(CHARLES I) (1600 - 1649) King of England, Scotland and Ireland from March 27, 1625 until his murder. Charles famously engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England. He was an advocate of the Divine Right of Kings, and many subjects of England feared that he was attempting to gain absolute power. Many of his actions, particularly the levying of taxes without Parliament's consent, caused widespread opposition. Contemporaneous manuscript fair copy of a speech of Charles I, entirely in a clerical hand (not signed by Charles), 2pp., folio, Sept. 24, 1640, York [England], headed "His Maj' speech to the Assembly of Peers at York". Charles' military failure in the First Bishops' War caused a financial and military crisis and the end of Personal Rule. Due to his financial weakness, Charles was forced to call Parliament into session in an attempt to raise funds. In part: "...Where dangers are near and instant, it has been the custom of my Predecessors to assemble the great Counsel of the Peers & by their advice & Assistance to give a timely remedie to sure evils...an Army of Rebbells lodged within this Kingdom, I thought it most fitt, to conforme my selve to the practice of my Predecessors in like cases, that with your advise & assistance we may jointly press to the chastisement of their insolence and security of my good Subjects...". Expected wear and soiling, else very good.