THe said defendant saving to him­selfe now and at all times hereaf­ter, all just exception to the said impeachment, as the same is char­ged, for answer, saith and acknow­ledgeth, that he is, and the third day of January last past was his Majesties Attorney Generall sworne: but whereas he is charged with the ma­licious, false and scandalous, advising and con­triving the Articles in the said impeachment mentioned, he saith, that hee was and is so farre from any malice, falshood or scandall, in the ad­vising and contriving of the same, or any of them, that he did not at all advise or contrive the said Articles, or any of them, ever knew or heard of [Page] them or any of them, untill hee received them from his Majesties hands the said third day of Ja­nuary last past, ready ingrossed in paper, and as so that part of the said impeachment which char­geth this defendant with the exhibiting of the said Articles to this Honourable House, he saith, that upon the said third day of January hee repai­red to his Majesty by his command, who then de­livered unto this defendant a paper containing the Articles in the said impeachment mentioned, and did command him in his Majesties name, to acquaint this Honourable House, that divers great and treasonable designes and practices against his Majesty and the State, and come to his Majesties knowledge, for which his Majesty commanded this defendant in his Majesties name, to accuse six Members in the said paper mentioned, of high Treason, and other high misdemeanours, by de­livering that paper to your Lordships, and to de­sire to have it read: and further to desire in his Majesties name that a select Committee of Lords might be appointed to take the examinations of such witnesses as his Majesty should produce, as formerly had beene done in cases of like nature, according to the justice of this House, and that Committee to be under a command of secresie, as formerly: and further in his Majesties name to aske liberty to adde and alter, if there should be cause, according to justice: and likewise that your Lordships would take care of the securing [Page] of the said persons, as in justice there should be cause, and according to his Majesties said com­mand, this defendant did come to this Honou­rable House the said third day of January, and then after the Right Honourable Edward Lord Littleton, Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of Eng­land had declared to this Honourable House, that hee was commanded by his Majesty to let your Lordships know, that his Majesty had given this defendant command to acquaint your Lordships with some things from his Majesty. This defen­dant thereupon the said third day of January, in this Honourable House, before your Lordships then and there sitting in Parliament, in obedience to his Majesties said commands as a message from him did declare the foresaid commands of his Majesty, by acquainting your Lordships that the King had commanded him to tell your Lord­ships, that divers great and treasonable designes and practices against him and the State, had come to his Majesties knowledge, for which the King had given his command to accuse six persons of high Treason, and other high misdemeanours, by delivering these Articles: And that he was com­manded to desire your Lordships to have them read, which by your Lordships command were accordingly read by the Clarke, and then further declared, that hee was also commanded by his Majestie to desire on his Majesties behalfe, that a select Committee might be appointed to take the [Page] examination of such witnesses as the King would produce, as formerly had beene in cases of like nature, according to the justice of this House: and this Committee to be under a command of secresie, as formerly: and that he was comman­ded to aske liberty to adde according to justice: and that he was commanded to desire, that your Lordships would take care for the securing of those persons, as in justice there shall bee cause, and alter as there shall bee cause: And saith hee did not conceive there could bee any offence in what was so done by him in this Honourable House, in obedience to those his Majesties com­mands, being wholly thereby left to your Lord­ships wisedomes and judgements, being his Ma­jesties great Councell, and greatest Court for ad­vice and justice. And as touching the false, scan­dalous, and malicious advising, contriving, or pub­lishing the said Articles, or any other Articles a­gainst the said persons in the said paper mentio­ned, or any of them, or any breach of this defen­dants oath of Attorney Generall, and to the false, unlawfull and malicious exhibiting the said Ar­ticles into this Honourable House, or causing any entry thereof to be made, and the intent and in­deavour, falsly, unlawfully and maliciously to deprive this Honourable House, or the Honoura­ble House of Commons, or any of the Members of the said Houses, or to take away any of their lives, estates, or good names, and every offence [Page] and misdemeanour charged by the said impeach­ment upon this defendant, he saith he is not guil­ty of them, or any of them, in such manner and forme as by the said impeachment is charged. All which matters and things this defendant is and will be ready to averre and prove in such sort as to this Honourable House of Parliament shall seeme meet.

Copia vera.