Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	king_n	majesty_n	subject_n	2,392	5	6.9229	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A97148	The vindication of the Parliament and their proceedings. Or, Their military designe prov'd loyall and legall. A treatise, wherein these things are ingeniously and sincerely handled; to wit, 1. That the militia as setled by the Parliament is lawfull. 2. That it is lawfull for us to obey it, so setled by them. 3. That the Parliament is not by us to be deserted. 4. That in aiding the Parliament the king is not opposed. 5. That the Parliament (as the case stands) may not confide in the king. 6. That this necessary defensive warre of theirs is indubitably justifiable. Pulchrum pro Patria mori,	Ward, Richard, 1601 or 2-1684.	1642 (1642)	Wing W808aA; Thomason E122_19; ESTC R19259	30,017	36

of are of that nature that if they should fall upon us which the Lord in mercy forbid we would thinke that it were better for us to have no being then such a miserable being The present Case seemes to many who see throwly into things to be threefold viz. 2. Whether Popery or Protestanisme and this doubt arises from the Kings Assistants and Agents in his designes or some who are in neere trust and of great power with his Majesty who for the most part are either of no Religion or of any Religion or of the Popish Religion or popishly inclined and effected And 2. Whether slavery or liberty and this doubt arises from the doctrines counsels and perswasions of those about the King who perswade Him that it is lawfull for him to doe what he list And 3. Whether estates or none and this doubt arises from some speeches fallen from some in place and authority that all we have is the Kings that when there is necessity he may command of or take from us what he please and that he alone is the sole Judge of this necessity The Case being thus with us it seemes unnaturall that any Nation should be bound to contribute its own inherent puissance meerely to abet tyranny and support slavery that is to fight themselves slaves or to affoord aide assistance and succour either with persons or purses to those who desire and endeavour to introduce popery and heresie into their Church and to bring themselves into such slavery and bondage that they may tyrannize over them at pleasure And thus the Necessity of this Warre shewes the lawfullnesse thereof Answ 5 Fiftly Defensive Warres are alwayes held lawfull Now the nature and quality of our Warre is defensive and so the more justifiable For 1. The Kings Majesty mislead by Malignants and malevolent Persons made preparations for Warre before any such thing was thought upon by the Parliament And 2. We intend not the hurt of others but our own peace and preservation the designe being but to suppresse riots to keep the peace and to bring Delinquents to a faire just and legall tryall And 3. Our Armes will be laid down as soone as we are assured of a firme peace and to be ruled as becommeth a free people who are not borne slaves Sixtly we may guesse at the nature of this Defensive Warre An. 6. by divers particulars as namely First by the Persons against whom this Designe is undertaken which is not the King as was proved before and shall be further enlarged by and by but the Malignants of the Kingdome which we labour to suppresse and to bring to punishment in a legall way We goe against the Troublers of Israel the fire-brands of Hell the Korahs Balaams Doegs Rabshakaes Hamans Tobiahs and Sanballats of our time And Secondly by the Persons most favouring and furthering of this Defonsive warre who are in every place those who stand most cordially affected to the good of the Common-wealth and most sincerely addicted to the purity of the Church and the intire profession and practise of Religion And Thirdly by the mercy and favour of God towards the Parliament the principall Agents and Authors of this Designe If we consider 1. How the Lord preserved their persons from the malicious intentions of the Cavaliers when they went to the very doore of the House And 2. How He discovered the plots and practises which were intended for the bringing up of the Army out of the North against Them And 3. How He directed them in their setling of Hull the Militia and Navy when things were almost come to their height And 4. How he hath from time to time and still doth encourage them with or by the Love Loyalty Fidelity Faith and firme Resolutions of the most part of all Counties to stand and fall live and dye with them And 5. How hitherto He hath extraordinarily turned all the plots of their enemies against themselves and produced effects quite contrary to those they intended and frustrated all their hopes If I say we consider these things we cannot but say of the Parliament House and Parliament-men Surely God is in this place and in the midst of you and present with you and president amongst you and we confidently hope that the Lord will preserve and keep you and finish the work he hath begun by you to your comfort His glory and our good And Fourthly we may guesse at the goodnesse of the Designe by the time when it was undertaken for it was not begun untill all other Meanes failed and therfore may be called ultimum unicum remedium the last and only meanes left The old Rule was observed by them Non recurrendum est ad extraordinaria inijs quae fieri possunt por ordinaria they tried all fair and ordinary means and never had recourse to extraordinary and extreame courses untill no other would prevail We and They have again and again petitioned the King but cannot prevail and therfore all other politique means failing us we ought generally seeing the misery which is threatned is generall to joyn heads hearts hands and estates together to sight for our King Country Parliament selves Religion Laws Liberties lives and all that is ours because now all is at stake And Lastly we may cleerly see the lawfullnesse of this Defensive warre if we but look upon the Causes and Ends therof which are many as namely 1. The glory of God 2. The good of the Church 3. The propagation of the Gospell 4. The peace of the Kingdome 5. The prosperity of the Common-wealth 6. The maintenance of the Kings honour authority and person in his Royall dignity 7. The liberties and immunities of the Commons 8. The preservation of the representative Body of the Realme 9. The Priviledges of Parliament 10. The Lawes of the Land And 11. The free course of Justice But I will reduce all these to foure Heads to wit Gods Glory the Kings honour the Parliaments safety and the Kingdomes preservation First This Defensive warre is undertaken by the Parliament for Gods Glory and the maintenance of true Religion Now we may yea ought to fight to maintaine the purity and substance of Religion that it may neither be changed into the Ceremonious formalities of Popery nor our consciences brought into the subjection of Romish and Antichristian slavery Secondly This Defensive warre is undertaken by the Parliament for the Kings honour and safety Now we are bound by the duty of allegiance to defend and maintaine the Kings person honour and estate and therefore 1. It is our duty to labour by all lawfull meanes to free his Person from those Assassinates who violently by their wicked councell assistance and perswasion carry him upon his owne danger and the destruction of his liege and most loyall Subjects And 2. It is our duty to labour to maintaine the Kings honour and therfore when he is over-ruled by those who through their subtilty work so upon his mild and pliant temper that they make him appeare to his Subiects yea forraigne Nations to be a Defender of Delinquents and evill Counsellours against his loving Subiects and loyall Parliament which tends infinitely to his dishonour it is then our duty to labour to unwinde and disentangle him from their practises or by force plucke away their Persons from about Him And 3. It is our duty to maintain his Maiesties estate Now as the Lord Burleigh would often say to Q. Elizabeth Madam get but your Subiects hearts and you need not feare their purses so I may say that the love and affection of the Kings Subjects which his Parliament labours to enrich him withall and to possesse him of will be more advantagious unto him for matter of estate then all the Prerogatives and Priviledges which his obscure Counsellours perswade and indeavour so much for against the will and welfare of his people And if we compare our Q. Elizabeth who would have nothing but by and from the Parliament with the love and affection of her people with the king of Spain who by an arbitrary power tyrannizeth over his Subjects we shall then see as cleare as the Sun that where Princes by joyning with Parliaments labour to unite the hearts and affections of their people unto them there riches abound more both with Prince and people than in those Kingdomes where all cruell courses are taken by the King to impoverish the Commons Thirdly this Defensive warre is under-taken by us at the Parliaments command for their safety Now both Reason and Religion will teach us that if our pious Parliament and sage Senate for the maintaining of our lives liberties and lawes and in or for opposing of it selfe not against the Kings Person honour or estate but against his affections mislead by evill Counsellours shall be exposed to danger dissolution or death then it is our duty by defensive Warre to withstand that power or force which is levied against them Fourthly this Military Designe is undertaken for the Kingdoms preservation Now both the Laws of God and man as is against all contradiction proved in the Treatise called A Soveraigne Antidote to prevent and appease our civill warres will beare us out for taking up Defensive Armes for the safety of out Kingdome and Common-wealth That is if we see indeavours and designes a-foot for the reducing of the Government of this Kingdom to the condition of those Countries which are not governed by Parliaments and established Laws but by the will of the Prince and his Favourites then it is lawfull for us to assist the representative body of the Land whom we entrust with our laws and liberties against those who resist and oppose them that they may the more easily prevaile against and make good their designes upon us And therfore although we will never cease to sue unto the King and humbly to supplicate the King of Kings for peace and unity yet if we cannot obtain it without the dishonour of God the losse of our Religion Priviledges Liberties and Laws the endangering yea exposing of our most faithfull Parliament to imminent perill and the hazard of his Majesties Person honour and estate we may then with the peace of God his holy Angels and of our own consciences take up Arms for the Defense of all these FINIS

They are ignorant Persons Now there is a two fold ignorance viz. 1. Naturall now they are naturally ignorant who for want of knowledge understanding and teaching are neither able to discerne of the designes and intentions of the adverse Partie nor to foresee the miseries which will come upon them by aiding and assisting of and siding with them nor to know what is their duty and how farre and in what cases they may aid and assist the Parliament against some personall or verball command of the King And 2. Affected Now this mischevous malitious and affected ignorance is in those who will neither read nor heare any thing which may inform them in the former particulars viz. the nature intentions ends and fruites of evill councels and counsellours and what is their duty in regard of the great counsel of the land Or 7. They are of that number of the Nobility and Gentry who seeke preferment by betraying their Country to serve and be made subject to the Court Or. 8. They are the allyes friends acquaintance and associates of some of the former who although in themselves they stand not much disaffected to Parliaments yet in regard of their friends they leave it and cleave unto them Or 9. They are timerous and fearefull who although they wish well unto the Parliament yet they dare not shew their affection nor affoord any aid unto them lest thereby they incurre some malice or detriment through the Kings displeasure Or. 10. They are covetous and desirous to keepe their mony and meanes and therefore whatsoever their heart and affections be unto the Parliament they dare not shew their approbation of their proceedings lest they should be wrought upon to supply them and their wants for the supporr of the State their necessities and occasions in regard of th● land being great urgent and pressing Or 11. They are Macchiavillians and Polititions who desiring with the Cat to fall on their feet and to be free from blame and danger however the world wags will neither side nor support neither aid nor assist either King or Parliament Let us now seriously consider three things from what hath beene said of the nature of this Side or Party viz. First who are those evill Counsellours which we must not adhere unto but desert It is denyed That there are any such about the King but I conceive what I shall say will not be gainsayd viz. If there bee any about the King who first move him to Civill warres and secondly perswade him to rule his people according to his owne Will or an arbitrary power and thirdly strive to divide and estrange the King from his Parliament and fourthly cast even in his eares aspertions and false calumnies upon his Parliament and fiftly labour to ruine and destroy the Parliament and sixthly by their plots brings misery and confusion upon the whole land none I say will deny but these are evill and wicked Counsellours who deserve to be disclaimed deserted and left free and layd open to the penalty of the law Now that there are some such about the King or in high favour power and credit with Him is more then evident though I and wiser then I cannot particularly name them for 1. His Majesty professeth a detestation of warre and yet prosecutes it which shewes that some puts him upon it And 2. He protests to governe his people according to established law and yet he hath been perswaded to an Arbitrary governement by them about Him by many plausible and faire seeming arguments as Himselfe affirmes in one of his Messages And 3. He solemnely professeth his love unto and his care of and his honourable respect to his Parliaments and their priviledges and preservation and yet some hath withdrawne his person from the Parliament and to himselfe vilified the Parliament yea have had plots upon the Parliament and have laboured that in them they might be countenanced and protected by his sacred Majesty And 4. The King againe and againe calleth God to witnesse the sincerity of his heart towards all his people and how earnestly desirous He is that they may live happily and prosperously under him and yet by following the counsell of some many great and long evills have pressed all the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland And therefore it must needes be granted That there are malignant Counsellours about the King who worke much misery and mischiefe both to Himfelfe and his People and that they cannot be unknowne unto Him if He would please to disclose discover and leave them to the just and equall triall of the Lovers of the Land Secondly let us consider from this Army of Malignants and mischievous Counsellours and party what in all probability we may expect and looke for if they prevaile against the Parliament That is if 1. Men of desperate fortunes prevaile what can we expect but plundering and pillaging And 2. If Papists prevaile what religion but Popery 3. If delinquents what but oppression 4. If bad Ministers what but bad preaching and ill practizing 5. If loose Gentry what but prophannesse 6. If ambitious spirits what but contempt cruelty and disdaine 7. If ignorant persons what but their owne selfe-wills 8. If delinquents and malignants friends what but such a measure as we finde from delinquents and malignants themselves But from an Army consisting not of one but of all these what can we expect but all these evills and from the wickednesse which will be committed by them the heavy judgment of God to be hastened downe upon us Thirdly let us consider whether there be any the least probability of receiving any benefit or profit in any regard from this Side or Party if they should prevaile against the Parliament 1. Can we expect that the propriety of our goods shall be maintained and preserved unto us by men of decayed lost and desperate fortunes Or 2. Can we expect that the true orthodoxe Protestant Religion shall be maintained and preserved by heterodoxe and hereticall Papists Or 3. Can we expect to be preserved free from unjust impositions and taxes by oppressing Projectors and Monopolists Or 4. Can we hope that our Parliament priviliges will be preserved by Delinquents and contemners of Parliaments Or 5. Can we expect the propagation of the Gospel or that the sincere faithfull painfull and profitable preaching thereof shall be promoted by lewd lazy and corrupt Ministers Or 6. Can we expect that Piety and the honour of God shall be preserved in the land by loose and prophane Gentlemen and Nobles Or 7. Can we expect that justice just measure and equity shall be maintained by those who ayme at nothing but their owne gaine and greatnesse Or 8. Can we expect that our Lawes shall be preserved inviolably by those who are wholely bewitched with the love of an Arbitrary Governement Sense and Reason will tell us that these things cannot be expected from those persons neither that any good can come unto the Land from such an Army I might

away and seldome continue to the third generation so Kings cannot be sure that their Posterity shall peaceably and successively enjoy their Crowns except themselves rule and governe according to Law righteousnesse only establishing the Crown and Throne both upon Princes and their Posterity And therfore they who assist not the King in those things wayes and courses which are illegall grievous yea destructive to the Common-wealth are His Childrens and Posterities best Friends I conclude this Question with this Argument Arg. Those who labour with their lives and estates to defend and maintaine the Kings Soule Honour Reputation Wealth Person and Posterity obey and stand for Him Quest 6 But the Parliament and all those who side with them in this present designe labour with their lives and estates to maintaine and defend the Kings Soule Honour Reputation Wealth Person and Posterity Therefore the Parliament and all those who side with them in this present designe in so doing obey and stand for Him It should seeme by what hath bene spoken That neither Parliament nor People doth intend the least indignity dishonour or disloyalty to the King and it is most perspicuously and clearely to be seene in all the Kings gracious Messages and Declarations That he hath no designe upon his people or Parliament neither intends any harme opposition or oppression unto them but professeth to rule them according to Law and equity How then comes it to passe that either the Parliament will not or dare not confide in the King Answ 1 First it is because they see that some about the King are potent with Him who affect not the Parliament nor their proceedings have that influence in his counsels and are so predominant and prevalent with Him that they have often varied and altered him from his words and promises It is a Maxime in Law The King can doe no wrong for if any evill act be committed in matter of State his Counsell if in matters of Justice his Judges must answer for it and therefore I will not lay any fault upon the King but rather impute the faults which have bene of late obvious to many unto some about him or in great favour with him Great discouragements I grant the Parliament in their proceedings have had from the King but I dare not imagine that they came originally and primarily from Him but from some about him in regard of that vast difference which is between his words spoken to his Parliament with his own mouth when he was with them and the Messages sent unto and the heavy charges laid upon them in his Letters and Declarations now when he is absent from Them He said once That in the word of a King and as He was a Gentleman he would redresse the grievances of his people as well out of the Parliament as in it Againe That he was resolved to put himselfe freely and clearely upon the Love and affection of his English Subjects Againe we doe engage unto you solemnly the word of a King that the security of all and every one of You from violence is and ever shall be as much our care as the preservation of us and our children And yet what actions and passages have of late fallen out quite contrary to all these expressions the Parliament and all who side with it assist it or obey it in any of the Commissions or Orders thereof being assaulted opposed yea now at last proclaimed Traitors Againe his Majesty doth professe the detestation of a Civill War and abhorres as he saith the very apprehension of it But this mind neither seemed to be in them who came with his Majesty to the House of Commons nor who accompanied him to Hampton-Court and appeared in a warlike manner at Kingstone nor in diverse of those who have bene with him and employed by him at Yorke Hull Leicester-sheire Lancashiere Sommerset-sheire Northampton-sheire and other places And therefore we must needs conceive that the King is put upon these courses and wayes by his evill Counsellors and consequently that the Parliament cannot confide in his words and promises untill those Councellors be put from him or forsaken by him And Answ 2 Secondly because of that trust which is reposed in them I dare boldly say That if the King should take or make those Protestations which he makes in his Messages and Declarations unto any one of the Parliament-House for the performance of any promise either unto them or theirs which did simply and soly concerne themselves they would beleeve and obey him and without any further question confide in him but they cannot doe this in the case and place wherein they are The trust reposed by the people in the Parliament is as well to preserve the Kingdome by making of new Lawes when and where there shall be need as by observing and putting the Lawes already made in execution And therefore in regard of this trust they dare not hazard the safety preservation and sole managing of the Land to his Majesty alone upon his bare word because if after such confiding of theirs in the King upon his faithfull promise unto them he should be over-swayed and seduced by some wicked Counsellours to lay some illegall impositions taxations and burdens upon his people as he did soone after the granting of the Petition of Right unto the Subject the Kingdome then would and might justly blame them as the Authours of their grievances that had so lightly given away their liberties and freedome by subjecting them to an arbitrary power And indeed if we will but consider it without passion and partiality the case is no other but this if the Parliament should wholy confide in the Kings words and Promises then there were no more requisite in them then this to make a Declaration unto his Majesty of the grievances burdens annoyances and illegall proceedings in all or such and such Courts or Persons to the great oppression and heart-breake of the Subject and having so done to obtaine some serious Promise and Protestation from the King to take-off all these pressures and to be carefull for the future that no such shall be imposed upon them and then to confide in the King and to breake-up the Parliament and repaire every one to his own house Now if Sense Reason Experience and Knowledge will tell us that this is farre from or comes farre short of the true nature and duty of a Parliament then let us thinke that it is reason as the case now stands that the Parliament should not confide in the King And An. 3 Thirdly because it were very dangerous for the time to come Admitting our present Soveraigne were as prudent as Salomon yea as pious as David yea like him a man after Gods own heart yet it were dangerous for the Parliament so to confide in him that they should trust the managing of all the great and weighty affairs of this Kingdome wholy and solely unto him and consequently granting him an arbitrary power to rule us according