I am sure it could never be so truly said of any Emperor as of ours Facere recte cives suos Princeps Optimus faciendo docet cumque fit imperio Maximus Exemplo Major est Nor indeed hath he yet given us or have we yet felt any other Instances of his Greatness and Power and Superiority and Dominion over us Nisi as he said out levatione periculi aut accessione dignitatis by giving us Peace Honour and Security which we could not have without him by desiring nothing for himself but what is 131. This made the House of Commons unanimously return him their Thanks for his constant Observance of the Act of Oblivion as good for us as for himself AND certainly the Consideration of this made the Honourable House of Commons Resolve upon the Question Nemine contradicente That the Humble Thanks of their House should be returned to the King's Majesty for his Constancy Feb. 25. 1652. pag 3. Of the House of Comâ—â—â— Votes and Oâ—â—ers then in the Observation of the Act of Indemnity AND also it was then Resolved c. Nemine contradicente That the Humble Thanks of their House 132. As also for his professing against introducing a Government by Military Power should be returned to the King's Majesty for his Profession against Introducing a Government by a Military Power in his Declaration to all his Loving Subjects Decemb. 26. 1662. AND in the Speech which their Speaker delivered in the Name of the whole House Feb. 26. 1662. p. 6 7. he saith thus We your Majesty's most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects c. do for our selves and in the Names of all the Commons of England render to your Sacred Majesty the Tribute of our most hearty Thanks for that infinite Grace and Goodness wherewith Your Majesty hath been pleased to publish your Royal Intentions of adhering to your Act of Indemnity and Oblivion by a constant and Religious Observance of it And our Hearts are farther enlarged in these Returns of Thanksgivings when we consider Your Majesty's most Princely and Heroick Professions of relying upon the Affections of your People and abhorring all sort of Military and Arbitrary Rule AS for the several Sums of Money which have been given to 133. As for his laying out the Moneys that have been given him His Majesty have they not been given him upon the Nation 's Account and for its Good Welfare and Security We have had briefly a By-regard to our own selves and it was the sake of our dear Interest and Safety that made us so full of Generous Liberality to him and how all those great Sums have been laid out to those Ends you shall not take my Word for it but as I have done all along hitherto so I will still continue what must needs be your best and fullest satisfaction to repeat to you the King 's own Words WHEN the House of Commons had passed the Bill entituled An Act for a speedy Provision of Money to pay off and disband all the Forces of this Kingdom both by Sea and Aug. 29. 1660. The Speech of the Speaker of the House of Commons to the King in the House of Lords pag. 7. Land Upon which they hoped such a Sum would be advanced and brought in as might be sufficient fully to discharge and dispatch that Work And humbly prayed His Majesty's Gratious Acceptance of and Royal Assent to it The King was pleased to come and tell them That he thanked them for the many good things they had done for The King's Speech to both Houses Septem 13. 1660 p. 4. him and for the Kingdom And saith he In truth I do thank you more for what you have done for the Publick than what you have done for my own particular and yet I do thank you too 134. He promises which is the best way he can take to gratifie his Parliament and People that not one Penny of it shall be laid out to his own particular Occasions till it is evident the Publick will not need it for that with all my heart But I confess to you I do thank you more for the Provision you have made to prevent Free Quarter during the time the Army shall be Disbanding which I take to be given for my Satisfaction than I do for the other Present you have made me for my own particular Occasions And I do promise you which is the best way I can take to gratifie you I will not apply one Penny of that Money to my own particular Occasions what shift soever I make till it is evident to me that the Publick will not stand in need of it and if it do every Penny of it shall be disbursed that way and I dare say I shall not be the poorer for it WHEN the King came to his Parliament the first day of their Meeting after their Adjournemnt he tells them The Occasion of my coming hither is Extraordinary It is to say something to you on my own behalf The King's Speech to both Houses Wednesd Novemb. 20. 1661. pag. 1 2. to ask somewhat of you for my self 135. And when his Majesty came again to ask them for some more Money he tells them if it did most concern himself and his Straits c. and did not manifestly relate to the publick Peace more than to his own particular he would not ask which is more than I have done of you or of those who met here before you since my coming into England I need not do it now They did and you do upon all Occasions express so great an Affection and Care of all that concerns me that I may very well refer both the matter and the manner of your doing any thing for me to your own Wisdoms and Kindness And indeed if I did think that what I am to say to you now did alone or did most concern my self if the uneasie Condition I am in if the Straits and Necessities I am to struggle with did not manifestly relate to the publick Peace and Safety more than to my own particular otherwise 136. For he can bear his own Necessities patiently enough than as I am concerned in the Publick I should not give you this trouble this day I can bear my Necessities which merely relate to my self with patience enough 137. And then after he had laid open the Obligations of the Crown to provide for the Interest Honour and Security of the Nation and declared to them the pressing Occasions that made him so earnest He desires them to examine throughly whether such Necessities were real or not or whether fallen by his fault upon us and give him accordingly AND having in short given them an Account of the Insupportable Weight that the Publick Necessities laid upon the Crown and the Obligations it lieth under to provide for the Interest Honour and Security of the Nation he says These are the pressing Occasions which I am forced to recommend to you with
Majesties Laws shall afterwards Assemble They must â—o brought to condign punishment and of his Indulgence also seditiously assemble themselves under pretence of Religious Worship his Majesty doth require his Parliament and all in Authority under him vigorously to suppress such Meetings and to bring the pretended Preachers and Ring-leaders of such unlawful Assemblies to condign and exemplary punishment AGAIN his Majesties Commissioners Speech to the Parliament of Scotland that were met at Edinburgh 102. The King is unalterable in his zeal to maintain the True Reformed Protestant Religion and Government by Arch-Bishops and Bishops mentioning Religion has these words I July 28. 70. p. 5 6 7. need not repeat the assurances of his Majestie 's constant and unalterable zeal for maintaining and defending the true Reformed Protestant Religion in this his Kingdom and that with no less zeal and constancy he will maintain the Antient Government by Arch-Bishops and Bishops now Happily Restored and Established here for in 203. And will not endure those numerous Conventicles that tend to Sedition and Schism all the exercises of his Royal Authority he doth daily give full and undeniable testimonies thereof AT the opening of the first Session of this Parliament I told you in his Majesties Name that he would not endure those numerous and unlawful Conventicles that tend to Sedition 104. But will have them supprest and the most guilty brought to punishment and Schism which had been too frequent in some Shires of this Kingdom and the King did then require you and all in Authority under him vigorously to suppress such Meetings and to bring the most guilty to condign punishment In prosecution of which the Lords of the Privy Council 105. Field Conventicles look more like rendezvouzes for Rebellion than any thing for Religion have done their duty carefully though not with that success which they desired for his Majesty hath been informed that this Summer divers Seditious and numerous Conventicles have been kept even in the open fields which look liker endeavours to rendezvous for Rebellion than any pretence 106. Because it was in contempt of the Kings Authority and of the Parliament which they knew so soon would Assemble of Religious Worship and that in high contempt of his Majesties Authority and of this Parliament which they well-knew was so soon to Assemble Yea such hath been the Insolent Barbarity of that incorrigible sort of Non-Conformists that in some places the Houses of Orthodox and Peaceable Ministers have been Robb'd their persons and Families wounded and they threatned to be murther'd 107. And some of those Non-conformists robb'd the Conformable Ministers houses wounded the Parsons and threatned to kill them if they stai'd in their Churches if they stay at their Churches THEREFORE His Majesty doth most seriously recommend 108. Therefore good reason why the King recommends them to make good Laws and vigorously to prosecute them it to your special care by good Laws and vigorous prosecution of them to curb punish and prevent those Seditious Conventicles to cure the withdrawing of Protestants from their Paroch Churches and the Ordinances there which is the occasion of those Conventicles and cannot 109. For this cannot be conscience but deâ—â—gn to perpetuate Faction and Schism be pretended for conscience but must be esteemed only out of design to perpetuate Faction and Schism seeing the Form of Worship here is the same which hath been since the Reformation as also to punish Exemplarly those Barbarous Robberies and Assassinates committed against honest and peaceable Ministers and generally to provide what you shall think necessary for continuing the peace of the Kingdom The Work will be easie and I doubt not your care in it The Kingdom generally is Loyal Peaceable and Dutiful it is but 110. The Kingdom generally is Loyal Peaceable and Dutiful a small part of it which is tainted with such principles and practices pag. 7. AND again further in the year 1672. His Majestie 's High Commissioner for his Kingdom of Scotland at the opening of that Session of Parliament continues the same Language to them and assures them his Majestie 's Resolution is not in the least altered saith he I am particularly commanded to renew again to you His Grace the Duke of Lauderdail 's Speech June 12. 1672. to the Parliament of Scotland pag. 12. 111. The Kings Resolution continues the same still for the Government of the Church by Archbishops and Bishops and for suppressing of Conventicles preventing the growth of Schism and securing the peace of the Church the assurances of his Majesties most constant continuance in his unalterable resolutions to maintain the True Reformed Protestant Religion and the Government of this Church by Arch-Bishops and Bishops whatever Seditious and Disaffected Persons may suggest to the contrary and I am fully impowred to all such further Acts as you shall judg convenient for the quieting the minds of peaceable people and for curbing and punishing Seditious Conventicles for preventing the increase of Schism and by all good means securing the Peace of the Church BY this you may see that his Majesty was not only resolved to settle Episcopacy in this his Kingdom but his pious intentions were all along visible firmly to Establish it throughout all his Dominions BUT to return to our selves here of England when the House of Commons Presented the Bill to his Majesty to Repeal that Law which was made in 17 Car. whereby the Bishops were Excluded the House how great was the King's joy and thankfulness to them at the Receipt of it You shall hear both their Speeches of this Matter AND first to begin with the Speaker's when he Presented the Bill saith he Your Majestie 's Royal Grandfather was often wont Sir Edward Turner 's Speech delivered on Tuesday July 30. 1661. at their Adjournment pag. 4 5. to say no Bishop no King we found 112. No Bishop no King found true in the late times of confusion his words true for after they were put out the Feaver still encreasing in another Fit The Temporal Lords followed and then the King himself nor did the humour rest there but in the Round The House of Commons was first Garbled and then turn'd out of their doors IT is no wonder when a Sword is put into a mad Man's hand to see him cut off Limb by Limb and then to kill himself WHEN there is a great Breach of the Sea upon the low Grounds by the violence of the Torrent the Rivers of sweet Waters are often turn'd aside and the Salt Waters make themselves a Channel but when the Breach is made up good Husbands drain their Lands again and restore the Antient Sewers THANKS be to God the Floud is gone off the Face of this Island our Turtle Dove hath found good footing Your Majesty is Happily Restored to the Government The Temporal Lords and Commons are restored to sit in Parliament and shall the Church alone
do so should be denied some part of that mercy which we 16. For that would seem unjust have obliged our Self to afford to ten times the number of such who have not done so Besides such are the Capital 17. It is grievous to put any to death for their Opinions in matters of Religion only Laws in force against them as though justified in their vigour by the times in which they were made We profess it Would be grievous unto us to consent to the execution of them by putting any of our Subjects to death for their Opinions in matters of Religion only but at the 18. Yet let them all know if they hope for Toleration of their Profession c. or that Priests shall appear and avow themselves to the scandal of good Protestants and of the Laws we will be severe same time That we declare our little liking of those Sanguinary Ones and our Gracious Intentions already expressed to such of our Roman Catholick Subjects as shall live peaceably modestly and without scandal We would have them all know that if for doing what their Duties Loyalties obliged them to or from our acknowledgment of their well-deserving they shall have the presumption to hope for a Toleration of their Profession or a taking away either those marks of distinction or of our displeasure which in a well-governed Kingdom ought always to be set upon Dissenters from the Religion of the State or to obtain the least remission in the strictness of those Laws which either are or shall be made to hinder the spreading of their Doctrine to the prejudice of the True Protestant Religion or that upon our expressing according to Christian Charity our dislike of Bloodshed for Religion only Priests shall take the boldness to appear and avow themselves to the offence and scandal of good Protestants and of the Laws in force against them They shall quickly find we know as well to be severe when wisdom requires as indulgent when charity and sense of Merit challenge it from us WitH this we have thought fit to arm our good Subjects 19. This is to arm the good Subjects minds against the practises of our ill ones minds against the practises of our ill ones by a True Knowledg of our own of which now rightly perswaded we make no question but that whatsoever they be from whom they can derive the spreading or somenting of 20. That those who foment such suggestions are the most dangerous Enemies of the Crown and the peace of the Nation any of those wicked suggestions they will look upon them with detestation as the most dangerous Enemies of our Crown and of the Peace and Happiness of the Nation I thought it could not be too tedious either for me to Recite or for you to hear thus much of his Majesties Declaration upon this Head because he has in it so clearly fully delivered himself as one would think it should be to the general if I may not say Eternal satisfaction of all his loving and dutiful Subjects IS it not a superlative expression for the King to say of those 21. What can be higher said than this that give out that most pernicious as well as malicious scandal of his favour to Papists that he looks on it as the most unpardonable offence that any can be guilty of towards him and that those wicked Aspersers by all his good and Loyal People will as they deservedly ought to be looked upon as the most dangerous Enemies both to his Crown and the Peace and Welfare of the Kingdom AND whereas still some men would fain possess the people 22. Never any Prince hath given more convincing proofs to the contrary of his favouring Papists that his Majesty is a Favourer of Popery though never any Prince in Christendom hath given more convincing and irrefragable proofs of the contrary let them take heed and consider that by such aspersion they run the hazard of a Praemunire upon the Act for the safety of the King's Person in scandalizing his Majesty for a Favourer of Popery NOW where the humours and spirits of men are too rough 23. Where mens humours are too rough for soft indulgence shar Laws must be made to break their Stubborness and boisterous for the soft remedies of signal indulgence and condescensions of suspension of the rigour of former Laws there must be prepared sharper Laws and penalties to contend with those refractory Lord Chancellor's Speech to both Houses May 19. 1662. pag. 16. persons and to break that stubbornness which will not bend to gentler applications and it is great reason that they upon whom Clemency cannot prevail should seel that severity they have prcvoked I pray hear what the Speaker of the House of Commons could say in his Address to the King from the whole House they being there present Above The Address of the House spoke by Sir Edw. Turner Feb. 28. 1662. pag. 7. all saith he we can never enough remember to 24. The Speaker of the House of Commons acknowledges His Majesties most solemn invitations of them to make Laws against the growth of Popery the Honour of Your Majesties Piety and our own unspeakable comfort those solemn and most indearing invitations of us Your Majesties Subjects to prepare Laws to be presented to Your Majesty against the growth and increase of Popery and withal to provide more Laws against Licentiousness and Impiety at the same time declaring Your own resolution for maintaining the Act of Uniformity And when a little after both the Lords and Commons Petitioned His Majesty by his Proclamation to command all Romish Priests and Jesuits c. to depart this Kingdom by a day at the reception of the Petition His Majesty thus begins his Speech to them My Lords and Gentlemen You do not expect that I should give you an Answer presently to your petition yet I will tell you that I will speedily send you an Answer which I am confident will be to your satisfaction and was it not so think ye when he in his Gracious Answer on the 1st of April 1663. told them that he did readily concur with their advice and that he had given order for such a Proclamation as they desired which you may see more at large a little before This made the Speaker of the House of Commons no doubt so sensible that he could not be kept off from a fresh mention of it when he spake to his Majesty although it was almost four years afterwards Saith he We have been allarum'd from all parts of the Kingdom 25. His Majestie commands all his Officers and Souldiers to take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy â—d and Priests an Jesuits to de part by a day which much secures us aginst fears c by the insolencies of Popish Priests and Jesuits who by their great numbers and bold writings declare to all the world they are in expectation of a plentiful harvest here in
yet makes 3. His Majesty's Care of them hath been so much that we are obliged to all Acknowledgments so loud a noise in the World GOD knows these are as the great Diana of the Ephesians to us of these we are fond even to Superstition and you shall find the King as affectionate to you and as desirous to preserve them all in their just Measures as you can possibly with any Conscience wish he should be 4. The Annals of our most happy times scarce have one Year in them but what is more severe than a whole Reign hath yet produced NAY The Care of your Civil Rights and Liberties hath been so much His Majesty's that the more The Lord Keepers Speech on the 13th of October 1675. pag. 6 7. you reslect upon these Concerns the more you will find your selves obliged to acknowledge His Majesty's Tenderness of you and Indulgence to you SEARCH your own Annals the Annals of those Times you account most happy you will scarce find one Year without an Example of something more severe and more extraordinary 5. Statues have been erected for those Princes in Foreign Nations that never had half that Moderation which we have lived to enjoy than a whole Reign hath yet produced PERUSE the Histories of Forreign Nations and you shall find Statues and Altars too have been erected to the Memories of those Princes whose best Vertues never arrived to half that Moderation which we let me add for these twenty Years have lived to see and to enjoy AND Let us all evermore remember this unexceptionable A Letter from His Majesty at Breda Apr. 4 14 1660. to the Speaker of the House of Commons pag. 4. Truth which His Sacred Majesty was pleas'd 6. This Liberty is best preserved by preserving the King's Honour himself to lay down to us long ago that Our Liberty and Property is best preserved by preserving the Honour of the King FOR the Greatness and Dignity of the King The Lord Keeper's Speech Wednesd Oct. 13. 1675. p. 7. The Lord Chancellor's Speech to Baron Thurland at the taking of his Oath January 24. 1672 3. pag. 3 7. The King's Greatness the Peoples Safety is the Greatness and Safety of his People Therefore LET not the King's Prerogative and the Law be 8. Therefore the King's Prerogative and the Law should not be two things with us two things with you For the King's Prerogative is Law and the principal part of the Law and therefore in maintaining that you maintain the Law The Government of England is so excellently interwoven that every part of the Prerogative hath a broad mixture of the Interest of the Subject the Ease and Safety of the People being inseparable from the Greatness and Security of the Grown THE knowing of our own Interest will secure June 26. 1673. pag. 4. 9. The knowledg of our own Interest secures us to the King 's and Nations us to the King 's and the Nation 's I repeat them thus together saith the Lord Chancellor in his Speech upon the Lord Treasurer 's taking his Oath in the Exchequer because none but Mountebanks in State Matters can think of them asunder 10. Prerogative not extended beyond its due Limits AND if the not extending his Prerogative beyond The Lord Keeper's Speech to both Houses January 7. 1673 4. pag. 9. its due Limits can secure our Liberties then surely we have no need to fear the least Diminution of them For 11. The King only considers his Prerogative in order to preserve the Peace and Security of the Kingdom SAITH The King The Peace and Security The King's Speech April 5. 1664. pag. 3. of the Kingdom and the Welfare of my Subjects I study more than my Prerogative Indeed I consider my Prerogative only in order to preserving the other DO We not see that the King hath made it his The Lord Keeper's Speech Jan. 7. 1673 4. pag. 8. Care and his Business to do all that is possible to 12. The Laws of the Kingdom the Measures of both his Power and Prudence preserve us in our Civil Rights that he makes the Laws of his Kingdom the Measures not only of his Power but his Prudence that he suffers no Man to be wiser than the Law that he thinks he cannot judge of the Health or Sickness of his State by any better Indication than the Current 13. Their Current gives the best Judgment either of the Health or Sickness of the State of his Laws and suffers nothing to remain that may in the least measure hinder Justice from flowing in its due and proper Channels NOW The Administration of Iustice according His Majesty's Declaration for inforcing a late Order made in Council Feb. 12 1674 5. pag. 3. to the setled and known Laws of the Land is certainly the most reasonable and 14. Administration of Justice according to the known Laws of the Land proper Method for attaining and preserving the Peace and Safety both of Church and State FOR Laws are the Strength of a Kingdom the Walls and Bulwarks of a Nation without which Places are but as the Forests 15. What Laws are to a Kingdom of Wild Beasts to dwell in and the Ends of the Law are to bridle Men's wild and loose Exorbitances and to be instructive and to direct to Duty Now you shall hear what His Majesty hath 16. Their end been pleased to say as to this Point And first If you will but look into that Letter which he sent to the Speaker of the Honourable House of Commons you will find there these words SAITH He If you desire that Reverence and Obedience may be paid to the Fundamental April 4 14 1660 pag. 6. 7. 17. Reverence and Obedience to the Fundamental Laws of the Land is that the King desires to be sworn to and all Persons in Authority Laws of the Land and that Iustice may be equally and impartially Administred to all Men it is that which we desire to be sworn to Our Self and that all Persons in Power and Authority shall be so too In a word There is nothing that you can propose that may make the Kingdom happy which we will not contend with you to Compass And upon this Confidence and Assurance we have thought fit to 18. Nothing can be proposed to make the Kingdom happy but he will contend with us to compass send you this Declaration that you may as much as is possible at this Distance see our Heart AND In the Declaration that was inclosed therein His Majesty thus delivers himself Ve do not desire more to enjoy what is Ours than that all Our The Declaration pag. 2. Subjects may enjoy what by Law is theirs 19. The King desires no more to enjoy his own than to have his Subjects enjoy what by Law is theirs by a full and entire Administration of Iustice throughout the Land and
to find all his Subjects at once in his Arms and himself in theirs SAITH this Gracious Majesty in his Declaration to all his 104. The King accounts his Dignity and Greatness more happily founded on his Clemency and his Subjects Loves than in their Fears and his Power Loving Subjects It hath been always a constant Profession of ours that we do and Decemb. 26. pag. 5. shall ever think our Royal Dignity and Greatness more happily and securely founded on our own Clemency and our Subjects Loves than in their Fears and our Power WHICH most sincere Profession of ours goeth he on may suffice also to expose the Id. ibid. Wickedness and Falshood of that Malice concerning 105. What malice is that to talk of his Arbitrary Government the Design of introducing a way of Government by Military Power NO He knows a better way of Ruling than by that of the Sword it is both more easie and more suitable and agreeing with his Nature his Clemency He had rather come to you in Love than in Power 'T is in your Hearts he aims to live for there he finds his Surest Rest THE King of Spain's Mines will sooner deceive him than that Revenue will fail him for his The Speech of the Speaker of the House of Commons to the King Saturd Decemb. 29. 1660. at their Dissolution pag. 31. Mines have Bottoms but the deeper His Majesty sinks himself into the Hearts and Affections of his People the greater he will find his Wealth to be and the more invincible his Strength THEREFORE did the King ingenuously deal 106. Never any King valued himself more on his People's Love than he doth with us all when he said Never King valued himself more upon the Affections of his People The King's Speech Aug. 29. 1660. p. 5. than I do nor do I know a better way to make my self sure of your Affections than by being just and kind to you all and whilst I am so I pray let the World see that I am possessed of your 107. And the best way to have their Loves is by being just to them all Affections AND saith the Lord Chancellor The King thinks himself the happiest and the greatest Prince of the World not from the Scituation of his Dominions and the The Lord Chanceller's Speech Decemb. 29. 1660. p. 17 18. 108. The King thinks himself the happiest Prince of the World from being possessed of his People's Hearts and Affections Power of his great Navy with which he can visit his Neighbours and keep them from visiting him or from the Noble Revenue you have setled upon him which he will improve with all good Husbandry But from being possessed of the Affections and Hearts of such Subjects that ☜ he doth so entirely love them and depend upon them that all his Actions and all his Counsels shall tend to no other end but to make them happy and prosperous that he thinks 109. And all his Actions and Counsels shall tend to no other end but to make them happy and prosperous his Honour and his Interest principally to consist in providing for and advancing the Honour and Interest of the Nation that he is so confident in the multitude of his very good and faithful Subjects that he is very hard to be perswaded that his few ill and unfaithful Subjects can do him much harm that he so much depends upon the Affection of honest Men and their Zeal for his Security that he is not so sollicitous and vigilant for his own Safety as he ought to be amidst so many Combinations of which he is so well informed that his Servants who with Grief and Anguish importune him not to take so little care of his own safety can obtain no other Answer from him than what Caesar heretofore gave to his jealous Friends Mori se male quam timeri or timere He will die any death rather than live in fear of his own Subjects or that they should live in fear of him 110. His Lenity and Mildness is remarkable HIS Lenity and Mildness and his great and wonderful Condescentions to his People do plainly testifie that all his Endeavours have been and his Resolutions are to make his Kingdom a 111. Therefore let other Princes glory in their Subjects Obedience the King only values himself on his People's Affections Kingdom of Loves to them LET other Princes glory in the most refined The Lord Keeper's Speech Jan. 7. 167◠4. pag. 19 20. Obedience of their Vassals His Majesty values himself upon the Hearts and Affections of his People and thinks his Throne when seated there better established than the most exalted Soveraignty of those who tread upon the Necks of them that rise up against them SINCE the World stood never had any King so great a 112. Never had any King such cause to rest on this Security cause to rest upon this Security THEY were your Hearts that mourned in secret for the absence of the King They were your Hearts and Affections to the King which tired out all the late Usurpations by your invincible Patience and Fortitude It was you that taught our English 113. For the People's hearts have been seen all along towards him World to see and know that no Government could be setled here but upon the true Foundations of Honour and Allegiance WHAT may not the King now hope for from you What may not you assure your selves from him Can any thing be 114. Therefore what may not the King hope for from them and what may not they assure themselves of from him difficult to Hearts so united to Interests so twisted and interwoven together as the King 's and yours are BEFORE ever he touched the English Shore of his own free motion how graciously was he pleased to declare that he granted a free and general Pardon to all his Subjects how hainous soever any of their Offences had been to him excepting only some few Persons as should afterwards be excepted by Parliament 115. How readily did he pass the Act of Oblivion so that no Crime should be remembred against them to the prejudice of their Lives Liberties Estates or Reputations and how readily did he pass the Act of Indemnity and Oblivion when it was presented to him To the intent as the Act in the Preamble expresses it that no Crime whatsoever committed against His Majesty or his Royal Father should hereafter rise in Judgment or be brought in question against any of them to the least Endammagement of them either in their LIVES LIBERTIES or ESTATES or to the prejudice of their Reputations by any Reproach or term of distinction and to bury all Seeds of future Discords and remembrance of the former as well in his own Breast as in the Breasts of his Subjects one towards another and that so there should be a firm Resettlement of both his own just Rights and the Rights of his People I say
all possible Earnestness Id. pag. 3 4. and do conjure you to provide for as speedily as is possible and in such a manner as may give us Security at home and some Reputation abroad I make this Discourse to you with some Confidence because I am very willing and desirous that you should throughly examine whether these Necessities I mention be Real or Imaginary or whether they are fallen upon us by my Fault my own ill Managery or Excesses and provide for them accordingly I am very willing that you make a full Inspection into my Revenue as well the Disbursements as Receipts and if you find it hath been ill managed by any Corruption in the Officers I trust or by my own Vnthriftiness I shall take the Information 138. But not to believe any loose discourses of giving away vast sums of Money in a Morning and Advice you shall give me very kindly I say if you find it for I would not have you believe any loose Discourses how confidently soever urged of giving away Fourscore Thousand Pounds in a Morning and many other Extravagancies of that kind 139. For he is sorry he can reward his faithful Servants no better I have much more reason to be sorry that I have not to reward those who have ever faithfully served the King my Father and my self than ashamed of any Bounty I have exercised towards any Man HERE you find is plain dealing The King comes to ask of 140. Thus if the King ask for Money it is to provide for our Safety and Interest his Parliament some Supply but it is to this end that the Nation may be the better by it that some necessary Provisions for the very Safety of the Kingdom may be made without delay that we may have cause to rejoyce in our own Peace and Quietness being under the Covert of his Wings whose Princely Heart and Head cannot no more than it ought to be free from cares and thoughts of our Protection and Happiness NOR unless upon serious Examination these pressing Necessities be found real and that they have not happened by any fault in him who is perfectly willing that they should enter into the strictest Search in the Case does he require any thing And he would take the Information kindly from them if they would be so free as to tell him upon the Enquiry that they do find Corruption in any of the Officers that he trusts WHEN His Majesty met the House of Commons in the Banquetting-House at Whitehall in March and told them That 141. And he is exceedingly deceived if whatever he hath had given him be any otherwise given than to be laid out for the publick use and benefit and so it shall and we shall find we are the richer by our giving in truth he did not know they were any whit nearer setling his Revenue than they were The King's Speech to the House of Commons Mar. 1. 1661 2. pag 5 6. at Christmas Saith he I am sure I have communicated my Condition to you without Reserve what I have coming in and what my necessary Disbursements are and I am exceedingly deceived if whatever you give me be any otherwise given to me than to be issued out for your own use and benefit Trust me it shall be so and if you consider it well you will find that you are the richer by what you give since it is all to be laid out that you may enjoy the rest in Peace and Security GENTLEMEN I need not put you in Id. ibid. pag. sequente 142. Miserable have been the effects that attended the Wants of the Crown mind of the miserable Effects which have attended the Wants and Necessities of the Crown I need not tell you that there is a Republical Party still in the Kingdom which hath the Courage to promise themselves another Revolution and methinks I 143. Therefore to have such Provision made for the Crown as that it might be able to support it self and secure us is all the King desires and that only for our Preservation should as little need to tell you that the only way with God's Blessing to disappoint their hopes and indeed to reduce them from those extravagant Hopes and Desires is to let them see that you have so provided for the Crown that it hath where withal to support it self and to secure you which I am sure is all I desire and desire only for your Preservation Therefore I do conjure you by all the Professions of Affection you have made to me by all the Kindness I know you have for me after all your Deliverations betake your selves to some speedy Resolutions and settle such a real and substantial Revenue upon me as may hold some proportion with the necessary Expences I am at for the Peace and Benefit and Honour of the Kingdom that they who look for Troubles at home may have that Esteem and Value of us as may secure the Interest and Honour of the Nation and make the Happiness of this Kingdom and of this City once more the Admiration and Envy of the World THUS you see the Peace and Benefit the Interest and Honour and Happiness of this Nation the King's Heart is full of Gracious Intentions to procure and support This is it he greatly desires and desires it for our sakes as well as his own Under his 144. Well when the Parliament had given the King Moneys how does he thank them for it and tell them he will apply it all to the greatest advantage for the Peace and Happiness of the Kingdom Protection he would have us to enjoy our Safety not only that our Persons should be safe but that all that belongs or is dear to us should be so likewise our Religion our Liberties and all our Civil Rights And what more is it possible for a King to do to win over all the Hearts of his Subjects to him And shall he so deserve our Affections and we ever grudge him our Purses BUT to return to the King 's own further Words Saith he to his Parliament My Lords and Gentlemen You have so much obliged me not only in the The King's Speech to both Houses at their Prerogation Mond May 19. 1662. pag 4. matter of those Bills which concern my Revenue but in the manner of passing them 145. And with the best Advice and good Husbandry he can he will contract his Expences with so great Affection and Kindness to me that I know not how to thank you enough I do assure you and I pray assure your Friends in the Country that I will apply all you have given me to the utmost Improvement of the Peace and Happiness of the Kingdom and will with the best Advice and 146. How the King found the Crown when he came to it good Husbandry I can bring my Expences within a narrower Compass THE Lord Chancellor in his Speech after this of the King 's said
50. For the King hath set his Royal heart to do his People good Reason why we may expect it For saith he You have set your Royal heart upon it to do your people good WHAT this next Parliament was in the King's thoughts you will quickly find if you have but a due regard to his own words for saith he to them at their opening I think there are not many 51. And he is sure that there will be a mutual concurrence between him and them in all things that may advance the Nations happiness of you who are not particularly known to me there are very few of whom I have not heard so King's Speech to both Houses 8 May 1661. pag. 2. much good that I am as sure as I can be of any thing that is to come that you will all concur with me and that I shall concur with you in all things which may advance the peace plenty and prosperity of the Nation I shall be exceedingly deceived else SAITH my Lord Chancellor to this Parliament The King hath called you hither by his Writ to assist him with your Information and Advice in the greatest and weightiest affairs of the Kingdom By his Writ which is the Lord Chanc. Speech to the same pag. 7. 52. The King 's Writ is the only good and lawful way for the meeting of a Parliament only good and lawful way to the meeting of a Parliament and the pursuing that Writ the remembring how and why they came together is the only way to bring a happy end to Parliaments WHAT the work of this Parliament was you shall hear him in the same Speech tell them thus My Lords and Gentlemen Though the last Parliament did great and wonderful things 53. And a Parliament have very great things to do indeed as much as in that time they could yet they have left very great things for you to do You are to finish the Structure of which they but laid the Foundation indeed Idem pag. 11. 12. they left some things undone which it may be they thought they had finished the inspection into which things will become your wisdoms YOU need not question but this their care to perform and perfect made his Majesty thus say to his House of Commons I do 54. Never a more Loyal Parliament than that elected in 1661. speak my heart to you when I tell you that I do believe that from the first Institutions of Parliaments to this hour there was never a House of Commons fuller King's Speech to the House of Commons Mar. 1. 1661. pag. 4. of affection and duty to their King than you are to me never any that was more desirous and solicitous to gratifie the King than you are to oblige me never a House of Commons in which there were fewer persons without a full measure of zeal for the honour and welfare of the King and Country than there are in this HOW glad was He to hear they had repealed that Act which 55 By repealing the Act which excluded the Bishops from sitting in the House Parliaments are restored to their primitive Institutions excluded the Bishops from sitting in Parliament because saith he You have thereby restored Parliaments to their primitive Institutions THIS was an effect to be sure of his great kindness and affection to them and this doubtless made him go on as he did saying I hope my Lords and Gentlemen you will in a short 96. To restore Parliaments to their primitive order is to restore them to its primitive veneration with the People which the King wishes they may always have time restore them to the primitive order and gravity of debates and determinations which the license of King's Speech 30 July 1661. pag. 2 3. the late distempered times had so much corrupted which is the only way to restore Parliaments to its primitive veneration with the people which I heartily wish they should always have AND how well they acquitted themselves in all things tending to the happiness of both King and Kingdom Sir Edward Turnor tells his Majesty in these words Since your Majesty did convene the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House of Parliament they have with unwearied Speakers Speech 30 July 1661. pag. 1. 57. And see how they acted labour consulted for the Service of your Majesty and the good of this Nation VERY justly then might the Lord Chancellor begin his Speech as he did with refreshing their memories with what the King first said to them It is now little more than a year that the King first called you to attend him here at the opening of the Parliament then you may remember he told you that he thought 58. The King was not deceived in his confidence of them there were not many of you who were not particularly known to him that there were very few of whom he had not heard so much good that he was he said as Lord Chanc. Speech 19. May 1662. p. 7. 8. sure as he could be of any thing that was to come that you would all concur with him and that he should concur with you in all things which might advance the peace plenty and prosperity of the Nation His Majesty said he should be exceedingly deceived else IT was a Princely declaration and a rare confidence which could flow from no other Fountain but the sincerity and purity of his own Conscience which admitting no other designs or thoughts into his Royal breast but such as must tend to the unquestionable prosperity and greatness of his people could not but be assured of your full concurrence and co-operation with him It was a happy and a blessed Omen which at the instant 59. This was a happy Omen to defeat those that thought to get advantage by their differences struck a terrour into the hearts of those who promised themselves some advantages from the differences and divisions in your Counsels and hoped from thence to create new troubles and molestations in the Kingdom and God be thanked the King hath been so far from being exceedingly deceived that he doth acknowledge He hath been exceedingly complied with exceedingly gratified in all he hath desired and he hopes he hath not in the least degree disappointed your expectation THEY had so exceedingly gratified him and he had such an extraordinary kindness and affection for them that though he had designed to have Prorogued them four days sooner because of the arrival of the Queen yet for the good of his people who 60. And he was so pleased with them that he staid four days longer than he would have done because their Bills should be perfected are always dear to him he was pleased to condescend to tarry so long until they had fully perfected the work they were about and prepared all their Bills for the Royal assent And there cannot be a more transcendent instance of the King's love and passion for his
him in the old and decent method of Parliaments THE late way of tacking together several independant and 163. For it seems to alter the whole frame and constitution of Parliaments incoherent matters in one Bill seems to alter the whole frame and constitution of Parliaments and consequently of the Government it self IT takes away the King 's Negative voice in a manner and 164. It takes away the Kings Negative voice in a manner forces him to take all or none when sometimes one part of the Bill may be as dangerous for the Kingdom as the other is necessary IT takes away the Negative voice of the House of Peers too 165. And that of the House of Peers too by the same consequence and dis-inherits the Lords of that Honour they were born to the liberty of debating and judging what is good for the Kingdom IT looks like a kind of defamation of the Government and 166. It looks like a kind of defamation of the Government seems to suppose the King and House of Lords to be so ill affected to the publick that a good Bill cannot carry it self through by the strength of its own Reason and Justice unless it be helped forward by being tacked to another Bill that will be favoured IT does at last give up the greatest share of Legislature to the 167. And gives up the greatest share of Legislature to the Commons Commons and by consequence the chief power of judging what Laws are best for the Kingdom AND yet it is a priviledge that may be made use of against 168. Yet may be made use of against the Commons the Commons as well as by them for if this method hold what can hinder the Lords at one time or other from taking advantage of a Bill very grateful to the Commons and much desired by them to tack a new clause to it of some Foreign matter which shall not be altogether so grateful nor so much desired and then the Commons must take all or none too THUS every good Bill shall be dearly bought at last and one 169. This is the way for every good Bill to be dearly bought at last chief end of calling Parliaments the making of good Laws shall be wholly frustrated and disappointed and all this by departing from that method which the wisdom of our Ancestors prescribed on purpose to prevent and exclude all such inconveniences THESE Innovations the King resolves to abolish and hath 170. These Innovations the King will abolish commanded me to say to you State super vias Antiquas My Lords and Gentlemen THERE never did there never can again so much depend 171. What great things depended on the success of that Meeting upon the happy success of any one Meeting as there does upon this IF this Session do not repair the misfortunes and amend the faults of the last it will look like a fatality upon the Nation LET not the whispers or Evil surmises of those who lie in 172. Let no evil surmises of base men make any mistrustful wait to deceive make any man the unhappy occasion of endangering the safety of the Government by mistrusting it HE whose House is destroyed by Fire would find but little consolation in saying the Fire did not begin by his means but it will be a matter of perpetual anguish and vexation of heart to remember that it was in his power to have extinguished it EMBELLISH the History of this Parliament by shewing 173. Good Service very acceptable to the King who never forgets any thing but Injuries us the healing vertue of this Session so shall your Service be acceptable to the King who never forgets any thing but Injuries so shall you recommend your selves to posterity by transmitting to them the same peace and happiness you are trusted with LET us then carefully avoid all differences amongst our selves 174. Differences that our Enemies wish for is the best way for us to ruine our selves all manner of clashing about Jurisdictions and all Lord Chanc. Sp Mond 21 Oct. 78. p. 15 17 18 19. disputes of such a nature as can never end in any Accommodation For this is still what our Enemies would wish who would be glad to see us ruin'd without their being at the charge of it 175. Great significations of Loyalty and Duty the only means to discourage our Enemies AND therefore we must now above all other times labour to shew the World the most effectual significations of our Loyalty and Duty that we are able to express for nothing in the World can more discourage our Enemies as on the contrary nothing does or can so ripen a Nation for destruction as to be observed 176. As nothing sooner destroys a Nation then to distrust its own Government to distrust their own Government YOU now find the King to be involved in difficulties as great and without your assistance as insuperable as ever any Government 177. The King involved in great difficulties did labour under AND yet his Majesty doth not think that there need many 178. There needs not many words to bespeak our zeal for the things themselves speak aloud words to bespeak your Zeal and Industry in his Service for the things themselves now speak and speak aloud The publick and the private Interest do both perswade the same things and are and ought to be mighty in perswasion IF the honour and safety of your Country and which is next 179. The honour and safety of our Country the concerns of our Families and Posterities call to us to that the concerns of your own Families and Posterities cannot awaken your utmost care to preserve that Government which only can preserve you and yours all other discourses will be to no purpose THERE can be no difficulties at all to them who take delight 180. No difficulties to them who delight to serve the King and their Country in serving of the King and their Country and love the occasions of shewing it SUCH are all here But though the King have had for many years a large and full experience of your duty yet there never 181. No time like this to try all our affections was a time like this to try your affections THERE is so strange a concurrence of ill accidents at this 182. A strange concurrence of ill accidents time that 't is not to be wondred at if some very honest and good men begin to have troubled and thoughtful hearts Yet that which is infinitely to be lamented is that malicious men too begin to work upon this occasion and are in no small hopes to 183. Malicious men begin to work upon this occasion raise a Storm that nothing shall be able to allay IF you rescue the Kings affairs from such a Tempest as this 184. If the Parliament can weather this Storm they 'l do as good service to the King as ever yet he stood in
Remedies are extremely to be wish'd other new Remedies it is extremely to be wish'd that those Remedies may be few and withall that they may be gentle and easie too Id. ibid. FOR they that are sick perish as often by too many Remedies 204. The Sick perish as oft by too many as by none at all as by none at all but none fall so fatally and finally as they who being entred into some degrees of convalescence resolve to recover in an instant and had rather make some great effort or try some bold experiment upon themselves than observe the methods or attend those gradual progressions which are necessary to perfect that health and compleat that recovery Id. ibid. DOUBTLESS the King will surpass himself at this time in 205. Doubtless the King will surpass himself in endeavouring the Kingdoms good may you excell your selves in enlarged Affections endeavouring to procure the good of the Kingdom do but you excell your selves too in the enlarged evidences of your Affections and then the glory of reviving this State will be entirely due â—â— your happy meeting as being attended with an unparallel'd Vnaâ—iâ—ity Constancy and Resolution beyond the president of former Parliaments Id. p. 20. THEN they who wait for the languishing and the declination 206. It will strike terrour and amazement in all ill persons of the present Government will be amazed to see so happy a Crisis so blest a Revolution Ibid. AND Ages to come will find cause to celebrate your memories 207. And future Ages will celebrate your memories as the truest Physicians the wisest Counsellors the noblest Patriots and the best Parliament that ever King or Kingdom met with Ibid. So that it may perfect what the last begun for the safety of 208 May it perfect what the last begun for the safety of the King and Kingdom this King and Kingdom that it may be ever famous for having established upon a durable foundation our Religion Laws and Properties that we may not be tossed with boisterous winds nor overtaken by a sudden dead calm but that a Lord Chanc. Sp. 27 Oct. 1673. p. 10. gentle fair gale may carry you in a steady even and resolved way into the Ports of Wisdom and Security AND since a whole Session of Parliament is in the Judgment 209. The whole Session of Parliament is but as one day and Construction of our Law but as one day may you all endeavour that the morning of it the first entrance upon it may be with such fair and such auspicious circumstances Lord Keepers Sp. Wcdnes 13 Oct. 75. p. 11 12. as may give the whole Kingdom an assurance of a bright and a chearful day LET no ill humours gather into Clouds to darken or obscure 210 May no ill humours gather into Clouds to darken it it for this day is a Critical day and more depends upon that Judgment of our affairs which will be made by it than can easily be imagined IT imports you therefore to take care that no part of this time 211. May no part of this time be lost be lost let every precious minute of this day be spent in receiving such Acts of grace and goodness as are ready to flow from the King and in making such retributions for them as may become the grateful hearts of the best Subjects to the best of Kings SO shall this day become a day of disappointment and discomfort 212. So this will be a day of disappointment to our Enemies and a joyful day to this and all future generations to our Enemies but to us and all good men a glorious day a day of triumph and deliverance a memorable and a joyful day to this present and to all future generations AND the God of Peace and Unity prosper all your Lord Chanc. Sp. Thursd 23 May 78. pag. 19. consultations to the honour and happiness of the 213. And the God of Peace and Unity prosper all your consultations King and the joy and comfort of all his good Subjects AND let us all pray that He who hath once more miraculously 214. And continue his Divine protection over us delivered the King the Church and the State would be pleased still to continue his Divine protection and give us thankful and obedient hearts And when we have offered up those hearts to God let us in the next place offer them again to the King 215. And may you have the honour of making him the greatest King and he the glory of making us the happiest people and lay them down at the footstool of his Throne that so the King may see himself safe in your Councels rich in your Affections victorious by your Arms and raised to such a Lord Chanc. Sp. Thursd 6 Mar. 7â— 9. p. 18 19. height by your Loyalty and Courage that you may have the honour of making him the greatest King and he the glory of making you the happiest People Neve major neve minor cura opera suscipiatur quà m causa postulet Tull. Offic. lib. 1. FINIS Addenda THE Title-page having it seems promised you the material substance of the several Speeches in Parliament upon the aforesaid Heads inclusively till the end of the last viz. in January 1680 1. I found my self in Duty bound to add these that follow by way of Appendix to make good the Promise because the Title Sheet was all wrought off before ever I had a view of it And so I hope my Generous Readers will accept of this as a reasonable Excuse in my favour HIS Majesty being very sensible how much our Divisions at home would be likely to render our Friendship less considerable abroad saith To prevent these as much as may be I think fit to renew His Majesties Speech to his two Houses Monday Octob. 21. 1680. p. 4 5. to you all the Assurances which can be desired that nothing shall be wanting on my part to give you the fullest satisfaction your hearts can wish for the Security of the Protestant Religion which I am fully resolved to maintain against all the Conspiracies of our Enemies and to concur with you in any new Remedies which shall be proposed that may consist with preserving the Succession of the Crown in its due and legal course of Descent AND in Order to this I do recommend it to you to pursue the further Examination of the PLOT with a strict and an Impartial Enquiry I do not think my self safe nor You neither till that matter he gone through with and therefore it will be Necessary that the Lords in the Tower be brought to their speedy Trial that Iustice may be done IN his next Speech to his Parliament the King is pleased to remember the same thing and saith I did promise you the fullest satisfaction your hearts could wish for the Security of the Kings Speech Wednesday December 15. 1680. pag. 4. Protestant Religion and to concur
GAROLUS SECUNDUS Dei Gratia Angl Scotice Francice Et Hibernice Rex Fidei Defensor etc. HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT MEMORABILIA Or the most Remarkable Passages and Counsels Collected out of the several DECLARATIONS AND SPEECHES That have been made by the KING HIS L. Chancellors and Keepers AND THE SPEAKERS Of the HONOURABLE House of Commons IN PARLIAMENT Since His Majesty's Happy Restauration Anno 1660. till the End of the last Parliament 1680. Reduced under Four Heads Viz. 1. Of the Protestant Religion 2. Of Popery 3. Of Liberty and Property c. 4. Of Parliaments By Edward Cooke of the Inner Temple Esquire Humbly Dedicated to the GRAND COUNCIL or SENATE of this KINGDOM LONDON Printed for Nevil Simmons Tho. Simmons and Sam. Lee at the Three Cocks at the West End of S. Paul's the Princes Arms in Ludgate-Street and the Princes Arms in Lombard Street MCDLXXXI THE INTRODUCTION SOME Persons there are in the World of a humour not to be pleased with any thing they shall see in Print unless withall the Author puts himself to the trouble of giving them some considerable Reason which induced him to that undertaking now whether or no this that I shall give them will be to their greater satisfaction I am not certain but however I will thus far ingenuously confess my self to them as to declare it was the true and only One that moved me to present the World with these following Sheets HAVING too notoriously observed of late since this licentious Sickness of the Press the many abominable Pamphlets that have come abroad no doubt with Malitious design enough to alienate the Affections of the good people of England and to infuse strange Perplexing Fears and Jealousies into them of the King and the Government as if presently the whole Nation was to be turn'd Topsy Turvy our Laws Cancell'd our Liberties and Properties to be quite taken away from us our Parliaments to be cashiered our Religion changed and our Lives wholly at the Merciless Devotion of Thirsty men of bloud I say having observed with great and sorrowful Resentment these ill and dangerous Books that have with a too open and insolent face appeared to the heinous scandal as well as disturbance of the peace of these Kingdoms This is to prevent His Majesties Declaration to all his loving Subjects Dec. 26. 1662. p. 12. the mischiefs aim'd at by the cager endeavours of rash and unquiet men whom though weak and credulous Persons may be beguiled by them yet I am sure all honest and good men will look upon with detestation as the most dangerous Enemies of the Crown and of the peace and happiness of the Nation AND among the many venemous Insinuations which have been Lord Keepers Speech Jan. 7. 1673. Fol. 18. 19. made use of the Fears and Jealousies of Religion and Liberty are of the worst sort and the most dangerous impressions CERTAINLY Malice was never more buisy than it hath been in these Reports and it hath been assisted by a great deal of invention BUT it is to be hoped that no mans Judgment or Affections will be either misled or disturbed by such reports THIS as nothing is capable of gratifying them more the great Lord Keepers Speech Ap. 13. 75. Fol. 18. Enemies of our security are most industrious to promote as knowing very well that this alone will do them more Service than the best of their Auxiliaries These are they that hope to see and Practise to bring about new Changes and Revolutions in the Government 'T IS almost an irreparable reproach the Protestant Religion hath Lord Chancel Speech Sep. 13. 1660. p. 22. undergone from the divisions and distractions which have been so notorious within this Kingdom This you shall find hereafter I will demonstrate to you in its proper place AND as differences and distempers in Religion have too much disturbed Lord Ch. Sp. Sep. 13. 1660. p. 19 20. the Peace of the Kingdom which is a consideration that must make every Religious heart to bleed to see that Religion which should be the strongest Obligation and Cement of Affection and Brotherly kindness and compassion made now by the perverse wranglings of Passionate and Froward men the ground of all Animosity Hatred Malice and Revenge So no less heaty and distempered have some persons been on the other hand in wickedly labouring to set us altogether by the Ears and to put us into a fatall Combustion by their slanderous Calumnies and Factious reproaches of the State Never was this Spirit of Libelling more Lord Ch. Sp. Monday May 19. 6â— at their Prorog p. 10 11. pregnant than it is now nor King nor Parliament nor Church nor State ever more exposed to those flagella linguae those stroaks of the Tongue from which God Almighty can only preserve the most Innocent and most Excellent Persons as if repining and murmuring reviling and affronting publick Authorities were the peculiar exercises of the Nation to keep it in health as if England had so much of the Merchant Nunquam habendi fructu faelix semper autem quaerendi Cupiditate Miserrima Now does it not His Majesties Speech Mond March 21. 1663. p. 5. behoove us all to be as watchful to prevent as they are to contrive their mischief Should not we make it our business to strengthen the hands of Government and to shame the Enemies of it by bannishing all manner of distrust If we do not we shall be in danger to Lord Ch. Sp. Thurs May 23. 78. p. 18. become not only the most miserable but the most unpittied Nation under heaven Let this then be to restore the whole Nation to its primitive temper Lord Ch. Sp. Thurs Sep. 13. 1660. p. 12. and integrity to its old good manners it 's old good humour and it 's old good nature a Vertue so peculiar so appropriated by God Almighty to this Nation that it can be translated into no other language and hardly practised by any other people His Majesties Speech Tuesday July 30. 1661. The Day of Their Adjurr p. 5. And though there are very many alas too many distempered Spirits which lie in wait to do mischief by laying Reproaches upon the Court upon the Government reproaches upon the King reproaches upon the Parliament yet I hope by our Joynt Unity right understanding our vigilant carefulness and application we may be able to weigh down and prevent any Mischief they intend against us Forreign Nations have laid it down for a Maxime in their Politicks Lord Chancel Speech Thurs March 6. â—â—78 p. 18 that England can never be destroyed but by its self and that 't is in vain to make any attempt upon this Nation until they be in some great disorder and confusion amongst themselves Let us then every one in the way of our several capacities indeavour to make the ambitious despair as soon as we can by establishing so perfect an intelligence
and in time some prevalent Sect vvill at last contend for an Establishment vvhich for ought can be foreseen may end in Popery IT is a thing altogether vvithout Precedent and vvill take avvay all means of Convicting Recusants and be inconsistent vvith the Method and Proceedings of the Lavvs of England LASTLY it is humbly conceived that the Indulgence proposed vvill be so far from tending to the Peace of the Kingdom that it is rather likely to occasion great disturbance And on the contrary the asserting of the Lavvs and the Religion Established according to the Act of Uniformity is the most probable means to produce a Setled Peace and Obedience throughout your Kingdom because the variety of Professions in Religion vvhen openly indulged doth directly distinguish Men into Parties and vvithall gives them opportunity to count their Numbers vvhich considering the Animosities that out of a Religious Pride vvill be kept on foot by the several Factions doth tend directly and inevitably to open disturbance nor can your Majesty have any security that the Doctrine or Worship of the several Factions vvhich are all governed by a several Rule shall be consistent vvith the Peace of your Kingdom These Reasons vvere too povverful for his Majesty not to be 65. These Reasons o're-powred the King so that He yielded to them and He hoped that the Truly Religious and Peaceable would soon do so too overcome by them and therefore he yielded to their force and prevalency and doubted not but in a little vvhile The Truly Religious and the Peaceable vvould likevvise be brought over to a submissive Acquiescence and a dutiful compliance with them and that their minds would be better composed and the Peace of the Church Established And though he was verily perswaded That the great Piety and Devotion the Moderation Wisdom Charity and Hospitality of the Bishops would in a short time recover the Weak and the Misled to 66. And that by the Bishops Care and Example the Weak would be brought over to their Primitive Temper of Obedience to Laws and Government their Primitive Temper of a chearful Obedience and Submission to Laws and Government and so to be the best Neighbours and the best Friends and the best Subjects of the World yet was he not also insensible that the forwardness and pride of some might not be yet enough subdued The Humours and Spirits of such Men being too rough and boisterous and therefore was willing that there should be prepared sharper Laws and Penalties to contend with those Refractory Persons and to break that stuborness which would not bend to gentler 67. That those who would not must feel the weight of sharper Laws Applications and it is great reason that they upon whom Clemency cannot prevail should feel that severity they have provoked but still the Execution of those sharp Laws depends upon the Wisdome of the King who is the most discerning 68. But yet the Execution of those Laws depended on the King who was merciful and of a tender conscience himself generous and merciful Prince in the world and of so excellent a Nature and so tender a Conscience himself that he hath the highest compassion for all Errours of that kind as before is said But his constant zeal for the Church hath been visible throughout the whole course of his Reign scarce can he admit a Speech to come from him unless it hath in it some 69. His constant zeal the Church went above all things earnest request that his Parliament would take care of the Protestant Religion That they would see to secure the Church of England and to keep that up in all its just and Antient Rights THIS Zeal of his for the Church after the Dreadful Conflagration of his great City of London made the King so earnest with them soon after to get up some of their Churches Reedified that so the Service of God in the publick Worship might be performed and that we might there mourn for those our grievous sins which was the cause of Gods so heavy a judgment upon us These are his words We do heartily recommend it to the Charity and Magnanimity of all well-disposed Persons 70. How instant the King was to have Churches Rebuilt after the Fire of London that some might have publick places to worship and serve God in and we heartily pray unto Almighty God that he would infuse into the hearts of Men speedily to endeavour by degrees to Reedifie some of those many Churches which in this Lamentable Fire have been burnt down and defaced that so men may have those publick places of God's Worship to resort to to humble themselves together before him upon this his heavy dipsleasure and joyn in their Devotion for his future mercy blessing upon us as soon as we shall be informed 71. The King invites his People to it by the promise not only of his assistance and direction but of his Bounty too any readiness to begin such a good work we shall not only give our assistance and direction for the Model of it and freeing it from Buildings at so near a distance but shall encourage it by our own Bounty and all other ways we shall be desired Is not this sufficiently expressive of his zeal for upholding the True Religion What after this astonishing Judgment of Fire upon the Metropolitan City of this Kingdom was the King's first care ought to have been that of us all to endeavour to have God worshipped in his Sanctuary for this makes up the Beauty of Holyness and declares our great desires for what we all do at least outwardly profess to believe the Communion of Saints NOR did his Majesty rest here his zeal for the Church was his zeal for the service of it and he was resolved that nothing justly belonging to it should be lost Says He Our Care and Endeavours for the Preservation 72. His Majesty hath all along shewâ—d his care to preserve the Rights and Interests of the Church of the Rights and Interests His Majesties Declaration to all his Loving Subjects March 15. 1671. pag. 3. 4. of the Church have been sufficiently manifested to the World by the whole course of our Government since our happy Restauration and by the many and frequent ways of Coercion that we have used for reducing all erring or dissenting persons and for composing the unhappy differences in matters of Religion which we found among our Subjects upon our Return but it being evident by the sad experience of twelve years that there is very little 73. By the way the Supream Power in Ecclesiastical Matters is not only inherent in the King but is Recognised so by divers Acts of Parliament Fruit of all those forcible Courses We think our Self obliged to make use of that Supreme Power in Ecclesiastical Matters which is not only inherent in us but hath been declared and recognized to be so by several Statutes and Acts of Parliaments and
me in it I have transmitted the Book of Common Prayer with those Alterations and Additions which have been presented to me by the Convocation to the House of Peers with my approbation that the Act of Vniformity may relate to it so that I presume it will be shortly dispatched there and 89. It requires great prudence and discretion no passion and precipitation when we have done all we can the well-setling that Affair will require great prudence and discretion and the absence of all passion and precipitation You see how his Majesty promised that he would give up all his endeavours to compose the unhappy differences in matters of Religion and to restore the Languishing Church to Peace Vnity and Order Constantine himself hardly spent so much of 90. How mightily his Majesty has laid out himself to restore the Church to peace unity and order his own time in private and publick conferences to that purpose His Majesty Lord Chancellors Speech to both Houses of Parliament on Saturday Decemb. 29 1660. The Day of their Dissolution pag. 8. in private Conferred with the Learned Men and heard all that could be said upon several Opinions and Interests apart and then in the Presence 91. Constantine himself scarce spent so much time about it of both Parties himself moderating in the Debates and less care and diligence and authority would not have done the work And if after all this his Majesty doth not reap 93. If after all some will keep up old Breaches they must be reduced by Law to the obedience of the Law the full Harvest he expected from those Condescentions if some men by their Writing and by their Preachings endeavour to continue the old Breaches c. I shall say no more than that I hope their want of modesty and obedience will cause them to be disclaimed by all pious and peaceable men who cannot but be well contented to see them reduced by Law to the obedience they owe to Law ON Tuesday April 5. 1664. as if his Parliament were somewhat doubtful of it The King when he came then to give his Royal Assent to two Bills breaks out into these words to them I do assure you upon my word and I pray believe 9â— The King has no other thoughts or designs in his heart but to support the Religion Established and make us happy by it me That I have no other thoughts or designs in my heart but to make you all happy in the support of the Religion and Laws Established pag. 4. The Late King lost his Life in the defence of the Reformed Religion and his present Majesty whom God Almighty long continue among us hath manifested his affection to the Church of England as by Law Established in despight of all calumnies and through extream difficulties with the highest acts of Solemnity imaginable WHEN his Majesty met his both Houses of Parliament in 67. how instant was he to have them take it into their considerate thoughts how to settle Religion more to the quieting of his Peoples minds and His Majesties Speech to both Houses Monday 10 Feb. 1667. pag. 4. for the Establishment of Unity and Concord among them Saith he one thing more I hold my self obliged to recommend unto you at this 94. And therefore reminds his Parliament that they would think of some course to beget a better union among his Protestant Subjects as being the best way to support the Government present which is that you would seriously think of some course to beget a better union and composure in the minds of my Protestant Subjects in matters of Religion whereby they may be induced not only to submit quietly to the Government but also chearfully give their assistance to the support of it WHEN the King sent his Grace the then Earl of Lauderdail his Maiesties High Commissioner for the Parliament of Scotland You shall hear what he said to them concerning his Majesties 95. The Kings constant and unalterable zeal to maintain and defend the True Reformed Protestant Religion in Scotland Resolution to maintain the True Protestant Religion there It was by command from his Royal Master to say in his Name at the opening Earl of Lauderdail 's Speech to the Parliament of Scotland Oct. 19. 1669. pag. 3. 4. of that his Parlirment And first saith he I am to assure you of his Majesties constant and unalterable zeal for maintaining and defending the True Reformed Protestant Religion in this 96. That â—e will maintain and defend the autient Government of it being most suitable to Monarchy his Kingdom for which he will constantly lay out his whole power and authority as also for discouraging and punishing all Atheism and Prophanities and all that is contrary to true Religion and Godliness I am further particularly commanded to assure you that with no less zeal and constancy he will maintain and defend the Antient Government by Arch-Bishops 97. Episcopal Government the most Primitive and Apostolick and Bishops as now it is happily setled as a sure Fence for the True Refromed Protestant Religion a Government most suitable to Monarchy and well may I call it Antient for whoever 98. The King will refend the persons of the Archbishops Bishops all the Orthodox Clergy in their Functions will look into Antiquity shall find Episcopal Government hath continued in the whole Catholick Church both East and West even from the most Primitive and Apostolick Times and a little after in the said 4 pag. after he had just touched upon the sad Calamities and Confusions of the Late Times he says farther in his Majesties Name and by his special Command I do assure you he will employ his utmost power in the maintenance 99. Will not endure those numerous Conventicles that tend to Sedition and Schism of that Government and will protect the persons of my Lords the Archbishops and Bishops and of the Loyal Orthodox and Peaceable Clergy in the exercise of their Functions he will not endure those numerous and unlawful Conventicles 100. The King of late hath set up some that were peaceable men in vacant Churches though they came not up to the Rules Established They should therefore carry themselves worthy of that high favour which tend to Sedition and Schism which have been too frequent in some few Shires of this Kingdom Good Laws have been made and in prosecution of those Laws the Lords of his Majesties Privy Council have shewn their care for suppressing those Seditious Assemblies yea and of late his Majesty has graciously indulged the planting of some who were esteened peaceable men in vacant Churches though they came not up to the Rules Established it will be expected that they walk worthy of so great a favour but if after this removal of the very pretence of unlawful Conventicles any Factious People shall in contempt of his Majesties Laws yea 101. But if any factious people in contempt of his
himself the most malicious men room to say I had not removed all causes which could be pretended to influence me towards Popish Councels BESIDES that end of Vnion which I am at and which I wish could be extended to Protestants abroad as well as at home I purpose by this last step I have made to discern whether the Protestant Religion and the peace of the Kingdome be as truly aim'd at by others as they are really intended by me FOR as he afterwards brings it in in the same Speech 155. He will defend the Protestant Religion with his life pag. 7. saith he I do give you this assurance that I will with my life defend both the Protestant Religion and the Laws of this Kingdom NOW with a very easie transposition of the Lord Chancellors own words in his Speech at the same time to both Houses of Parliament pag. 10. I may with great truth say that if his 156. Sure then his Majesty wants no evidence of his Zeal for our Religion Majesty had wanted any evidence of his Zeal for our Religion surely this testimony from his Enemies who were about to sacrifice him for it is sufficient to satisfie the whole World For as there neither is nor hath been these fifteen hundred 157. Not a purer Church than ours these 1500 years years a purer Church than ours so 't is for the sake of this poor Church alone that the State hath been so much disturbed It is her truth and peace her decency and order which Our Enemies labour to undermine and pursue with so restless a malice Id. Pag. 14. WHEN we consider the afflicted condition of the Protestants 158. What the Protestants abroad suffer is in some measure a weakening of the Protestant Interest abroad we may be sure that every calamity they suffer is in some measure a weakning of the Id. p. 15. Protestant Interest and looks as if it were intended to make way for a general extirpation HOW watchful therefore does it become us all to be that the same evil Spirit and temper does not get too much ground 159. Let us watch that no ill men do us harm at home among us here at home how ought we all to use our utmost vigilance and activity care and prudence to prevent those disturbances which the restless spirits of ill and unquiet men will be always contriving THERE are so many things to do and so little time to 160. No time to be lost do them in that there ought not to be one minute lost Id. p. 16. AND therefore the King makes it his constant care to do 161. The Kings constant care to do all things to preserve our Religion and to secure it for the future every thing that may preserve Our Religion and secure it for the future in all events and he there saith he hopes the several particulars Kings Speech to both Houses Wednesday April 30. 1679. p. 4. he hath commanded my Lord Chancellour to mention will be an evidence that in all things that concern the publick security he shall not follow Our Zeal but lead it THAT Royal care which his Majesty hath taken for the general quiet and satisfaction of all his Subjects is now more evident by this new and fresh instance of it HIS Majesty hath considered with himself Lord Chancellors Speech to the same pag. 5. that 't is not enough that your Religion and Liberty is secure during his own reign but he thinks he owes it to his people to do all that in him lies that these blessings may be transmitted to your posterity and so well secured to them that no succession in after ages may be able to work the least alteration AND what he there had in command to say to that Parliament I shall refer you to the Speech it self it being too tedious here to insert it all but shall conclude this with my Lords own words pag. 7. THUS watchful is the King for all your safeties and if he could think of any thing else that you do either want or wish to make you happy he would make it his business to effect it for you and therefore we may tell those who still contrive the ruine of the Church the best and the best reformed Church in the Christian world reformed by that Authority and with those circumstances as a Reformation ought to be made that God would not so miraculously have snatched this Church as a brand out of the fire would not have raised it from the 162. And therefore surely God would never have done so much for our Reformed Church as he hath unless it were a Church very acceptable to him and which shall continue for ever grave after he had suffered it to be buried so many years by the boisterous hands of prophane and sacrilegious persons under its own rubbidge to expose it again to the same rapine reproach and Impiety Lord Chancellours Speech Dec. 29. 1660. p. 20 21 That Church which delights its self in being called Catholick was never so near expiration never had such a Resurrection that such a small pittance of Meal and Oyl should be sufficient to preserve and nourish the poor Widow and her family so long is very little more miraculous than that such a number of pious learned very aged Bishops should so many years be preserved in such wonderful straits and oppressions until they should plentifully provide for their own succession that after such a deep deluge of sacriledge prophaness and impiety had covered and to common understanding swallowed it up that That Church should again appear above the waters God be again served in that Church and served as he ought to be and that there should be still some revenue left to support and encourage those who serve him nay that many of those who seemed to thirst after that revenue till they had possest it should conscientiously restore what they had taken away and become good Sons and willing Tenants to that Church they had so lately spoil'd may make us all piously believe that God Almighty would not have been at the expence and charge of such a Miracle so manifested himself to us in such a deliverance but in the behalf of a Church very acceptable to him and which shall continue to the end of the world and against which the gates of hell shall not be able to prevail The End of the first Chapter concerning Religion CHAP. II. Of Popery BUT notwithstanding his Majesties unquestionable affection 1 But yet notwithstanding the People are mighty jealous of Popery and zeal for the True Protestant Religion manifested in his constant profession and practise against all temptations whatsoever yet many of his Subjects generally are much affected with jealousie The Parliament Petition to the King concerning Romish Priests and Jesuites 1663 pag. 3 4. and apprehension that the Popish Religion may much encrease in this Kingdom which yet his Majesty
And will daily indeavour to find out what more he can and desires his two Houses assistance in that work to find out what more I can both of the Id. p. 5. Plot and Murder of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey and shall desire the Assistance of both my Houses in that work I have not been wanting to give Orders for putting all the present Laws in Execution against Papists and I am ready to joyn in the making such further Laws as may be necessary for the securing of the Kingdom against Popery 68. He hath ordered that the present Laws be put in execution against Papists and is ready to add such further Laws as may secure the Kingdom against Popery I will conclude as I begun with my earnest desires to have this an healing Parliament and I do give you this assurance that I will with my Life defend both the Protestant Religion and the Laws of this Kingdom AND now my Lord Chancellor coming to speak to them I pray take notice with what force and Eloquence he delivers himself The Considerations saith he which now are to be laid before you are as urgent and as weighty as were ever yet offered to any Parliament or indeed ever can be So great and so surprizing have been our dangers at home so formidable are the appearances of danger from abroad that the most united Councels the most sedate and the calmest temper together with the most dutiful and zealous affections that a Parliament can shew are all become absolutely and indispensably necessary for our preservation Id. p. 10. 69. The Plot industriously carryed on by Priests and Jesuits and their Adherents who to subvert our true Religion find the most likely way to be by wounding us in the Head and by Killing the King AT home we had need look about us for his Majestie 's Royal Person hath been in danger by a Conspiracy against his Sacred Life malitiously contrived and industriously carried on by those Seminary Priests and Jesuits and their Adherents who think themselves under some obligation of Conscience to effect it and having vow'd the Subversion of the true Religion amongst us find no way so likely to compass it as to wound us in the Head and to kill the Defendor of the Faith Id. Ibid. HIS Majesty wanted not sufficient evidence of his zeal for our Religion without this Testimony from his Enemies who 70. His Majesty needed not this Evidence to testifie his zeal for our Religion were about to Sacrifice him for it but it hath ever been the practice of those Votaries first to Murther the Fame of Princes and then their Persons first to slander them to their people as if they favoured Papists and then to Assassinate them 71. What has ever been the practise of the Roman Votaries for being too zealous Protestants And thus by all the ways and means which our Law calls Treason and their Divinity calls Merit and Martyrdome they are trying to set up the Dominion and Supremacy of the Pope as if the Dignity of his Triple-Crown could never be sufficiently advanced unless these Three Kingdoms were added unto him and all brought 72. The search into this Plot has been closely pursued back again under that yoke which neither we nor our Forefathers were able to bear 73. More Evidence found Pag. 11. THE Enquiry into this Conspiracy hath been closely pursued and the Lords of the Councel have been careful to prosecute 74. More Malefactors discovered this Discovery ever since the Rising of the last Parliament and the King doth now recommend it to you to perfect 75. Justices stirred up to perform their duty More Evidence hath been already found out and more Malefactors discovered some in hold some fled Justices of Peace have been quickened in the Execution of their duty the 76. Faithful Messengers sent all over the Kingdom where any hopes of service was to be done Negligent have been reproved and punished the Diligent encouraged and assisted in doubtful cases by the Opinions of the Judges active and faithful Messengers have been sent into all the corners of the Kingdom where there was any hope of Service to be done the very Prisons have been searched to 77. Prisons have been searched see whether any had fled thither to hide themselves there and under pretence of Debt to escape the pursuit and if any have desired leave to go beyond Sea they have first given security 78. Persons going beyond sea first have given security not to go to Rome nor send their Children to be bred up in Forreign Seminaries not to go to Rome nor send their Children to be bred in any Forreign Seminaries and then they have been obliged to give in a List of all their Menial Servants and those Servants too have been examined upon Oath and order is given that they be again examined at the Ports and make Oath they are the same persons were examined above so that all possible care hath been taken that no Malefactors might escape us in 79. Their menial Servants are Listed and examined upon Oath Disguise Ibid. AND though the Priests themselves do not keep the Confessions of their Proselytes more secret than these keep the Injunctions of their Priests yet enough hath appeared 80. All care taken that no Malefactors should escape in disguise Pag. 12. to bring some Capital Offenders to publick Justice and to convict them of the Crime some of the Traitors have been Executed several Priests have been Arrested and Imprisoned 81. Some have banished themselves others Imprisoned for not taking the Oaths all are hiding themselves and lurking in secret corners like the Sons of darkness The Murderers of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey have been Condemned and suffered death some Papists have banished themselves out of the Kingdom others are Imprisoned for not taking the Oaths all are prosecuted towards Conviction 82. And the shame that attends such practises hath converted several and the very shame and reproach which attends such abominable practises hath covered so many faces with new and strange confusions that it hath proved a powerful argument for their Conversion nor is it to be wondered at that they could no longer believe all that to be Gospel which their Priests taught them when they saw the way and means of introducing it was so far from being Evangelical Ibid. IN a word so universal is that Despair to which the Papists 83. Their despair is so universal that all their hopes now are that we may over-do our own business are now reduced that they have no other hopes left but this That We may chance to over-do our own business and by being too far transported with the fears of Popery neglect the Opportunities we now have of making sober and lasting Provisions against it Ibid. AND 't is not to be doubted but that it would infinitely 84. How pleased they would be to see us
to them You know how our Soveraign Lord 147. How he gave more Money to the People than he hath received from them the King found the Crown at his blessed Return to The Lord Chancellor's Speech to the same p. 12 it You can tell the World that as soon as he came hither besides the infinite that he forgave he gave more Money to the People than he hath since received from them That at least two parts of three that they have since given 148. How the Moneys have been laid out that were given him him have issued for the disbanding Armies never raised by him and for payment of Fleets never sent out by him and of Debts never incurred by him AND after a great deal more of much what to the same purpose 149. The Charge the Crown is at both by Sea and Land for our Peace and Security may he not very well go on and say You may with a very good Conscience assure your selves and your Friends and Neighbours that the charge the Crown Id. pag. 13. is now at by Sea and Land for the Peace and Security and Wealth and Honour of the Nation amounts to no less than eight 150. God in giving us this King hath given us the most chearful Giver that hath given us all we have asked all he hath to give hundred thousand Pounds a Year all which did not cost the Crown before these Troubles fourscore thousand Pounds the Year and therefore they will never blame you for any Supply you have given or Addition you have made to the Revenue of the Crown FOR Besides all other Stupendious Blessings that God Almighty hath conferred upon us he hath Id. pag. 20. in this our King given us the most chearful Giver that ever 151. He only retains what we give him for our sakes that we might be the better by it People have been blessed with A King that hath with all imaginable chearfulness given us all we have asked of him all he hath to give who would not take or retain any thing we give to him but for our own sakes that by receiving and retaining it he may give it to us again in more abundance in abundance of Peace and Plenty and Honour and all the Comforts which 152. The Greatness of the King is the greatness of the People can make a Nation happy THUS spake that Noble Lord and did we not see the Fruits and Effects of it The Greatness of the King is the Greatness and Safety of his People The Springs The Lord Keeper's Speech Octob. 13. 1675. pag. 7. 153. The King's thanks to the Parliament for their Present to him and Rivers which pay Tribute to the Ocean do not lessen but preserve themselves by that Contribution SAITH the King and oh how full upon every Occasion is his heart of Generous Gratitude when the Parliament 154. The Necessities of the Crown not coming by the King's Improvidence or Ill-Husbandry had presented him with a Money-Bill I thank you for the Present you have made me this Day and I hope your Countries will thank you when The King's Speech to both Houses at their Prorogation Mond July 27. 1663. p. 3 4. you come home for having done it I am not Conscious of having brought the Straights and Necessities I am in upon my self by any 155. Nor would the King have had the Supply if it were not necessary for our Peace and Quiet Improvidence or Ill-Husbandry of my own I know the contrary and I do assure you that I would not have desired or received the Supply you have now given me if it were not absolutely necessary for your Peace and Quiet as well as mine And I must tell you it will do me very little good if I do not improve 156. He will rather impose upon himself than upon his Subjects it by very good Husbandry of my own and by retrenching those very Expences which in many respects may be thought necessary enough But you shall see I will much rather impose upon my self than upon my Subjects 157. Nothing more of publick consideration than to support the Dignity of the Crown And if all Men will follow my Example in retrenching their Expences which it may be they may do with much more Convenience than I can do mine the Kingdom will in a very short time gain what you have given me this day NOTHING is or can be of a more publick The Lord Chancellor's Speech to both Houses Octob. 21. 1678. pag. 16. 158. It is unsafe as well as dishonourable for the King's Revenue to fall short of his most necessary â—pences Consideration than to support the Dignity of the Crown which is in truth the Dignity of the Nation Besides it is unsafe as well as dishonourable that the King's Revenue should fall short of his most necessary and most unavoidable Expences 159. It is fit there should be such a constant growing Revenue as may preserve the Crown from scandalous Wants and Necessities as formerly it lay under WHEN the Parliament like the richest and the noblest Soil a Soil manured and enriched by the bountiful Hearts of the best Subjects in the World had yielded the King two full Harvests in one Year Saith the Chancellor to them on the Day of their Prorogagation You have not only supplied the Crown to a good degree for discharging many Debts and The Lord Chancellor's Speech Monday May 19. 166â— pag. 8 9. Pressures under which it even groaned and enabled it to struggle with the present Straits and Necessities Debts not contracted and Necessities not run into by Improvidence and Excess You may when you please 160. Our late Distractions may be imputed much to the Poverty of the Crown receive such an Account as will clear all such Reproaches But you have wisely very wisely provided such a constant growing Revenue as may with God's Blessing preserve the Crown from those scandalous Wants and Necessities as have heretofore exposed it and the Kingdom to those dismal Miseries as he said 161. The want of Power the effect of want of Money then from which they are but even now Buoyed up For whatsoever other Humane Causes may be assigned according to the several Fancies and Inclinations of Men of our late miserable Distractions they cannot be so reasonably imputed to any one 162. The Militia Bill and the Additional Revenue the Foundation of our Peace and Security Cause as to the extream Poverty of the Crown the want of Power could never have appeared if it had not been for the want of Money AND I am confident both the present and succeeding Ages will bless God and celebrate your Memories for those two Bills of putting the Militia into the King's Hands and supplying the 163. Treasures the Sinews of War and the Bonds of Peace Crown by an Additional Revenue as the Foundation of their Peace Quiet and Security
Rights which he is so sollicitous for SURELY it is enough for any Kingdom and more than most Kingdoms in the World can boast The Lord Chancellor's Speech Thursd Feb. 15. 1676 7. p. 12. of to have their Affairs brought into such a Condition that they may in all Humane Probability 187. Future Contingencies not capable of certain Prospect and unless it be their own default continue for a long time safe and happy FOR Future Contingencies are not capable of any certain Prospect a Security beyond that of Humane Id. ibid. 188. Let us bless the King for taking away our fears and jealousies that our Properties and Liberties are safe Probability no Nation ever did or ever shall attain to LET us therefore bless the King for taking away all our Fears and leaving no Room for Jealousies The Lord Chancellor's Speech Feb. 5. 1672 3. pag. 15 16. Let us bless the King that our Properties and Liberties are safe as well as our Religion What more hath a good English Man to ask but that THIS KING may long Reign and that the Tripple Alliance of King Parliament 189. And may the Tripple Alliance of King Parliament and People never be dissolved and People may never be dissolved AND let all who pray for the long Life and Prosperity of the King add their Endeavours to The Lord Chancellor's Speech Thursd Feb. 15. 1676 7. p. 17. their Prayers and study to prolong his Sacred Life by giving him all the Joys of Heart which can arise 190. And let those who pray for the King's Life and Prosperity add their Endeavours to their Prayers from the Demonstrations of the lively and the warm Affections of his People TO which most excellent Prayer of the Chancellor let all the People joyn with me in this Response of Amen CHAP. IV. Of Parliaments NOTHING conduceth more to the Happiness of a Nation than a right Understanding 1. Nothing tends more to the happiness of the Nation than frequent Meetings in Common Council for the Security of all we have or are is lodged in our English Parliaments Sir Edward Turner 's Speech to the King Friday Feb. 8. 1666. on the Prorogation pag. 1 2. between the Prince and the People and nothing more advanceth this Correspondence than frequent Meetings in Common-Council By the Wisdom of our Fore-Fathers the Security of our Lives our Liberties and our Properties is lodged in our English Parliaments And so Gratious have Your Majesty's Predecessors been that for the satisfaction of their People they have made several Laws some for Triennial some for Annual Parliaments Your Majesty by their Example upon the humble Suit of your Lords and Commons hath in a former Session of this Parliament passed an Act for Triennial Meetings in Parliament But in this Your Majesty hath exceeded all your Predecessors that as your happy Restauration was in a Convention of Parliament so of your own Accord for the Publick Good and as a Demonstration of your extraordinary Love to Parliaments You have vouchsafed ever since Your Return to converse with your People in Parliament this being the Sixth Year and the Sixth Session of this present Parliament I DO chuse to begin with these words of the Speaker as being vere Emphatical in themselves and most convenient and apposite to usher in the several other following Declarations and Speeches to prove this to you that the King's Affection to Parliaments is extraordinary and that it hath been his Delight and wonderful Satisfaction as well as his very often Use and Practice to converse with his People in them AND that you may have no reason why to disbelieve me I shall without any further trouble of my own words straight fall upon what the King himself hath said IN the Letter which His Majesty sent to the Speaker of the Commons assembled in Parliament what Security did he give us of this in saying WE do assure you upon our Royal Word 2. No former Kings have had a greater Esteem of Parliaments than our present King that none of our Predecessors have had a The King's Letter to the Speaker of the Commons from Breda April 4 14. 1660. pag. 4. greater Esteem of Parliaments than we have in our Iudgment as well as from our Obligation We do believe them to be so Vital a Part of the Constitution of the Kingdom and so necessary for the Government of it that we well know neither Prince nor People can be 3. Neither Prince nor People can be happy without them in any tolerable degree happy without them And therefore you may be confident that we shall always look upon their Counsels as the best we can receive and shall be as tender of their Privileges and as careful 4. Their Counsels the best the King can receive to preserve and protect them as of that which is most near to our self and most necessary for our own Preservation AND as this is our Opinion of Parliaments that 5. He will be tender of their Privileges and careful to preserve them their Authority is most necessary for the Government of the Kingdom so we are most confident that you believe and find that the Preservation of the King's Authority is as necessary for the Preservation of Parliaments 6. The Preservation of the King's Authority as necessary for the Preservation of Parliaments as their Authority is necessary for the Government of the Kingdom and that it is not the Name but the right Constitution of them which can prepare and apply proper Remedies for those Evils which are grievous to the People and which can thereby establish their Peace and Security And therefore we have not the least doubt but that you will be as tender in and as jealous of any thing that may infringe our Honour or impair our Authority as of your own Liberty and Property which is best preserved by preserving the other HOW far We have trusted you in this great Affair and how much it is in your 7. It is in their Power to restore a ruined Nation Id. pag. 5. Power to restore the Nation to all that it hath lost and to redeem it from any Infamy it hath undergone and to make King and People as happy as they ought to be you will find by Our inclosed Declaration a Copy of which We have likewise sent to the House of Peers and you will easily belieâ—e that We would not voluntarily and of Our Self have reposed so great a Trust in you but upon an entire Confidence that you will not abuse it and that you will proceed in such a manner and with such due Consideration of Vs who have trusted you that We shall not be ashamed of declining other Assistance which we have Assurance of and repairing to you for more Natural and Proper Remedies for the Evils We would be free from nor sorry that We have bound up Our own Interest so entirely with that of Our
unseasonable Scruple in any Man who should have refused to bear his part in the excellent Transactions of that Parliament because he was not called thither by the King 's Writ And it would be a more unreasonable Scruple now in any man after we have all received the Fruit and Benefit of their Counsels and Conclusions when in truth we owe our Orderly and Regular Meeting at this time to their extraordinary Meeting then to their Wisdom in laying hold upon the King's Promises and to the King's Justice in performing all he promised and to the Kingdom 's Submission and Acquiescence in 31. A Parliament is that Foundation which supports the whole Fabrick of our Peace and Security those Promises I say it would be very unseasonable and unreasonable now to endeavour to shake that Foundation which if you will take the King's Judgment supports the whole Fabrick of our Peace and Security He tells you what he shall think of any who goes about to undermine that Foundation which is a Zeal no Prince could be transported with but himself WE use to say and say truly that the King when seated in Parliament is then in the fulness The Lord Chancellor's Speech March 6. 167â— â— pag. 18. 32. The King in Parliament is in the Fulness of his Majesty and Power of his Majesty and Power and shines forth with the brightest Lustre Let no Exhalations from beneath darken or obscure it FOREIGN Nations say and say truly that the King of England in Conjunction with his Parliament Id. ibid. 33. And as great and dreadful a Prince as any in Europe is as great and as dreadful a Prince as any in Europe IT was no less a Consideration you may be sure that made the King thus speak to both his Houses I need 34. No King so beholding to Parliaments as he hath been not tell you how much I love Parliaments The King's Speech to both Houses March 21. 166â— 4. pag. 6 7. Never King was to much beholding to Parliaments as I have been nor 35. The Crown cannot be happy without frequent Parliaments do I think the Crown can ever be happy without frequent Parliaments WHEN upon the King 's desiring the House of Commons to give the Triennial Bill a Reading in their House and upon their ready Obedience to that Request both the Houses presented His Majesty with a Bill entituled An Act for the Assembling and Holding of Parliaments once in three Years at the least And for the Repeal of an Act entituled An Act for the preventing of Inconveniences happening by the long Intermission of Parliaments His Majesty saith to them You will easily believe that I have come very willingly to give my The King's Speech Apr. 5. 1664. pag. 3 4. Assent to this Bill I do thank you very heartily for your so Vnanimous Concurrence in it and for desiring me speedily to finish it And if I understand any thing that concerns the Peace and Security of the Kingdom and the Welfare of my Subjects all which I study more than my Prerogative Indeed I consider my Prerogative only in order to preserving the other every good English Man will thank you for it For the Act you have repealed could only serve to discredit Parliaments to make the Crown Iealous of Parliaments and parliaments of the Crown and perswade Neighbour Princes that England was not Governed under a Monarch It could never have been the occasion of Frequent Parliaments I do promise you I will not be one Hour the less without a Parliament for this Act of Repeal For They are the Great Physicians of the Kingdom and as such can best search into the Distempers of the State and by their good and wholesome Prescriptions if they cannot absolutely bring it to its perfect Health they can at least preserve it in some very good degrees of CONVALESCENCE THIS made His Majesty to desire their Concurrence with him 36. A Parliament is the Great Physician of the Kingdom in his Just and Necessary Severity towards those that were resolved yet to keep up their Factious and Turbulent Spirits against the Peace of the State And though saith he I do very willingly pardon all that is pardoned by 37. Though Clemency be most agreeable to the King's Nature yet he will be severe to the editions dislikers of the Government the Act of Iudemnity yet for the time to The King's Speech to both Houses Aug. 29. 1660. p. 4 5. come the same Discretion and Conscience which disposed me to the Clemency I have expressed which is most agreeable to my Nature will oblige me to all Rigour and Severity how contrary soever it be to my Nature towards those who shall not now acquiesce but continue to manifest their Sedition and dislike of the Government either in Actions or Words And I must conjure you all my Lords 38. And desires the Parliament to concur with him in that just and necessary severity towards such and Gentlemen to concur with me in this just and necessary Severity and that you will in your several Stations be so jealous of the publick Peace and of my particular Honour that you will cause Exemplary Iustice to be done upon those who are guilty of Seditious Speeches or Writings as well as those who break out into Seditious Actions and that you will 39. The traducers of the King's Person are not well affected to Parliaments and the Publick Peace believe those who delight in reproaching and traducing my Person not to be well affected to You and the Publick Peace AND here as they found it most absolutely necessary for the good of the Weal-publick so to do they most readily and most religiously obey'd the Commands of their Sovereign Lord the King So that upon the day of their Dissolution he could not forbear in his Speech thus to deliver himself MY Lords and Gentlemen I will not entertain The King's Speech Decem. 29. 1660. p. 3. you with a long Discourse the sum of all I have to say to you being but to give you thanks very hearty thanks And I assure you I find it a very difficult Work to satisfie my self in my own Expressions of those Thanks Perfunctory Thanks Ordinary Thanks for Ordinary Civilities are easily given but when the Heart is as full as mine is it is a Labour to thank you You have taken great pains to oblige me and therefore it cannot be easie for me to express the sense I have of it THERE cannot be a greater manifestation of The Lord Chancellor's Speech to the same p. 6. 40. The greatest Evidence of the harmony of Affections throughout the Nation is when the King and his Parliament meet with the same alacrity at the Dissolution as at the first Convention an excellent Temper and harmony of Affections throughout the Nation than that the King and his two Houses of Parliament meet with the same Affections and Chearfulness the same Alacrity
provocations and offences and the occasions of the like for the future if there be such divisions Lord Chanc. Speech to the same p. 8 9. as beget great thoughts of heart shall we call this Peace because it is not War or because men do 150. Or otherwise such divisions look rather like War than Peace not yet take the Field as well we may call it health when there is a dangerous fermentation in the Bloud and Spirits because the Patient hath not yet taken his Bed MUCH of this strange diffidence and distrust which like a 151. All this diffidence rises from the artifices of ill men general Infection begins to spread it self into almost all the corners of the Land rises from the Artifice of ill men who create and nourish all the suspicions which they can devise but the Cure of it lies perfectly in your hands for all Id. p. 11. this will presently vanish as soon as men shall see your Acquiescence and the fruits of it in a chearful concurrence with his Majesty to all those good and publick ends which he hath now so earnestly recommended to you IT would be somewhat strange and without all example in 152. It would be strange for a Nation to be twice undone by one and the same way and means story that a Nation should be twice ruined twice undone by the self-same way and means the same Fears and Jealousies Id. ibid. Machiavel who they say is an Author much studied of late 153. Machiavel an Author much studied of late in this Kingdom to extoll his own excellent Judgment and insight in History in which indeed he was a Master would perswade men to believe that the true reason why so many unexpected Accidents and Mischiefs fall out to the destruction of States and Empires is because their Governours 154. By non-observance of former mischiefs to other States we our selves come to fall into the like have not observed the same Mischiefs heretofore in Lord Chanc. Sp. 19 May 1662 p. 17 18 19. story and from whence they proceeded and what progress they made which he said if they had done they might easily have preserved themselves from ruine and prevented the Inconveniences which have fallen out I am sure you are all good Historians and need only to resort to the Records of your own memories Remember how 155. If we will but remember the late ill times and suffer our selxes again to be undone by secret courses of such vile men we shall be held very ill Historians and worse Politicians your peace hath been formerly disturbed by what contrivance and artifices the people have been alarm'd with unreasonable and unnatural Fears and Jealousies and what dismal effects those Fears and Jealousies have produced Remember how near Monarchy hath been dissolved and the Law subverted under pretence of reforming and supporting Government Law and Justice And remember how many honest persons were misled by not discerning Consequences who would as soon have renounced their part in Heaven as have concurred in the first unwarrantable Action if they had suspected what did follow and if we suffer the same Enemy to break in upon us at the same Avenues if we suffer our peace to be blown up by the same Trains and Machinations we shall be held very ill Historians and worse Politicians HOW happy may a Kingdom be in the frequent Assemblies of 156. How happy may the Kingdom be in the frequent assembly of its great Councel if nothing disturbs it their Great Councels where all that is grievous may be redress'd and all that is wanting may be enacted if those Councels Lord Chanc. Sp. 15 Feb. 1976 7. p. 13. are not rendred useless and impracticable by continuing endless distractions IF the presaging malice of our Enemies should pretend to foretell any such Fate as this to befall us the wisdom and the magnanimity of this Great Councel will quickly be too hard for all their Auguries The Honour and the Loyalty of this August and Venerable Assembly will leave no kind of room for any such divinations Id. ibid. My Lords and Gentlemen THE King hath so long had and still retains such honourable 157. The Kings honourable thoughts of his Parliaments thoughts of these Assemblies that we ought to make it one great part of our business to deserve the continuance of his Majesties grace and good opinion Id. p. 16. LET no Contention then come near this place but that of a 158. The contention of a Parliament should be that of Emulation who should best serve his Country Noble Emulation who shall serve his Country best by well serving of the King let no passion enter here but that of a pious zeal to lay hold upon all opportunities of promoting the honour and service of the Crown till our Enemies despair of ever profiting by any disorders amongst us Id. ibid. FOR saith the King I assure you whatsoever some ill men 159. The King never had any intentions but of good to them would have believed I never had any intentions but of good to you and to my people nor ever shall but will do all that I can for your safety and ease as far as you your selves will suffer me And since these are my resolutions I desire you will not drive me into extremities which must end King's Speech Thursd 23 May 1678. pag. 6. ill both for you and me and which is worst of all for the Nation which we ought all to have equal 160. All ought to have an equal care of the Nation care of therefore I desire we may prevent any disorders or mischief that may befall them by our disagreement and in case they do I shall leave it to God Almighty to judge between us who is the occasion of it LET me add this likewise which the King would always have to be remembred and that is saith he To let you know that I 161. The King will never suffer the method of passing Laws to be changed will never more suffer the course and method of passing Laws to be changed and that if several matters shall ever again be tacked together in one Bill that Bill shall certainly be lost let the importance of it be never so great Id. p. 7. THE King will not suffer himself to believe it possible that 162. The tacking of several matters to one Bill will lose that Bill you should ever forsake him when any difficulties or distresses are near him and therefore he doth Lord Chanc Speech to the same p. 15 16 17 18 19 with great assurance expect your care to preserve him in the affections of his People BUT the King hath so far express'd himself this day that 't is evident the manner of your proceedings is to him as considerable as the matter and that he will not accept a good Bill how valuable soever it may be unless it come to
those Moneys to the ends for which they were presented 175. And upon this Supplying him how doth he thank and assure them that he will make it go as far as he can towards the satisfying of his Debts him saith he I heartily thank you for the Supply you have given me and I assure The King's Speech April 11. 1670. p. 9. you I will make it go as far as I can towards the Satisfying of my Debts THE Lord Chancellor most admirably speaks to both the Houses saying His Majesty is resolved to give his People as much respite from Payments and Taxes as The Lord Chancellor's Speech Feb. 5. 1672 3. pag. 5. the necessity of his Business or their Preservation will permit You see it is only absolute Necessity 176. The King resolved to give his People much respite from Payments and Taxes even as much as ever he could and a Paternal Princely Regard to the Security Peace and Quietness of his People that puts the King at any time to ask a Supply of his Parliament WHEN you consider we are an Island it is not Riches nor Greatness we contend for yet those The Lord Chancellor's Speech Octob. 27. 1673. pag. 8 9. must attend the Success but it is our very Beings are in Question We fight pro aris focis in this War We are no longer Free-men being Islanders and Neighbours if they master us at Sea there is not so Lawful or Commendable a Jealousie in the World as an English Man's of the growing Greatness of any Prince or State at Sea If you permit the Sea our British Wife to be ravished an Eternal Mark of Infamy will stick upon us THE King declares and shall we not believe him 177. The King not in love with War for War's sake that He is very far from being in Love with The King's Speech Jan. 7. 1673 4. pag. 4 5. War for War's sake And as that cannot be well made without a Supply so neither can Peace be had without being in a posture of War Therefore the way to a good Peace is to set out a good Fleet and if after a good Peace should follow saith he yet the Supply 178. The Supply well given and the reason why would be well given And why so perhaps some may be apt to say Why the King gives you a very good reason for goeth he on whatever remains of it I am willing should be appropriated for building more Ships No putting into his Coffers no but all should be disbursed the more to secure us and to keep up the Honour Ease and Happiness of the Nation This is the best Account of our Supply 179. Our Enemies cannot be gratified more than by our denying a Supply our Hearts can wish and there cannot be a higher The Lord Keeper's Speech to the same p. 17. Gratification of our Enemies than to be backward in this point which we are sure shall be so well laid out for us THE Safety and Honour of the State are then best provided for when we keep up the Strength and Reputation of our Fleet. SO the Roman State thought when as the Orator tells us they decreed Non solum praesidii sed etiam The Lord Keeper's Speech Apr. 13. 1675. pag. 14. ornandi Imperii causa Navigandum esse AS for his own Debts saith the King to his Parliament 180. The King's Debts great You know me to be under a great burthen of Debts and how hard a shift I The King's Speech Thurs Feb. 15. 1676 7. pag. 3. am making to pay them off as fast as I can NOW as the Lord Chancellor's Words are Justice 181. And Justice and Honour obliges the King not to forsake them who have assisted him with their Estates for the publick Good and Honour oblige the King not to forsake those who have assisted him with their Estates in the The Lord Chancellor's Speech to the same pag. 10. Defence of the Publick And although the necessary Issues of his Revenue in the many new and chargeable Emergencies of State did for a while postpone their Satisfaction yet His Majesty hath now gone very far in it and hath provided for the Security and Payment of an Immense Sum with such difficulties as none but a Just and Generous Prince would ever have undergone WHEN the King came and told his Houses that We cannot 182. We cannot have less than Ninety Sail of Capital Ships constantly maintained nor less than 30 or 40000 Land-Men have less on our parts than ninety Sail of Capital Ships constantly maintained nor The King's Speech Mond Jan. 28. 167â— â— pag. 5 6. less than thirty or forty thousand Land-Men with their Dependencies to be employed upon our Fleets and elsewhere Now mark how he is pleased to go on And because there shall be no fear of mis-employing what you shall give to these Vses I am contented that such Money be appropriated to those ends 183. And therefore what shall be given to these Uses shall be appropriated to those ends as strictly as we can desire as strictly as you can desire I have given testimony enough of my Care in that kind by the Progress I have made in building the new Ships wherein for the making them more useful I have directed such larger Dimensions as will cost me above one hundred thousand Pounds more than the Act allows I have gone as far as I could in repairing the old Fleet and in buying of necessary Stores for the Navy and Ordnance And so he proceeds giving his Parliament an exact Account how just he hath been in laying out all their Moneys and a great deal more of his own for his People's Good and Welfare ALAS Saith His Majesty in another Speech 184. The King's Revenue under great Anticipations My Revenue is under great Anticipations The King's Speech to both Houses Mond Octob. 21. 1678. pag. 5. and indeed all things conâ—â—dered how can it be otherwise Seeing as the King himself protests it was at the best never equal to the constant 185. Never was equal to the constant and necessary Expence of the Government and necessary Expence of the Government whereof I intend to have the whole State laid before you and require you to look into it and consider of it with that Duty and Affection which I am sure I shall always find from you I think now by all this that has been repeated to you it is evident that there is no real Cause why any fears of our Liberties or Properties should disturb us for what hath the King done himself to secure them to us upon the best and most lasting Foundations How often hath he invited and conjured his Parliament if it be possible to find out more ways to satisfie his People that it is only their Good and a firm Establishment of all their Civil 186. Our Kingdom likely to continue a long time safe and happy