s Honour they do me, to put Me on the giving part, which is more
princely and divine. They cannot ask more then I can give, may I but
reserve to my Self the incommunicable Jewell of my Conscience; and not
be forced to part with that, whose loss nothing can repair or requite.

Some things (which they are pleased to propound) seem unreasonable to
Me; and while I have any mastery of my Reason, how can they think I
can consent to them; who know they are such as are inconsistent with
being either a King, or a good Christian? My yeilding so much (as I
have already) makes some men confident I will deny nothing.

The love I have of my peoples peace, hath (indeed) great influence
upon Me; but the love of truth and inward peace hath more.

Should I grant some things they require, I should not so much
weaken my outward state of a King, as wound that inward quiet of my
Conscience; which ought to be, is, and ever shall be (by Gods Grace)
dearer to Me then my Kingdoms.

Some things which a King might approve, yet in Honour and Policy are
at some time to be denied, to some men, lest he should seem not
to dare to deny any thing; and give too much incouragement to
unreasonable demands or importunities.

But to bind my Self to a generall and implicite consent to what-ever
they shall desire or propound, (for such is one of their Propositions)
were such a latitude of blind obedience, as never was expected from
any Free-men, nor fit to be required of any man, much less of a King
by his own Subjects; any of whom he may possibly exceed as much in
wisdom, as he doth in place and power.

This were, as if _Samson_ should have consented, not only to bind his
own hands, and cut off his hair, but to put out his own eys, that the
Philistins might with the more safety mock and abuse him; which they
chose rather to do, then quite destroy him, when he was become so tame
an object, and fit occasion for their sport and scorn.

Certainly, to exclude all power of denyall, seems an arrogancy least
of all becoming those who pretend to make their Addresses in an humble
and loyall way of petitioning; who by that, sufficiently confess their
own inferiority, which obligeth them to rest, if not satisfied, yet
quieted, with such an Answer as the Will and Reason of their Superiour
thinks fit to give; who is acknowledged to have a freedom and power of
Reason, to Consent or Dissent, else it were very foolish and absurd
to ask, what another having not liberty t