatlands; but the Commons neglected to notice the subject, and their attention was soon occupied by a question of more immediate, and therefore in their estimation of superior importance.[1]