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Right honourable,
The king's majesty having, by the lord commissioner, made known to us his resolution of marriage with that noble princess, the daughter of Portugal, we are so overjoyed with it and with the sense of the blessings will accrue to this kingdom thereby, that we have freely made offer to his majesty of our lives and fortunes for the advancement and prosecution of that royal design. But not being able by a letter to give his majesty so full an expression of our duties and of our joy in this business, we have remitted the same to be more fully done by your lordships, and we do seriously recommend to your lordships' care to take such ways as you shall think fit upon the place to let it be known to his majesty or any else that no earthly thing can be more acceptable to this kingdom than that the government thereof continue in his majesty's person, and the succession from his own loins, so long as the sun and moon endures, and that this kingdom will be ready to hazard their lives and fortunes in the prosecution of his majesty's resolution and in opposition to all that shall withstand the same. We have written to [John Maitland], earl of Lauderdale, his majesty's secretary, to join with your lordships herein, and do hereby authorise you the lord chancellor to administer the oath of allegiance to him, and to receive his subscription to the act for the prerogative, both which are here enclosed, and that you do the like to such of the privy council as are there. And we do seriously recommend to all of you, as you regard either his majesty's honour or the good and peace of this kingdom, to be careful for promoting of these desires and resolutions which this parliament has found so necessary for his majesty's honour and service and for the peace of this kingdom, and especially that the militia and public trusts be settled on such persons as are known to have been loyal to his majesty and have evidenced their affection to his government in the allegiance and prerogative as it has been asserted and enjoined in this parliament, in whose name and by whose warrant these are signed by
Your lordship's affectionate friend.