that the latter were willing at least to accept him for their king,
while the former aimed at nothing less than the entire subversion of his
throne.[1]

From Oxford he had sent several messages[b][c][d][e][f][g] to the
parliament, by one of which he demanded passports for commissioners, or
free and safe access for himself. To all a refusal was returned, on the
ground that he had employed the opportunity afforded him by former treaties
to tempt the fidelity of the commissioners, and that it was unsafe to
indulge him with more facilities for conducting similar intrigues. Decency,
however,

[Footnote 1: Clarendon Papers, ii. 209-211. Baillie, ii. 188. Thurloe, i.
72, 73, 85.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1645. August.]
[Sidenote b: A.D. 1645. Dec. 5.]
[Sidenote c: A.D. 1645. Dec. 15.]
[Sidenote d: A.D. 1645. Dec. 26.]
[Sidenote e: A.D. 1645. Dec. 29.]
[Sidenote f: A.D. 1646. Jan. 15.]
[Sidenote g: A.D. 1646. Jan. 17.]

required that in return the two houses should make their proposals; and
it was resolved to submit to him certain articles for his immediate and
unqualified approval or rejection. The Scots contended in favour of the
three original propositions; but their opponents introduced several
important alterations, for the twofold purpose, first of spinning out the
debates, till the king should be surrounded in Oxford, and secondly of
making such additions to the severity of the terms as might insure their
rejection.[1]

Under these circumstances Montreuil admonished him that he had not a day to
spare; that the Independents sought to deceive him to his own ruin; that
his only resource was to accept of the conditions offered by the Scots; and
that, whatever might be his persuasion respecting the origin of episcopacy,
he might, in his present distress, conscientiously assent to the demand
respecting Presbyterianism; because it did not require him to introduce a
form of worship which was not already established, but merely to allow that
to remain which he had not the power to remove. Such, according to his
instructions, was the opinion of the queen regent of France, and such was
the prayer of his own consort, Henrietta Maria. But no argument could shake
the royal resolution.[2] He returned[a] a firm but temperate refusal, and
renewed his request for a personal conference at Westminster. The message
was conveyed in terms as energetic as language could supply, but it arrived
at a most unpropitious

[Footnote 1: Charles's W