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
let the world see that it shall not be my fault if The Kings Speech to both Houses Feb. 15. 1679. pag. 1 and 2. they be not happy by your Consultations in Parliament AND how shall the world see this why saith he in the 140. By securing the Protestant Religion to them very next words For I declare my self very plainly to you that I come prepared to give you all the satisfaction and security in the great concerns of the Protestant Religion as it is established in the Church of England that shall reasonably be asked or can consist with Christian prudence TO be sure his Majesty when he said this was sufficiently sensible of what the Lord Chancellor at the same time had in command to say viz. that The Peace of the Church is harder to preserve than the 141. For the Peace of the Church is harder to be preserved than that of the State peace of the State for they who desire Innovations in the State most commonly Lord Chancellors Speech to the same p. 6. begin the attempt upon the Church AND by this means it comes to pass that the peace of 142. Hence it is so oft disturbed by two sorts of persons by mistaken souls and by malicious designing men the Church is so often disturbed not only by these poor mistaken souls who deserve to be pittied but by malicious and designing men who deserve to be punisht And while things continue in this State it cannot be avoided but that the Laws which are necessary to restrain the malicious must and will sometimes disquiet and wound those that are weak Yet the Phanaticks Sectaries and Nonconformists as the 143. How Phanaticks no friends to the established Government Speaker of the Honourable House of Commons then said as they differ in their shapes and species accordingly are more or less dangerous but in this they all agree they are no friends to the established Sir Edward Turnors Speech Tuesday May 14. 1664. pag. 9. Government either in Church or State And if the old Rule hold true Qui Ecclesiae contradicit non est pacificus we have great reason to prevent 144. Therefore was the Bill against Conventicles their growth and to punish their practice Therefore was the Bill then prepared against their frequenting of Conventicles the Seed-plots and Nurseries of their Opinions under pretence of Religious Worship BUT yet by such Bill no man is hindered the use of his own Judgement in the exercise of Religion by himself or in his own Family or in the presence of 145. But by it none are hindred the use of their own Judgement in their families four strangers but because the peace Sir Edward Turnors Speech to the King Monday April 11. 1670. Vpon the Parliaments adjournment p. 5. of the Nation may be endangered by more populous meetings contrary to the Liturgy and practice of the Church of England therefore from a prudent prospect of such a destructive inconvenience to the weal of the State did the Parliament prepare such a Cautionary prevention AND yet for all this their great care and wisdom 't is somewhat an unpleasant observation to see how slow many inferiour Magistrates are in the 146. How slow the inferiour Officers are in this to discharge their duty discharge of this part of their duty Lord Keepers Speech to both Houses April 13. 75. p. 11 12. which refers to the safety of the Church against the Enemies on both sides of it the Papists and the Dissenters For this is that which opens men's mouths to object against the Laws themselves This is that which encourages offenders to dispute that 147. This encourages Offenders to dispute Authority and to judg the Laws Authority which they should obey and to judge those Laws by which they ought to be judged They have found a way to make even Justice it self criminal by giving it a hard name and calling it persecution IT is no doubt a duty which we owe to God and to our 148. It is the duty of us all to improve the opportunities God gives us to fence our Vineyard selves to the present Age and to posterity to improve the opportunities God gives us of fencing Lord Chan. Speech Thursd May 23. 1668. p. 13 14. our Vineyard and making the hedge about it as strong as we can And therefore goes the Lord Chancellor on saying The King hath commanded me to tell you i. e the Parliament that he is ready to concur with you in any thing of this kind which shall be found wanting and which the Christian Prudence and Justice of a Parliament can propose as expedient LET not any then give themselves up to complain of the danger 149. Let none complain of the dangers of Religion of Religion for fear lest they should and that too justly too be thought to complain only for complaining sake id ibid. FOR what can possibly be said to satisfie any people as to 150. What more can be said to satisfie the people of the security of the Protestant Religion than what the King hath said to his Parliament the security of the Protestant Religion than what the King said to his Parliament When he gave them all his most hearty thanks for the great and extraordinary care they had already taken and still did continue to shew for the safety and preservation of his Royal Person in these times of danger NOR saith he do I think it enough to give you my thanks only but I hold my self obliged to let you see withall that I do as much study your preservation too as I can possibly and that I am as ready to joyn with you in all the ways and means that 151. Our own hearts can't with for more than what he is ready to do for us that way may establish a firm security of the The Kings Speech to both Houses Nov. 9. 78. p. 3 4. Protestant Religion as your own hearts can wish AND this not only during my time of which I am 152. He would secure it to us for ever sure you have no fear but in all future ages even to the end of the world HE proceeds in the next Speech to give them a further demonstration of his Zeal and he saith I meet you here with the most earnest desire that Man can have to unite the minds of all my Subjects both to me and to one another and I resolve it shall be your faults if the success be not suitable to my desires I have done many great things already in order to that end as the Exclusion of the Popish Lords from their Seats in Parliament 153. He has excluded the Popish Lords the House c. And above all I have commanded His Majesties Speech to both Houses on Thursday March 6. p. 3 4. my Brother to absent himself from me because I would not leave 154. Commanded his Brother to absent
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
she comes to Solomon to commune with him of all that was in her Heart Great Sir whilst this your Native Country was unworthy of you Foreign Nations were made happy in the Knowledge of your Person your Piety and your Wisdom and now the Lord our God hath brought you home and set you on your Throne your Subjects long to see you WHAT Striving and Rejoycing was there at Id. ibid. 19. What rejoycing at the King 's Landing your first Landing to see our Rising Sun WHAT Striving was there at your Coronation to see the Imperial Crown set upon your Royal Head WHAT Striving hath here lately been in all 20. What at his Coronation the Counties Cities and Burroughs of this Nation Id. Ibid. who should be sent up to hear your Wisdom and confer with 21. What Striving to be Parliament-Men to hear his Wisdom and confer with him there you in Parliament ROYAL Sir These Chosen Worthy Messengers are not come Empty Handed they are laden Id. ibid. they are sent up to you heavy-laden from their several Counties Cities and Burroughs IF the Affections of all English Men can make 22. How Happy Great and Considerable the King may be both at home and abroad by his Parliament you happy if the Riches of this Nation can make Id. pag. 12. you Great if the Strength of this Warlike People can make you Considerable at home and abroad be assured you are the greatest Monarch in the World Give me leave I beseech you to double my words and say it again I wish my Voice could reach to Spain and to the Indies too You are the greatest Monarch in the World HAVING thus at large given you the Speaker's Words as it were in Extasie of a Parliament I shall now return to give you the King 's which you will find full of a tender and endeared Affection to them 23. The King's Aims have been such as were most agreeable to the antient Order of Parliament and he hopes they will reduce the Proceedings to those ancient Rules and Orders AND what have the Aims and Endeavours of the King been but such as he hath Thought most agreeable to the ancient Order of Parliaments And The King's Speech Thursd Septemb. 13. 1660. pag. 5. I hope you will all joyn with me saith he in reducing the Proceedings of Parliaments to the Ancient Rules and Orders of Parliaments the Deviation from which hath done us no good And when they desired a Recess though he had then some Inclination to have made a Session yet upon Id. ibid. the desire and Reasons given by the House of Commons for an Adjournment without a Session he did very willingly depart from that Inclination And did not this testifie a very great Kindness BUT you shall hear more Gracious Words from him saith he three Months after this I will tell you that when 24. When God restored the King he brought along with him an extraordinary Affection for Parliaments God brought me hither I brought with me an extraordinary Affection and Esteem for The King's Speech Decem. 29. 1660. at the Dissolution pag. 3 4. Parliaments I need not tell you how much it is improved by your Carriage towards me You have outdone all the good and obliging Acts of your Predecessors towards the Crown and therefore you cannot but believe my Heart is exceedingly enlarged with the Acknowledgment MANY former Parliaments have had particular Denominations from what they 25. Former Parliaments have had particular Denominations let this be called The Healing and the Blessed Parliament Id. ibid. have done They have been styled Learned and Unlearned and sometimes have had worse Epithits I pray let us all resolve that this be for ever called The HEALING and the BLESSED PARLIAMENT AND in the Absence of a Parliament which he promises shall not be long how he will carry and behave himself he hath been pleased to give us a very open and ingenuous Confession in these his following Words AS I thank you though not enough for what you have done so I have not the least doubt by the Blessing of God but when I shall call the next Parliament which I shall do as soon as you can reasonably expect or desire I shall receive your Thanks for what 26. The King will not more propose any Rule to himself in his Actions and Counsels than what the Parliament is like to think of them I have done since I parted with you For I deal truly with you I shall not more propose any one Rule to my self in my Actions and my Counsels than this What is a PARLIAMENT like to think of this ACTION or this COUNSEL And it shall be want of Vnderstanding in me if it will not bear that Test Id. Ibid. A PARLIAMENT is such an Assembly My Lord Chancellor hath said that for which the 27. The King hath a kind of Reverence for a Parliament The Lord Chancellor's Speech Thursd 13. Septem 1660. pag. 6. King him self hath even a kind of Reverence as well as an extraordinary Kindness IT will very easily appear so if you will mind what the King tells you that He hath caused two Bills to be prepared for you i. e. the new Parliament on the 8th of May at their Opening which are pag. 2. for Confirmation of all that was enacted at our last Meeting AND as the Chancellor said he commends the Dispatch of those to you with some earnestness The Lord Chancellor's Speech May 8. 1661. pag. 8 9 10. The Truth is it is a great part of the Business of this Parliament to celebrate the Memory of the last by confirming or re-enacting all that was done by that Parliament which though it was not called 28. The last Parliament though not called by the King 's Writ yet seems to have been called by God himself by the King 's Writ may be reasonably thought to have been called by God himself upon the Supplication and Prayer of the King and the whole Nation as the only means to restore the Nation to its Happiness to its Self to its Honour and even to its Innocence How glad the King was of it appears by what he writ to them from Breda when he referred more to them than ever was referred to Parliament He referred 29. He refers to them more than ever was referred to Parliament in truth upon the matter all that concerned himself all that concerned Religion all that concerned himself all that concerned Religion all that concerned the Peace and Happiness of the Kingdom to them And to their Honour be it spoken and to their Honour be it ever remembred that the King Religion and the Kingdom have no reason to 30. The Kingdom have no reason to be sorry for it be sorry that so much was intrusted to them nor they to be ashamed of the Discharge of their Trust It would have been a very
with you in any Remedies which might consist with preserving the Succession of the Crown in its due and legal course of Descent I do again with the same Reservations renew the same Promises to you WELL His Majesty you see having thus given us the greatest Assurances that Words are capable of expressing of his readiness to do any Reasonable thing that shall be proposed and offered to him for the maintaining and defending the Protestant Religion to us and our Posterities his next work is to tell us wherein he chiefly relies and thinks himself most safe great and happy and that is in the Hearts and Affections of his Good People and in their joint union among themselves Take his own words for your security in these that follow THAT which I value above all King's Speech to both Houses Octob. 21. 1680. pag. 6 7. the Treasure in the World and which I am sure will give me greater Strength and Reputation both at home and abroad than any Treasure can do is a perfect union amongst our selves NOTHING but this can restore the Kingdom to that strength and vigour which it seems to have lost and raise us again to that Consideration which ENGLAND hath usually had ALL Europe have their Eyes upon this Assembly and think their own happiness or misery as well as ours will depend upon it IF we should be so unhappy as to fall into such misunderstanding amongst our selves as would render our friendship unsafe to trust to it will not be to be wondered at if our Neighbours should begin to take new Resolutions and perhaps such as may be fatal to us LET us therefore take care that we do not gratify our Enemies and discourage our friends by any unseasonable disputes IF any such doe happen The world will see it was no fault of mine for I have done all that was possible for me to doe to keep you in peace while I live and to leave you so when I die BUT from so great Prudence and so good Affections as yours I can fear Nothing of this kind but doe rely upon you all that you will use your best Endeavours to bring this Parliament to a good and happie Conclusion NOW that Gracious and pious disposition which God hath put into Your Royal Heart of doing your Subjects good saith the Speaker of the House of Commons to the King in the Banquetting House November 9. 1660 pag. 5 6. is the greatest Temporal Blessing we are capable of here in this world We must confess your Majesty hath not only Jacob's voice but you have likewise Jacob's hands You have spoken kindly unto your People and you have handled them gently and therefore we must for ever make it our humble Requests in our daily prayers unto his Throne of Grace to bestow upon your Majesty Jacob's blessing de Rore Coeli variaque pinguedine terrae that you may have for your Portion of the Dew of Heaven and of the Fatness of the Earth Serviant tibi populi incurvant se tibi Nationes honorem exhibentes Let your People serve you and the Nations of the Earth bow down before you Those that curse you let them be cursed and they that bless you let them for ever yea and they shall be blessed FINIS ERRATA TItle page l. 24. for Inner r. middle p. 3. l. 24. blot out the parenthesis p. 7. l. 42. for so r. to p. 10. l. 47. r. bodily l. 50. for fol. r. Num. p. 11. l. 24. for their r. the. p. 12. l. 10. for by r. by p. 20. l. 9. blot out what p. 27. l. 30. for II hope r. I hope I. p. 31. l. 35. for said r. said more p. 32. l. 22. for am r. aim in the second Cutting in add after March 6. 1678 9. p. 34. l. 41. for about r. about it p. 50. l. 12. for grown r. Crown p. 76. l. 25. for vere r. very p. 105. l. 22. blot out the last to There are perhaps several other literal mistakes in the printing which it is hoped the Reader will favourably correct
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
people as my Lord Chancellor well observed Id. p. 21. than that he hath staid these four days to take his leave of you and that he might give you this days work all these good Laws hath denied himself so long the enjoying the greatest comfort he is assured of in this World 61. That Parliament satisfied in the King's love to them and in his Judgment that the happiness of the Crown consists in the frequency of Parliaments THE Parliament was so very well satisfied with the King's love to them that Mr. Speaker could not forbear using these expressions at their Prorogation May 7. 1664. We are assured not only of your personal affection to Parliaments but of your Judgment also that the happiness of the Crown consists in the frequency of Parliaments HIS Majestie 's love to Parliaments is yet further evidenced by his love to have good appearances when they meet He having as he saith himself most confidence in full Houses 62. His love to Parliaments further shewn in his love to have full Houses where the well-being of the Church and all other King's Speech Mond Feb. 14. 1669 70. p. 3 interests of the Crown and Nation are best secured AND the King can never doubt his Parliament 63. The King could never doubt such a Parliament a Parliament who in their affection and loyalty to Lord Chanc. Speech Feb. 5. 72 3. p. 10. Id. p. 14 15. their Prince have exceeded all their predecessors a Parliament with whom the King hath many years lived with all the caresses of a happy Marriage Has the King had a Concern You have wedded it Has his Majesty wanted Supplies You have readily chearfully and fully provided for them You have relyed upon the Wisdom and Conduct of his Majesty in all his affairs so that you have never 64. Who never exceeded their bounds attempted to exceed your bounds or to impose upon him whilst the King on the other hand hath made your Counsels the foundations of all his proceedings and hath been so tender of you 65. Their Counsels the foundations of the Kings proceedings that he hath upon his own Revenue and Credit endeavoured to support even Forcign Wars that he might be least uneasie to you or burdensome to his people THEREFORE the King may not only assure himself of your 66. And he hopes that his Parliament will do what they can to beget a mutual confidence between him and his People which may extinguish all fears and jealousies affections to him but from such affections so known and so tried as yours he may expect that you Lord Keeper's Speech Jan. 7. 1673 4. p. 18. should do your endeavours to restore and improve the mutual confidence between him and his people and that you should do it to such a degree that it may recover its full strength and quite extinguish all their fears and jealousies FOR he does not only find himself safe but he 67. His safety and defence in them Lord Keeper's Speech 13 Ap. 1675. p. 21. thinks himself armed too whilst he is attended with such a Nobility such a Gentry as this AND who can wonder then that the King resolves to enter 68. He will therefore wholly relie upon his Parliament and give them whatever yet can be wanting for their good into terms of strictest correspondence with his Parliament to take your Counsel in his most weighty affairs to impart all his Cares to you to acquaint you with Lord Keeper's Speech Wednesd 13 Oct. 1675. p. 5. all his Wants and Necessities to offer you all that can yet be wanting to make you enjoy your selves to establish a right understanding between himself and his three Estates and between the Estates themselves to redress all your just complaints and to put all his Subjects at ease as far as in him lies and can consist with the honour and safety of the Government AND having made all these advances towards you he doubts 69. And doubts not but that they will behave themselves accordingly not but you will behave your selves like those that deserve to be called the King's Friends and that you Id pag. 6. will put him at ease too THE King expects your Advice and your Assistance your 70. This makes him to expect their advice and assistance Advice in matters of the highest deliberation your Assistance in matters of extreme and pressing difficulty YOUR deliberations will chiefly be exercised about those 71. Their deliberations will chiefly be exercised about the things which belong to the Kingdoms peace things which do belong unto your peace the peace of the Church and the peace of the State two considerations of so close a connexion between themselves that in the very original Writ of Summons by vertue of which you Chanc. Speech 15 Febr. 76 7. p. 5 6. sit here they are joyntly recommended to your Counsel and your Care AS to the former the peace of the Church I have handled it at large in my Chapter of Religion and shall not trouble you now with any repetition only I will mind you of this one Paragraph which ought never to be out of your consideration and it is That what Remedies are fit for those that disturb its peace whether 72. All things concerning Religious matters are entirely left to their considerations for the peace of the Church the poor mistaken Souls who deserve to be pitied or the malicious and designing men who deserve to be punished whether the fault be in the Laws or in the Id. p. 6 7. men in the men that should obey or in the men that should execute whether the Cure be a work of time and patience or of zeal and diligence or whether any new expedient can be found to secure the Ship from that Storm which the swelling of two contrary Tides seems to threaten is wholly left to your advice the King hath called you for that end and doubts not but your Counsels will be such as shall tend to safety and to establishment THE peace of the State requires as much of your care and vigilance 73. And so likewise the peace of the State is left to their care too our peace at home and our peace abroad AS for that abroad we are at this time blessed be God for 74. The peace abroad his mercy to us and blessed be the King for his care of us in perfect peace with all the Nations upon Earth such a peace as makes us the Envy of the Christian World and hath enabled us to do our selves right against the Infidels such a peace 75. It is now such a peace as brings with it all the fruits of peace as brings with it all the fruits of peace and deserves not Id. ibid. only our prayers for the continuance of it but our best and most watchful care that nothing may be done on our part to give it an interruption BUT