expresse our unspeakable Joyes That immediately upon the dissolution and decease of Elizabeth late Queen of England the Imperial Crown of the Realm of England and of all the Kingdoms Dominions and Rights belonging to the same did by inherent Birthright and lawfull and undoubted Successâ—en descend and come to your most Excellent Majestie as being Lineally Justly and Lawfully next and sole Heir of the Blood Royal of this Realm as is aforesaid And that by the goodnesse of God Almighty and lawfull Right of descent under one Imperial Crown your Majestie is of the Realms and Kingdoms of England Scotland France and Ireland the most Potent and mighty King and by Gods goodnesse more able to protect and govern us your loving Subjects in all Peace and Plentie than any of your noble Progenitors And thereunto we most humbly and faithfully do submit and oblige our selves our heirs and posterities for ever until the last drop of our Bloods be spent And do beseech your Majestie to accept the same as the first fruits in this high Court of Parliament of our Loyalty and faith to your Majestie and your Royal Progenie and posterity for ever Which if your Majestie shall be pleased as an argument of your gracious acceptation to adorn with your Majesties Royal Assent without which it can neither be complete and perfect nor remain to all posteritie according to our most humble desire as a memorial of your Princely and tender affection towards us we shall adde this also to the rest of your Majesties unspeakable and inestimable benefits In which Act there are these particulars very seasonable and observable in respect of the present posture of our publike affairs 1. That the happy union and conjunction of our divided Kingdoms formenly torn and wasted with long and miserable dissentions and bloody civil wars between Competitors for the Crown and the King and Subjects is a great and unspeakable benefit and blessing to the Kingdom and Nation bestowed on them by God himself 2. That the re-uniting not only of the two but three mighty famous and antient Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland under one Imperial Crown and Heredirary King is a far more inestimable and unspeakable blessing to all 3. Kingdoms and Nations 3. That there is no Interregnum in Law in the Realm and Crown of England but that immediately upon the decease of the King thereof the Imperial Crown of the Realm of England and of all the Kingdoms Dominions and Rights belonging to the same do by inherent birth-right and lawfull and undoubted Succession Lineally Justly and lawfully descend to the next heir of the blood Royal before he be publikely crowned King As this Act in direct Terms declares and all the Judges of England unanimously adjudged in the case of Watson and Cleark 2. Popish Priests who held King James no lawfull King before he was Crowned and thereupon conspired to imprison him in the Tower c. for which they were both condemned and executed as Traytors Hill 1. Jacobi as had been oft adjudged before in the first 7. years of King H. 6. and in the cases of Queen Jane the Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolk the Lord Rochford Sir John Gates Sir Thomas Palmer and others condemned in levying War against her and executed 1 Mariae for Treason against Qu. Mary before she was Crowned to deprive her of the Crown which both the Peers and Judges of the Realm and the Parliament of 1 Mariae ch 16. adjudged Treason within 25 E. 3. against the mistaken Doctrine of Mr. Thomas Scot and some temporizing Lawyers of late years 4. That it is the duty and practice of all loyal and faithfull Subjects of all estates and degrees with all possible publike joyes unspeakable general rejoycings acclamations applauses affectionate desires by other means to proclaim acknowledge and Crown their lawfull hereditary Kings after the decease of their Ancestors and to make all possible demonstrations of their cordial loyalty love zeal and affection to them both in and out of Parliment being obliged thereunto both by the Laws of God and Man 5. That this Act of Parliament and the Oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance do both in point of Law Loyalty Justice Conscience oblige the whole English Nation their heirs and posterities for ever to be true faithfull loyal and obedient to King James his heirs and posteritie for ever and so to our present King till the last drop of their blood be spent as to their undoubted lawfull and hereditary Kings and Soveraigns 6. That a numerous hopefull royal Progeny likely to continue and perpetuate the hereditarie succession of the Crown in the true Regal line is an extraordinarie blessing and happinesse to the Kingdom for which they are all bound both in and out of Parliament to render all humble thanks and praises unto God To this I shall subjoyn the Statute of 3 Iacobi ch 1. entituled An Act for a publick Thanksgiving to Almighty God every year on the fifth day of November FOrasmuch as Almightie God hath in all ages shewed his power and mercy in the miraculous and gracious deliverance of his Church and in the protection of religious Kings and States And that no Nation of the earth hath been blessed with greater benefits than this Kingdom now enjoyeth having the true and free profession of the Gospel under our most gracious Soveraign Lord King Iames the most great learned and religious King that ever reigned therein enriched with a most hopefull and plentifull Progeny proceeding out of his Royal loyns promising continuance of this happinesse and profession to all posterity the which many malignant and devillish Papists Jesuites and Seminary Priests much envying and fearing Conspired most horribly when the Kings most Excellent Majesty the Queen the Prince and all the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons should have been assembled in the Upper House of Parliament upon the fifth day of November in the year of our Lord 1605. suddenlie to have blown up the said whole House with Gunpowder An invention so inhuman barbarous and cruel as the like was never before heard of and was as some of the principal Conspirators thereof confesse purposely devised and concluded to be done in the said House that where the sundry necessarie and Religious Laws for preservation of the Church and State were made which they falsly and slanderously term cruel Laws enacted against them and their Religion both place and persons should be all destroyed and blown up at once which would have turned to the utter ruine of this whole Kingdom had it not pleased Almighty God by inspiring the Kings most Excellent Majestie with a Divine spirit to interpret some dark phrases of a Letter shewed to his Majestie above and beyond all ordinarie construction thereby miraculously discovering this hidden Treason not many hours before the appointed time for the execution thereof Therefore the Kings most Excellent Majestie the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and all his Majesties Faithfull and loving
to be discharged of the said Treason comprised in that Judgement These prayers were much against and directly contrary to the Judgement of Archbishop Cranmer Bishop Farrer Bishop Hooper Rowland Taylor John Philpot John Bradford Edward Crome John Rogers Laurence Saunders Edward Laurence Miles Coverdale Bishop of Fxon and other of our godly Protestant Bishops and Ministers who soon after suffered as Martyrs they in their Letter the 8. of May Anno Dom. 1554. professing That as obedient Subjects we shall behave our selves towards Queen Mary and all that be in Authority and not cease to pray to God for them that he would govern them all generally and particularly with the spirit of wisdom and grace and so we heartily desire and humbly pray all men to do in no point consenting to any kind of rebellion or sedition against our Soveraign Lady the Queens Highnesse but where they cannot obey but they must disobey God there to submit themselves with all patience and humility to suffer as the will and pleasure of the higher powers shall adjudge as we are ready through the goodness of the Lord to suffer whatsoever they shall adjudge us unto And Bishop Hooper writ an Apology against the slanderous Report made of him that he should encourage and maintain such as cursed Qu. Mary printed 1552. wherein his innocency and loyalty to the Queen in praying for her are vindicated at large In this Parliament there being a general opinion that Queen Mary was with child by King Philip her husband there was a special Act made that in case Queen Mary should die during her childs Minority that King Philip should have the education and protection of him In which Act The Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons assembled in Parliament have firm hopes and confidence by the goodnesse of Almighty God that he will of his infinite goodnesse give the Queens Majesty and Highnesse strength the rather by our continual prayers so passe well the danger of deliverance of Child c. Upon this occasion the Popish Bishops Clergy and Churchmen made many Processions Masses Collects and Prayers to be daily said in all Churches for Qu. Maryes safe deliverance and her issue recorded at large by Mr. Fox where you may peruse them in one of which prayers there were these expressions Give unto our Queen thy servant a little infant in fashion and body comely and beautifull in pregnant wit notable and excellent Grant the same to be in obedience like Abraham in chastity and Brotherly love like Joseph in meeknesse and mildnesse like Moses in strength and valour like Sampson let him be found faithfull as David after thy heart let him be wise among Kings as the most wise Solomon let him be like Job a simple and an upright man fearing God and eschewing evil let him finally be garnished with the comlinesse of all virtuous conditions and in the same let him wax old and live that he may see his Childrens Children to the third and fourth generation And give unto our Soveraign Lord and Lady King Philip and Queen Mary thy blessings and long-life upon earth and grant that of them may come Kings and Queens which may stedfastly continue in faith love and holinesse And blessed be their seed of our God that all Nations may know thou art only God in all the earth which art blessed for ever and ever Amen After Queen Maries decease Anno 1558. Masses and Popish Prayers being again abolished and the Book of Common Prayer restored by the Parliament of 1 Eliz. ch 2. there were the same prayers publickly used for the Queen both in the Letany and Collects as were formerly used for King Edward and in sundry Books dedicated to her Majesty and Prayers published during Her reign there were many loyal and zealous Prayers Supplications and Intercessions made to God for her long life and Prosperous reign over-tedious to recite at large and vulgarly known and in all or most Prayers Morning and Evening for Private Families and Christians there were special Petitions to God for her Majesty some of them being Printed with the Bibles themselves then in use and likewise at the end of most Quarto Bibles under King James and King Charles I shall touch only upon some few presidents of many In the 2. year of her reign John Veron Divinity Lecturer at Pauls in the close of his Dedicatory Epistle to Her Majestie before his Fruitfull Treatise of Predestination prayes thus Christ Jesus of his tender mercy and goodnesse vouchsafe to defend and preserve your most Gracious Highnesse from all your Enemies and with his holy Spirit so to fill strengthen and comfort your Princely heart that ye may at all times boldly set forth his glory and maintain it to your lives end Which the Lord long continue to his Honor. In the 7th year of Queen Elizabeth there was a Collection of Prayers in Latin intituled Preces privatae printed by William Seres and published by the Queens special Privilege and Authority wherein not only the Duty of Subjects is set down out of Mat. 22. 17. Rom. 13. 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. Tit. 3. 1. 1 Pet. 2. but these special Prayers Psalms and Hymnes made to God to be used daily in private Closets and Families for the Queen Domine Pater coelestis Rex Regum Dominus Dominantium omnium Principum gubernator rector intimis votis te suppliciter quaesumus Reginam nostram Elizabetham benigno vultu respicias eique singulari gratia spiritu sancto ità semper assistere digneris ut voluntatem tuam ubique exequatur secundum saluberimam normam mandatorum tuorum omnem vitam transigat Accumula in illam coelestia tua dona ut diu feliciter Nobis imperet Hostes fortiter devincat tandemque in Coelesti gloria vivat in aeternum qui vivis regnas Deus per omnia saecula saeculorum Amen After which follow the same Prayers for her in Latin in the Letany as in the English Letany in the Book of Common-prayer And the same Collects for her in Latin as for her and the King in English Then there ensue Psalmi selecti peculiares pro Rege vel Regina to wit Psalm 20 21 72. applyed to the King and Queen litterally with Domine salvum fac Regem exaudi nos in die in qua invocaverimus After that Precatio d exemplum orationis Salomonis pro Regina Domine Deus qui serenissimam nostram Reginam super nos regnare fecisti eamque in medio populi tui ut in aequitate Nos regat in cordis integritate subditos suos judicet constituisti Mitte illi quaeso de coelis sanctis â—uis à sede majestatis tuae affistricem tuam sapientiam ut ei semper adsit apud eam perpetuò refideat ut sciat quod tibi acceptum fit Dies praetereà super Dies ejus adjicito eique tà m benignè Principali tua
placed under their Hands and Seal or by one of the two Universities under their Seal likewise and except he shall first subscribe to these three Articles following in such manner and sort as we have here appointed 1. That the Kings Majesty under GOD is the only supreme Governour of this Realm and of all other his Highnesse Dominions and Countries aswell in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as Temporal and that no forein Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate have or ought to have Jurisdiction Power Superiority Preeminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within his Majesties said Realms Dominions and Countreys c. And Can. 55. They prescribed this form of prayer to be used by them in their prayers before all their Ser-Lectures and Homilies And herein I require you most especially to pray for the Kings most excellent Majesty our Soveraign Lord CHARLES King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defendor of the Faith and Supreme Governour in these his Realms and all other his Dominions and Countries over all persons in all causes aswell Ecclesiastical as Temporal Ye shall also pray for the Kings most honourable Councel and for all the Nobility and Magistrates of this Realm that all and every of these in their several callings may serve truly and painfully to the glory of GOD and the edifying and well governing of his people remembring the account that they must make Also ye shall pray for the whole Commons of this Realm that they may live in true Faith and Fear of God in humble obedience to the King and brotherly charity one to another Which all Ministers and Preachers duly observed usually adding this clause thereunto That God out of his infinite mercy would grant so to blesse the Kings Majestie and his Royal issue with a perpetual Posterity that there might never want a Man of that Royal race to sway the Scepter of these Realms so long as the Sun and Moon should endure and till all Scepters and Kingdoms should be resigned at the last day into the hands of Jesus Christ the King of Kings The Lords Spiritual Temporal and Commons of the Realm of England assembled in Parliament in the first year of King James do thus expresse and declare their own and the whole Kingdoms unspeakeable joys acclamations and thanksgivings unto God and their own and their posterities Signal Loyalty affection and Devotion to King James his Heirs and Royal progeny for ever in the Statute of 1 Jacobi ch 1. intituled A most joyfull and just Recognition of the immediate lawfull and undoubted succession descent and Right of the Crown Great and manifold were the benefits most dread and most gracious Soveraign wherewith almighty God blessed this Kingdom and Nation by the happy union and conjunction of the two Nobles houses of York and Lancaster thereby preserving this noble Realm formerly torn and almost wasted with long and miserable dissention and bloodie Civil War But more inestimable and unspeakable blessings are thereby powred upon us because there is derived and grown from and out of that union of those two Princely families a more famous and greater union or rather a re-uniting of two Mighty Famous and antient Kingdoms yet antiently but one of England and Scotland under one Imperial Crown in your most Royal Person who is lineally rightfully and lawfully descended of the body of the most excellent Lady Margaret eldest daughter of the most renowned King Henry the 7th and the high and noble Princesse Queen Elizabeth his wife eldest daughter of King Edward the 4th The said Lady Margaret being eldest sister of King Henry the 8th father of the high and mightie Princesse of famous memorie Elizabeth late Queen of England In consideration whereof albeit we your Majesties loyal and faithfull Subjects of all Estates and Degrees with all possible publike Joy and Acclamation by open Proclamations within few houres after the decease of our late Soveraign Queen acknowledging thereby with one full voice of tongue and heart that your Majesty was our only lawfull and rightfull Leige Lord and Soveraign and by our unspeakable and general rejoycing and applause at your Majesties most happy inauguration and Coronation by the affectionate desire of infinite numbers of us of all degrees to see your Royal Person and by all possible outward means have indeavoured to make demonstration of our inward love zeal and devotion to your most excellent Majestie our undoubted rightfull Leige Soveraign Lord and King yet as we cannot do it too often or enough so can there be no means or way so fit both to sacrifice our unfeined and heartie thanks to Almighty God for blessing us with a Soveraign adorued with the rarest gifts of mind and body in such admirable peace and quietnesse and upon the knees of our hearts to agnize our most constant faith obedience and loyalty to your Majestie and your Royal Progenie as in this high Court of Parliament where all the whole body of the Realm and every particular Member thereof either in Person or Represeatation upon their own free Elections are by the Laws of this Realm deemed to be personally present To the present acknowledgment whereof to your Majestie we are the more deeply bounden and obliged as well in regard of the extraordinarie care and pains which with so great wisdom knowledge experience and dexteritie your Majestie since the Imperial Crown of this Realm descended to you have taken for the continuance and establishment of the blessed peace both of the Church of England in the true and sincere Religion and of the Common-wealth by due and speedy administration of justice as in respect of the gracious care and inward affection which it pleased you on the first day of this Parliament so lively to expresse by your own words so full of high wisdom learning and virtue and so repleate with Royal and thankfull acceptation of all our faithfull and constant endeavours which is and ever will be to our inestimable consolation and comfort We therefore your most humble and loyal Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled do from the bottom of our hearts yield to the divine Majestie all humble thanks and prayses not only for the said unspeakable and inestimable benefits and blessings above mentioned but also that he hath further enriched your Highnesse with a most Royal Progenie of Most rare and excellent gifts and forwardnesse and in his goodnesse is like to increase the happy number of them And in most humble and lowly manner do beseech your most Excellent Majestie that as a memorial to all posterities amongst the Records of your high Court of Parliament for ever to endure of our Loyalty Obedience and harty and humble Affection it may be published and declared in this high Court of Parliament and enacted by authority of the same That we being bounden thereunto both by the Laws of God and Man do recognize and acknowledge and thereby
Subjects do most justly acknowledge this great and infinite Blessing to have proceeded merely from God his Great Mercy and to his most holy Name do ascribe all the Honour Glory and Praise And to the end this unfeigned Thankfulnesse may never be forgotten but be had in perpetual Remembrance that all Ages to come may yield praise to his Divine Majesty for the same and have in memorie THIS IOYFULL DAY OF DELIVERANCE Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majestie the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authoritie of the same That all and singular Ministers in everie Cathedral and Parish-church or other usual place of Common prayer within this Realm of England and the Dominions of the same shall alwaies upon the fifth day of November say Morning Prayer and give unto Almighty God thanks for this most happy Deliverance And that all and everie person and persons inhabiting within this Realm of England and the Dominions of the same shall alwaies upon that day diligentlie and faithfullie resort to the Parish Church or Chapel accustomed or to some usual Church or Chapel where the said Morning prayer preaching or other service of God shall be used and then and there to abide orderlie and soberlie during the time of the said prayers preaching or other service of God there to be used and ministred And because all and everie person may be put in mind of this Dutie and be the better prepared to the said holy service Be it enacted by Authoritie aforesaid That every Minister shall give warning to his Parishioners publikelie in the Church at morning prayer the Sunday before everie such fifth day of November for the due observation of the said day And that after morning Prayer or preaching upon the said fifth day of November they read publicklie distinctlie and plainlie this present Act. Upon this occasion there was a special Book of Prayers and Thanksgivings compiled by the Bishops and Clergy prescribed by Authority to be annually read in all Churches and Chapels on the 5th of November wherein amongst others there were four remarkable prayers and thanksgivings relating to the King Queen Prince all the Royal posterity Nobility and Magistrates which I shall here insert I. ALmighty God who hast in all Ages shewed thy power and mercy in the miraculous and gracious deliverances of thy Church and in the protection of righteous and religious Kings and States professing thy Holy and Eternal Truth against the wicked conspiracies and malicious practises of all the enemies thereof We yield unto thee from the very ground of our hearts all possible praise and thanks for the wonderfull and mighty Deliverance of our gracious Soveraign King Iames the Queen the Prince and all the Royal branches with the Nobility Clergy and Commons of this Realm assembled together in Parliament by popish treachery appointed as sheep to the slaughter and that in most barbarous and savage manner no age yielding example of the like cruelty intended towards the Lords anointed and his people Can this thy goodness O Lord be forgotten worthy to be written in a pillar of Marble that we may ever remember to praise thee for the same as the fact is worthy a lasting monument that all posteritie may learn to detest it From this unnatural conspiracy not our merit but thy mercy not our foresight but thy providence hath delivered us not our love to thee but thy love to thy anointed servant and thy poor Church with whom thou hast promised to be present to the end of the world And therefore not unto us not unto us Lord but to thy Name be ascribed all honour and glorie in all Churches of the Saints throughout all generations for thou Lord hast discovered the snares of death thou hast broken them and we are delivered be thou still our mighty Protector and scatter our cruel Enemies which delight in blood infatuate their Counsel and root out their Babylonish and Antichristian sect which say of Ierusalem down with it even to the ground And to that end strengthen the hands of our gracious King the Nobles and Magistrates of the Land with Iudgement and Justice to cut off these Workers of Iniquity whose Religion is Rebellion whose Faith is Faction whose Practise is murthering of Souls and Bodies and to root them out of the confines and limits of this Kingdom that they may never prevail against us and triumph in the ruine of thy Church and give us grace by true and serious repentance to avert these and the like Judgements from us This Lord we earnestlie crave at thy mercifull hands together with the countenance of thy powerfull protection over our dread Soveraign the whole Church and these Realms and the speedie confusion of our implacable Enemies and that for thy dear Sons sake our onlie mediator and advocate II. ALmighty God and heavenly Father which of thy everlasting providence and tender mercy towards us hast prevented the extreme malice and mischievous imagination of our ensmies revealing and confounding their horrible and devilish enterprise plotted against our Soveraign Lord the King his Royal House and the whole State of this Realm for the subversion thereof together with the truth of thy Gospel and pure Religion amongst us and for the reducing of Popish Superstition and tyranny into this Church and land we most humbly prayse and magnifie thy glorious name for thine infinite gracious goodnesse in this our marvellous Deliverance we confesse it was and is thy mercy thy mercy alone most mercifull Father that we are not consumed that their snare is broken and our Soul is escaped For our sins cryed to Heaven against us and our iniquities justly called for judgement upon us but thy great mercy towards us hath exalted it self above judgement not to deal with us after our sins to give us over as we deserved to be a prey to our enemies but taking our correction into thine own hands to deliver us from their blood-thirsty malice and preserve from death and destruction our King and State with thy Gospel and true Religion amongst us Good Lord give us true repentance and unfeigned conversion unto thee to prevent further judgements increase us more and more in lively Faith and fruitfull love in all obedience that thou mayest continue thy loving favour with the light of thy Gospol to us and our Posterity for evermore Make us now and alwaies truely thankfull in heart word and deed for all thy gracious mercies and this our special deliverance Protect and defend our Soveraign Lord the King with the Queen and all the Royal Progeny from all treasons and conspiracies preserve them in thy faith fear and love under the shadow of thy wings against all evil and wickednesse prosper their reign with long happinesse on earth and everlasting glory following in the Kingdom of Heaven Bless the whole State and Realm with grace and peace that with one heart and mouth we may praise
thee in thy Church and alwaies sing joyfully that thy mercifull kindness is ever more and more towards us and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever through Jesus Christ our only Saviour and Redeemer Amen III. ETernal God and our most mighty Protector we thy people of this Land confesse our selves above all the Nations of the earth infinitely bound unto thy heavenly Majesty for thy many unspeakable benefits conferred and heaped upon us especially for planting thy Gospel among us and placing over us a most gracious King a faithfull Professor and Defendor of the same both which exasperate the enemies of true Religion and enrage their thoughts to the invention of most dreadfull designs all which notwithstanding it hath pleased thee hitherto either to prevent or overthrow at this time principally thou hast most strangely discovered an horrible and cruel plot and device for the massacring as well of thy dear Servant and our dread Soveraign as of the chief States assembled in thy fear for the continuance of thy truth and good of this Realm We humbly present our selves at thy feet admiring thy might and wisedom and acknowledging thy grace and favour in preserving them and the whole Realm by their safety beseeching thee for thy Son Jesus Christ his sake to continue still thy care over us and to shield our gracious King under the shadow of thy wings that no mischievous attempt may come near nor the Sons of wickednesse may hurt him but that under him we may still enioy this his peaceable Government with the profession of the Gospel of thy Son Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost c. IV. O God infinit in power and of endless mercy we give thee all possible thanks since it hath pleased thee so miraculously to discover and defeat the mischievous plots of thine and our Enemies thou hast delivered our dread Soveraign from the snares of the Fowler and his Nobles from the fire of the fury of the wicked he shall rejoyce in thy Salvation and we his People shall tryumph in this thy wonderfull Deliverance thy Gospel shall prosper and thine Adversaries shall be confounded And multiply good Lord we beseech thee thy great goodnesse towards our gracious King and his Kingdoms from this time forth through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen After this Deliverance from this horrid Powder-plot there were these 2. forms of Prayers used in the Commons House by the Speakers during the Parliaments session very seasonable for our times wherein they expressed their Loyalty and Devotion to the King and his Royal Progeny A Prayer used by the Speaker of the Commons House of Parliament I. O GOD most great and glorious which dwellest in the Heavens over all yet humblest thy self to behold the things that are done upon the earth we the people and sheep of thy pasture assembled by thy providence to the performance of this high service whereupon the honour of thy name the beauty of thy Church amongst us the glory of the King and wealth of our State doth depend knowing that without thee we can do nothing do at this time with fear and reverence in the beginning of our consultations first look up unto thee from whom wisedom and happie successe doth come praying thee to look down upon us who first look up unto thee from whom wisdom and happie successe doth come praying thee to look down from Heaven upon us with the eye of thy mercy to draw near unto us with the presence of thy grace to prepare us all with counsel and understanding and to be President and Director of all our conferences that those things may be propounded conceived allowed and confirmed which may best please thee and most directlie and soundly uphold the honour of thy Name the sinceritie of thy worship the safety of our King and peace of thy people even for thy Son our Lords sake And that we may not our selves be any hinderance to the obtaining of these our desires either by means of any sin formerly committed or of any corruption yet remaining in us we humblie pray thee to forgive our sins and blot out all our iniquities and to stand reconciled unto us in an everlasting covenant of peace as if we had never sinned against thee And because our hearts by nature are not fit for good cogitations create a new heart and renew a right spirit in us remove far from us all vain-glorious humour of advancing our private profit all envious humour of disgracing other mens gifts all malicious humour of hurting anie mans person and finally all froward humour of opposing our selves against just needfull and godly things by whomsoever propounded Furnish us with knowledge wisedom and zeal by sending down thy spirit into our hearts that we may understand discern prefer and set forward all things tending to the advancement of thy glorie and such as may be thought worthie our assent and furtherance And because all good things are not of equal goodness nor all needfull things of equal necessitie let our care and zeal be equallie proportioned to the degrees of things in goodnesse and necessitie different And therefore first make us carefull of the glory of thy Name which is the high end of all thy counsels and works and ought to be the last and first respect of all our purposes and doings And therein let our especial care be to provide for the continuance of thy word and religious practice of thy worship by the Ministery and means that Christ hath planted in his Church next let the good of this whole Island move our care and zeal which consisting in the safety and honour of the King and the enacting and executing of good Laws let us be wisely carefull and faithfully zealous for the Person of our King whom thou the King of Kings hast in mercy set over us And because no Law can be good that is not agreeable to thy Law which containeth the Fundamental equity of all Laws in making Laws to govern thy people let us alwaies have an eye unto thy Law not digressing from the holy equity thereof and what through thy mercy we shall here profitably enact we pray thee through the whole Kingdom it may be truly executed that our great labour may not be disgraced with little fruit And forasmuch as we all and every one of us have in this place with wonder and astonishment and without any merit of ours found a most evident assurance of thy mercy and goodnesse in a miraculous deliverance from the greatest danger by Popish treachery that ever was attempted or threatned towards our King our State and Vs give us good Lord hearts above the hearts of men to offer unto thee in the same place a daily sacrifice of thanksgiving in the highest measure together with a servent and incessant zeal care and diligence in all our proceedings for the setling of the peace and happy estate of thy Church amongst us the preservation of our King his royal
fruiturque iterum quibus haeserat olim Auspiciis Capitique errantia Membra Reponit I shall conclude this whole Treatise with the usual thanks and Prayer of the Prelates Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament in the name all of other Subjects of England whom they represent entred upon every general Pardon of the King passed in Parliament wherein they pray God to give him a peaceable good and long life in these words Les Prelates Seigneurs Commones en cest Parleament assembles au nom de touts vous autres subjects Remercient treshumblement vostre Majesty Prient deiu vous doner en sante bone die longe And with these Prayers and Collects for the King of England in the Book of Common Prayer Priest O LORD SAVE THE KING Answer by all the people And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee Almighty God whose Kingdome is everlasting and power infinite have mercy upon the whole congregation and so rule the heart of thy chosen Servant CHARLES OUR KING AND GOVERNOUR that he knowing whose minister he is may above all things seek thy honour and glory and that we his Subjects duly considering whose authority he hath may faithfully serve honour and humbly obey him in thee and for thee according to thy blessed word and ordinance through Jesus Christ our Lord who with Thee and the holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen Almighty and everlasting God we be taught by thy holy word that the hearts of Kings are in thy rule and governance and that thou dost dispose and turn them as it seemeth best to thy godly wisdome we beseech thee so to dispose and govern the heart of CHARLES THY SERVANT OUR KING AND GOVERNOR THAT IN ALL HIS THOUGHTS WORDS AND WORKS HE MAY EVER SEEK THY HONOUR AND GLORY AND STUDY TO PRESERVE THY PEOPLE COMMITTED TO HIS CHARGE IN WEALTH PEACE AND GODLINESSE Grant this O merciful Father for thy sons sake Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 1 Sam. 2. 6 7 8 9 10. The Lord killeth and maketh alive he bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up again The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich he bringeth low and lifteth up He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghil to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the Throne of glory c. The Adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces out of heaven shall he thunder upon them the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth AND HE SHALL GIVE STRENGTH UNTO HIS KING AND EXALT THE HORN OF HIS ANOINTED GOD SAVE KING CHARLES THE SECOND AMEN FINIS ERRATA COurteous Reader Correct those mistakes at the Press pag. 15. line 22. read finierunt p. 16. l. 1. r. Catholicae l. 38. r. seculi p. 32. l. 8. r. stabilitate p. 4. l. 23. r. liberatus p. 45. l. 3. r. subventionis p. 60. l. 14. r. processionale p. 73. l. 26. sermons l. 30. Charles r. James p. 82. l. 32. countenance r. continuance p. 129. l. 34. multiplicetur p. 133. l. 22. firmet p. 157. l. 24. r. circundatus p. 158. l. 8. perfunde p. 234. trisone p. 239. l 37. mille p. 240. l. 13. penetrassent p. 275. l. 34. r. liberis tribue p. 277. l. 21. 1. populis p. 277. l. 11. 1. nos p. 282. l. 4. vivis l. 22. corona p. 284. l. 19. profectuum p. 292. l. 13. r. salvatore p. 293. l. 28. pice Margin p. 25. l. 1. 298. r. 292. p. 104. l. 5. fection p. 13. l. 7. Ibidem a 1 Tim. 6. 15. Rev. 19. 16. b Dan. 2 21. c. 4. 25. Job 12. 19 20 21. 1 Sam. 2. 8. Psa 113. 7 8. c Psal 98. 1. Exod. 15. 16. Deut. 4. 34. d Dan. 2. 34. 43. e Psal 120. 4 5 6. f 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. g Ps 46. 7. h Num. 16. 22. â— 27. 16. i 2 Sam. 16. 9. to 10. a Psal â— 18. 22 23 24. b Isa 66. 7 8 9. c Bellarmin de Notis Eccles c. 14. Bâ—shop Jewels Def. of the Apology of the Ch. of Engl. ch 16. Divis 1 D. John White his Way to the true Church Sect 42 Digress 44. * Psal 43. 10. 11 See Surius Lippomanes Ribadenira in their lives of the Saints * Deut. 32 31. a Exod. 15. 11 12 13 21. b Psal 21. 1 2 3 c. * Psal 106. 48. * 2 Chron 9. 5 6 7. * Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbit Claudian a See here P 1. 2. and ch 4. throughout b Histrioma p 825. E. 26. 943. 516. to 520. * See the Homelies against Rebellion and on Whitsunday Deus Rex 3 Jac. c. 1. 4. * Page 27. Page 116. * Page 1117. 1118. * See my plea for the Lords and House of peers p. 461. 462. * A new discovery of the Prelates tyranny p. 141. 142. c. e Interest will not lie f * Collect. 3. * Tertulliani Apologeticus c. 30. to 38. Athenagoras Apologia pro Christianis * See Beatus Rhenanus la Cerda on the place * A great Republican at first afterward a greater Protectorian christning one of his Sons by the name of Cromwel Hull * Rom. 4. 1 12 16 17. * See Cooks 7 Rep. Calvins case f. 6 7. 1 Instit f. 68 b Spelmanni Glossarium Tit. Fidelitas Ligeantia ‖ See Rom. 4. 1 10 25. Heb. 7. 4 to 10. * Exod. 1. 6 to the end c. 2. 23 24 25. c. 3. 7 8 9 10. Acts 7. 18 to 35. e Exod. 1 8. c. 2. 1 to 16. Act. 7. 20 to 32. Hebr. 11 23 24 25. f Exod. 1. 11 to 16. Acts 7. 24 to 30. g Exod 1. 8 to 22 c. 2. 1 to 23. c 3. 6 to 11. Acts 7. 18 to 35. Ps 105 25. h Numb 12. 7. Ps 90. 1. Ps 106. 23. i Exod. 3 4 to c. 15 Acts 7. 30 to 37. Ps 105. 26 to 30. Mat. 5. 43 44 45 See page 1. 1 Sam. 8. 22. c. 9. 16 17 c 12. 12 13 c. 15. 1. 19. Josephus Antiqu Judai l. 6. c. 5 6 7. * Josephus Antiq Judaic l. 6. c. 5. 6. * Basil Augustin Arnobius Mercer others * 1 Kings 2. 1 to 23. 1 Chron. c. 28. 29. * 1 Kings c. 7. 8. 2 Chron. c. 5. 5. ‖ 1 Kings 8. 14 to 22. 2 Chron. 6. 4 to 12. * 1 Kings 8. 22 to 27. 2 Chron. 6. 12 to 18. 42. * 1 Kings 8. 34 to 62. 66. * 1 Kings 8. 66. 2 Chron. 7. 10. * 1 Kings 13. 1 to 7. ‖ 2 Kings 11. 4 c. 2 Chron. 23. * Rhemigius Haymo * Ps 137. Jer. 50 51. * Iosephus Antiqu Iudae l. 11. c. 4. ut non desinentes quotidie sacrificare TAM PRO ME quam pro Persarum gente Deum deprecantur * Josephus Antiqu. Jud. l. 18. c. 10 11. philo de legatione ad Caium Fusebius Eccles Hist l. 2. c. 5. Nicephorus l 2. c.
Alchâ—â—ses or at their own or others Tables as well to Godâ— dishonor as your Majesties In fine I shall be a daily Orator to the God of your Majesties and your Kingdoms Salvation that all the temporal spiritual and eternal blessings comprised in the several Prayers Collects Benedictions Salutations Acclamations and Passages collected in this Treatise for any Christian Emperors Kings and Princes may concenter in and be abundantly powred forth on your Majesties Royal Person Family Kingdoms Councils Court Armies Government People that so your Majestie may be Chronicled to all Posterity as in truth you really demerit for the best devoutest holiest justest and most gratious of all Christian Kings that ever reigned and your formerly disloyal degenerated Subjects by your most righteous Reign and pious Royal Example henceforth become the most Loyal Religious Free and Happiest of all Subjects in the Universe Which is and shall be the daily Prayer of Your Majesties most humble yet Faithfull and Loyal Subject William Prynne From my Study in Lincolns Inne June 5. 1660. To the Courteous and Ingenuous Reader THe Original occasion of the Collections comprised in this Treatise with the general causes of its present publication are at large related in the first six pages to which I shall accumulate one special motive more particularly reflecting on my self â—â—â—â—ssitating me thereunto It hath been my portion as well as the Primitive Christians before me to be frequently accused and publickly slandered as a professed Enemy to the late Kings Person to Kingly Government and a justifier an encourager of REGICIDES and exciter of Subjects to lay violent hands upon their Princes sacred persons in some cases This calumny was first raised and fixed on me by Dr. Heylin and Bishop Laud and by their procurements inserted into the Information exhibited against me by M. Noy then Kings Atturney in the starchamber in June 1633. for my Histriomastix licensed by Dr. Buckner Houshold Chaplain to Archbishop Abbot and indeavoured to be proved by some wrested inferences and expressions of Fathers approved Historians quoted by me in that Book though I had in expresse terms therein condemned these disloyal Practises Positions they aspersed me withall as Jesuitical treasonable and Rebellious disclaimed them in my answer thereunto upon Oath as never once entring into my loyal heart being repugnant to the Oaths of Supremacy Allegiance I had taken both as a a Graduate in the University of Oxford and Barrester in the Innes of Court and to the principles of the Protestant Religion I professed After this I was again scandalized and traduced by some of our Prelates to the late King himself in the year 1641. out of meer malice who would needs strain a passage in my Epistle to the High Court of Parliament prefixed to my Antipathy c. or Historical Collection of the EXECRABLE TREASONS Conspiracies REBELLIONS c. of our English British French Scotish and Irish Lordly Prelates against our Kings and Kingdomes then published against the very letter and meaning of my words and the scope of my whole Book as the King himself then answered mine Accusers upon the reading thereof rejecting their Accusation as a false and groundlesse calumny Upon the publishing of my Soveraign power of Parliaments and Kingdomes in the year 1643. I was again calumniated in the self same kind though therein I at large dicovered censured the Treachery and disloyalty of Papists to their Soveraigns both in their Doctrines and Treasonable practices which they since would charge me with whereupon I fully and particularly vindicated my self from this accusation afresh in my Mr. Prynne the Member reconciled to Prynne the Barrester and other Treatises Having sufficiently cleared my innocency against all these reiterated aspersions coming into the House of Commons in November 1648. as a Member much against my will I did then in three several extemporary Speeches in the House upon the Armies presenting their treasonable Declaration from Saint Albans November the 20. demanding the King to be brought to publick Justice and the Prince and Duke of York to be banished and disinherited c. and upon the Kings seisure by the Army and removal from the Isle of Wight to bring him to his Trial and Execution declare my judgement at large against these their Demands Proceedings not onely as illegal and seditious but as TREASONABLE and PERFIDIOUS in the highest degree Whereupon on the 4. of December 1648. some implacable Enemies to the King endeavouring his destruction highly incensed against me for my zealous loyalty to preserve both his Royal Person and Dignity from their intended violence falsely and maliciously published and Printed a CHARGE against the King in my name purposely to defame me and stop my mouth from speaking my conscience freely in the great debate then on foot touching the satisfactoriness of the Kings Answer to the Propositions of both Houses upon the conclusion of the Personal Treaty with him in the Isle of Wight which false Imposture I meeting with that morning going to the House did there openly complain against it as a malicious Forgerie the very stile frame and expressions in it evidencing it to be none of mine After which I particularly disowned it in the beginning and refuted the whole scope of it and the Armies Declaration to bring the King to Justice c. in the end of my Speech that very day Dec. the 4. 1648. as A MEER destructive JESUITICAL and POPISH DESIGN by sundry Arguments from Scripture Policy and our Laws the manifold Declarations Remonstrances of both Houses and the Army officers themselves the Oaths of Supremacy Allegiance Protestation Vow Solemn League Covenant and other Topicks which Speech I soon after published in print at the earnest request of the Members secured and secluded with me by the Army Dec. 6 and 7. for their Vote touching the Kings Concessions all the grounds and Reasons of this Vote and answers to all objections made against it by the Dissenters from it during the whole Debate being comprised in it Hereupon this forged Charge was branded by all sorts for a meer spurious Brat fit for nothing but the Jakes yet notwithstanding one William Saunderson Esquire a person I never saw nor injured to my knowledge hath inserted this gross Imposture at large into his Compleat History of the life and Reign of KING CHARLS from his Cradle to his grave Printed in London 1658. reviving its memory afresh and fathering it upon me as my genuine Issue p. 1116 1117. and that with so much confidence and reduplicated Positive invective asseverations at least ten years after its general Disclaimer as a most false and malicious Forgery that some of my friends begin to suspect and others now believe report it generally to be penned and published byme which all succeeding ages will undoubtedly credit for truth if not now afresh disowned by me in Print retracted by this calumniating Historian Who having read my former disclaimer
Potterspiry and Eggemond to the Priory and Covent of St. Anne by Coventre founded by his Ancestors Ut iidem Prior Conventus Pro beno statu nostro ac Consortis nostrae liberorumque nostrorum ac carissimae matris nâ—strae Deum altissimum deprecentur indies et exorent ac missam de Spiritu sancto pro Nobis semel in ebdomade durante vita nâ—stra faciant celebrari et quendam solempnem annualem obitum pro anima nostra cum ab hac luce migraverimus custodiant et observent In the Book entituled Horae beatissimae Mariae ad ligituum Ecclesiae Salisburiensis ritum printed Parisiis 1519. the 10. year of King Henry the 8th but generally used throughout England some hundreds of years before f. 12. there is this set form of Prayer for the King of England for the time being Deus regnorum et Christiani maximè Protector Imperii Da Servo tuo H. Regi nostro de Hoste triumphum ut qui tua providentia extitit Coronatus tuo semper munimine tutus sit et securus per Christum Dominum nostrum And in Processiâ—ale ad usus insignis Ecclesiae Sarum Parisiis 1545. f. 6. 124 208. I meet with these short Prayers ejaculations then and formerly publickly used in all Processions for our successive Kings Domine salvum fac Regem Regem nostrum ac Principes c. in omni sanctitate custodi Salvum fac Regem nostrum Famuium tuum Et exaudi nos in die quo invocavâ—rimus â—te All our antient Missals Offices Howers Primers in times of Popery containing the like Prayers and such as I have formerly recited out of Cassander his Preces Ecclesiasticae together with Prayers for their Souls after their deaths which according to the modern use of the Church of Rome are popish vain sinfull superstitious implying and presupposing a Purgatory but according to their primitive use and institution pious and religious importing no purgatory at all as learned Bishop Vsher proves at large in his Answer to the Jesuites Challenge of Prayers for the Dead p. 194. to 264. to which I refer the Reader for fuller satisfaction herein and concerning the forementioned Prayers for and Charters of our Kings to Monasteries to pray for their own their Ancestors Successors Heirs and others Souls when departed out of this World I could adde many Prayers made for King Henry the 8th in sundry Epistles and Dedications of Books unto him but for brevity I shall omit all but 3. The 1. is Pope Leo the 10th his Bull to him in the 22. year of his Reign subscribed with all the Cardinals Hands wherein he conferred on him the Title of Defender of the Faith for writing a Book against Luther in defence of Pardous the Papacy and 7. Sacraments which Bull begins thus Leo Episcopus Servus servorum Dei Charissimo in Christo filio Henrico Angliae Regi Fidei defensori salutem et Apostolicam benedictionem And is closed with this Benediction and Prayer for him and his Posterity Perpetuum hoc immortale gloriae tuae monumentum Posteris tuis relinquere illisque viam ostendere ut si tali titulo ipsi quoque insigniri optabunt talia etiam opera efficere praeclaraqâ—e Majestatis tuae vestigia sequi studeant quam prout de Nobis dicta sede optimè merita est unâ cum uxore filiis ac omnibus qui à te ab illis nascentur Nostra Benedictione in nomine illius à quo illam concedendi potestas Nobis data est larga liberali manu benedicentes Altissimum illum qui dixit Per me Reges regnant Principes imperant in manu sua corda sunt Regum rogamus et obsecramus ut eam in suo sancto proposito confirmet ejusque devotionem multiplicet ac praeclaris prosancta fide gestis ita illustret ac toti Orbi terrarum conspicuam reddat ut judicium quod de ipsa fecimus eam tà m insigni titulo decorantes à nemine falsum aut vanum judicari possit Demum mortat is hujus vitae â—â—uito curriculo sempiternae illius gloriae consortem atque participem reddat The 2 is William Wraghton an acute Protestant Writer who in his Epistles to King Henry the 8th before his two Books intituled The Hunting of the Romish Fox printed at Basyl 1543. And his Rescuing of the Romish Fox against Stephen Gardner printed 1545. Wisheth him prosperity both of Body and Soul closing his last Epistle to him with this Prayer God grant you health both of Body and Soul victory over your Enemies and Grace to do in this our matter of Religion as shall be most to the Glory of God and the profit of the Common-wealth Amen And he closeth his last Treatise with this Prayer God save the King The third is our learned Protestant Divine Thomas Beacon who in his Path-way unto Prayer dedicated to the Lady Anne Grey ch 55. hath this Godly exhortation to all private Christians Let us flee to God at all times with humble Obsecrations and hearty Requests Let our Prayers be continual Let us in all our Prayers seek the glory of God the advancement of his most blessed word and the health of our own Souls Let us pray for the preservation of the Kings most excellent Majesty H. 8. and for the prosperous successe of his intirely-beloved Son Edward our Prince that most Angel-like Impe. Let us pray for all the Lords Spiritual and Temporal specially for those that have the regiment of the Publick-weal under the Kings Graces Highness Let us pray for the Ministers of Gods Word that they may freely speak the truth of Christs Gospel as it becommeth them Let us pray for all men universally chiefly for the Inhabitants of this Realm of England That they may all bear a faithfull heart both towards God and our King Upon the Reformation of Religion and abolishing of Popish Missals Psalters Howers Processionals and Portuasses by King Edward the sixth in his Parliament 2 3 Edw. 6. ch 10. the King by advice of his Convocation and Parliament commanded A Book of Common-prayer and Administeration of the Sacraments in the English Tongue to be used in all Churches and Chapels throughout the Realm by the Statutes of 2 E. 6 c. 1. 5 6 E. 6. c. 1. Wherein there was not only a Prayer for the King in the Letany but in a special Collect agreeing in substance with those in our later Books of Common-Prayer hereafter cited In this pious Kings reign the Bishops and Ministers in their Epistles and Dedications to him and in their Prayers before after their Sermons usually prayed most heartily and particularly for his long life religious and prosperous reign and spiritual temporal and eternal felicity And John Bale Bishop of Ossery in his Image of both Churches or Paraphrase upon St. Johns Revelation printed 1550. in the last page thereof exhorts all Gods meek-spirited
Servants in their daily Prayer afore all other to remember that most worthy Minister of God King Edward the sixth which hath so sore wounded the Beast that he may throw all his Superstition into the bottomlesse lake again from whence they have comen to the comfort of his People Our learned Thomas Beacon in his Preface to The Flower of Godly Prayers dedicated to Anne Dutchesse of Somerset as he doth exceedingly blesse God for the extraordinary zeal and piety of King Edward the 6th in delivering his Realm from Antichristian Tyranny and Popery reforming the Church propagating true religion and in giving us this most worthy Prince to be our King So he hath this particular Prayer for the King to be used by all private Christians daily in their respective Families and Closets with zeal and devotion Almighty God King of Kings and Lord of Lords which by thy divine ordinance hast appointed Temporal Rulers to govern thy People according to equity and justice and to live among them as a loving Father among his natural Children unto the advancement of the good and punishment of the evil we most humbly beseech thee favourably to behold Edward thy Servant our King and Governour and to breath into his heart through thy holy Spirit that Wisdom that is ever about the Throne of thy Majesty whereby he may be provoked moved and stirred to love fear and serve thee to seek thy glory to banish Idolatry Superstition and Hypocrisy out of this his Realm and unfeignedly to avance thy holy and pure Religion among us his Subjects unto the example of other forein Nations O Lord defend him from his enemies send him long and prosperous life among us and give him grace not only in his own Person godly and justly to rule but also to appoint such Magistrates under him as may be likewise affected both toward thy holy Word and toward the Common-weal that his Subjects living under his Dominion in all godlinesse peace and wealth may passe the time of this our short pilgrimage in thy fear and service unto the glory of thy blessed name which alone is worthy all honour for ever and ever Amen Next after this follows one Prayer for the Kings Council And after that a Prayer for the common peace and quietnesse of all Realms very seasonable for our times And in his Pomaunder of Prayer he hath this Prayer of Subjects or Commons As it is thy godly appointment O Lord God That some should bear rule in the world to see thy Glory set forth and the common peace kept so is it thy pleasure again that some should be Subjects and Inferiours to others in their vocation although before thee there is no respect of Persons And for as much as it is thy good will to appoint me in the number of Subjects I beseech thee to give me a faithfull and an obedient heart unto the High Powers that there may be found in me no Disobedience no Vnfaithfullnesse no Treason no Falsehood no Dissimulation no Insurrection no Commotion no Conspiracy nor any kind of Rebelâ—ion in Word or Deed against the Civil Magistrates But all Faithfulnesse Quietnesse Subjection Humility and whatsoever else becommeth a Subject That I living here in all lowlynesse of mind may at the last day through thy favour be lifted up into everlasting Glory where thou with the Father and the Holy Ghost livâ—st and reignest very God for ever Amen These were the Godly Loyal fervent daily publick and private Prayers of Protestant Ministers and Subjects for King Edward the 6th in that Age. Queen Mary a Popish Prince succeeding King Edward set aside the Book of Common-prayer and introduced Popish Mâ—ssals Processionals Howers Primers and Popery again wherein they publickly prayed for her in the forecited manner under our Popish Kings her zealous Protestant Bishops Ministers and Subjects likewise making fervent constant Prayers for her But some over-zealous Anabaptistical Fanaticks using some unchristian expressions in their Prayers against her That God would cut her off and shorten her daies of which there was complaint made in Parliament Whereupon there was this special Act made against such Prayers Anno 1555. 1 2 Phil. Mar. ch 9. Forasmuch as now of late diverse noughty seditious malicious and heretical persons not having the fear of God before their eyes who in a divellish sort contrary to the duty of their Allegiance congregated themselves together in Conventicles in divers and sundry prophane places within the City of London esteeming themselves to be in the true Faith where indeed they are in Errors and Heresies and out of the true trade of Christs Catholick Religion and in the same places at several times using their phantastical and schismatical services have of their most malicious and wicked Stomachs prayed against the Queens Majesty That God would turn her Heart from Idolatry to the true Faith which was good and Christian or else to shorten her daies or take her quickly out of the way Which Prayer was never heard or read to have been used by any good Christian man against any Prince though he were a Pagan and Infidel and much lesse against any Christian Prince and especially so virtuous a Princess as our Soveraign Lady that now is is known to be c. For reformation whereof it is enacted That every such person and persons which since the beginning of this Parliament have by expresse words and sayings prayed required or desired or hereafter shall pray by express words or sayings That God would shorten her daies or take her out of the way whose life Almighty God long preserve or any such like malicious Prayer amounting to the same effect their Promoters Abetters therein shall be taken reputed and judged Traytors and every such praying requiring and destring shall be judged taken and reputed High Treason And the Offendors therein their Procurours and Abetters being thereof lawfully convict according to the Laws of this Realm shall have suffer and forfeit as in Cases of High Treason Provided alwaies and be it enacted that if any Person or Persons shall be indicted for any the offences aforesaid done and perpetrated during this Session of this present Parliament and upon his or their arraignment shall shew him or themselves penitent for their offence and submit him or themselves to the Kings and Queens mercy and humbly desire the same before such Justices or Commissioners before whom he or they shall be arraigned that then no judgement of conviction or attaindour of Treason shall be given against any such Person or Persons so being penitent and submitting themselves And in every such case the Justices or Commissioners before whom such Person or Persons shall be arraigned shall have authority by virtue of this Act to prescribe adjudge and appoint such corporal punishment other than death to such offender and offenders as to them by their discretion shall seem convenient and upon that penance prescribed and done
Progeny our selves and our Posterity and for the preventing suppressing and final rooting out of the spring issue and fruit of all such hellish and popish hearts intentions and practices to the everlasting praise and glory of thy blessed name Hear us we pray thee O Father of mercy in these our most humble and needfull petitions forgive and answer us according to thy fatherly and great goodnesse for Jesus Christ his sake to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost three Persons and one God be all praise glory and power now and for ever Amen A Prayer for the Parliament used also in the House II. ALmighty God which by thy holy Prophet David art most truly said to stand in the Congregation of Princes and givest judgement in the midst of the mighty men of the world and through whom Princes do reign Law-makers do discern just things Lords bear rule and all Judges of the earth execute judgement and for that cometh of thee all Counsel and equity all understanding and strength grant unto us here gathered together in thy name that wisdom which is alwaies assistant to thy seat to give knowledge to our feeble and ignorant minds Send down we beseech thee the same wisdom out of thy holy heavens and from the throne of thy Majesty that is may be now with us and labour with us whereby we surely knowing what is acceptable unto thee may be led through it to the debating weighing and final determining of those matters by the which thy blessed Name may be glorified thy Catholick Church of England confirmed and increased the Kings assurance established the common tranquillity of this Realm safely maintained and last of all all estates and people thereof in true obedience and charity united and knit together Grant this O God for thy only Sons sake Jesus Christ our Lord Amen In the Lords House the Collects and Prayers in the Common Prayer Book and Letany for the King Queen Prince and Royal Posterity with other prayers were daily used by the Bishops and Peers during their Session To mention all the particular Prayers for the King Queen and Royal posterity comprised in Books of private Prayers and Devotion as the Practice of Piety and the like and Epistles Dedicatory perfixed to hundreds of Books and Sermons dedicated to King James by Bishops Ministers and others of all sorts and in usual Graces before and after meals would be both infinite and nauseous being commonly known and obvious to all and therefore I shall wholy pretermit them the substance of them being comprised in those Prayers already mentioned I shall now proceed to the reign of our late King Charles who as he had constant Supplications and Prayers made for him in all Cathedral and Parish Churches Chapels Colledges most private families and in our Parliaments themselves by name during all King James his reign as Duke of York and Prince of Wales so after his comming to the Crown March 27. 1645. till January 1648. he had the like publike and private Prayers Intercessions and Supplications made for him throughout his 3. Realms as King and for his Queen and royal Posteritie not only by our preaching Ministers in their prayers before their Sermons and by most others in their morning and evening family and closet prayers Graces before or after meales as our own experience attests but likewise these special set Prayers Petitions and Collects in our Letany and common Prayer Book which I shall here transcribe because almost quite forgotten by above 12. whole years discontinuance in most Churches Families too In the publike Letany ordered to be read thrice every week or oftener upon occasion there are these several Prayers and Petitions to God That it would please thee to keep and strengthen in the true worshipping of thee in righteousnesse and holinesse of life thy servant Charles our most gracious King and Governor That it may please thee to rule his heart in thy faith fear and love and that he may evermore have affiance in thee and ever seek thy honour and glory That it may please thee to be his defender and keeper giving him the victory over all his Enemies That it may please thee to blesse and preserve our gratious Queen Mary Prince Charles and the rest of the Royal Issue After every of which several Prayers and Supplications all the People severally answered We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. After which followed these two Prayers for the Kings Majestie the Queen Prince and Royal Issue and read twice every day in most places O God our heavenly Father high and mighty King of Kings and Lord of Lords the only Ruler of Princes which dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon earth most heartily we beseech thee with thy favour to behold our most Gracious Soveraign Lord King Charles and so replenish him with the grace of thy holy Spirit that he may alwaies incline to thy will and walk in thy way endue him plentifully with heavenly gifts Grant him in health and wealth long to live strengthen him that he may vanquish and overcome all his Enemies and finally after this life he may attain everlasting joy and felicity through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Almighty God the Father of thine elect and of their seed which Bishop Laud changed into the fountain of all goodnesse we humbly beseech thee to blesse our gracious Queen Mary Prince Charles and the rest of the royal issue Endue them with thy holy Spirit enrich them with thy Heavenly grace prosper them with all happinesse and bring them to thine everlasting Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen In the Prayer for the whole Estate of Christs Church there is this Clause relating to Kings in general and King Charles in particular We beseech thee also to save and defend all Christian Kings Princes and Governors and Specially thy servant Charles our King that under him we may be godly and quietly Governed When these Prayers and Collects with the Book of Common-Prayer were suspended by the Directory of the publike worship of God in most places throughout the 3 Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland Printed by order of both Houses 13 Martii 1644. yet the substance of them was still continued by the very Directory it self during the heat of the late Wars between the King and Parliament witnesse p. 10 11. of publike Prayer before the Sermon wherein all Ministers are directed To pray for all in Authority especially for the Kings Majesty that God would make him rich in blessings both in Person and Government establish his Throne in Religion and righteousnesse save him from all evil Counsel and make him a blessed and glorious Instrument for the Conservation and Propagation of the Gospel for the Encouragement and Protection of those that do well and the terror of all that do evil and the great good of the whole Church and of all his Kingdoms for the Conversion of the Queen the Religious education of the
Prince and the rest of the Royal seed for the comforting of the afflicted Queen of Bohemia sister to our Soveraign and for the Restitution and Establishment of the Illustrious Prince Charls Elector Palatine much more then now of our Illustrious long-exiled King CHARLES to all his Dominions and Dignities To pretermit all Prayers made for King Charles in Epistles perfixed to hundreds of Books of all sorts dedicated to him whiles Prince of Wales and King of England Scotland and Ireland I shall Conclude only with 3. short Prayers of this Nature in 3. of our learnedest late deceased Antiquaries Dedicatory Epistles to his Majesty being of 3. several professions The first is Mr. John Seldens in the cloâ—e of his Dedicatory Epistle to His Mare clausum Londini 1635. Inexuperabilem Tibi felicitatem sanctissima illa Majestas quae Tuae archetypae est praestet conservetque The 2. is Sir Henry Spelmans in the end of his Dedicatory Epistle before the first Tome of his Councils Londini 1639. Dei Vicario Ecclesiae Nutricio Fidei Defensori Carolo Dei gratia Magnae Britaniae Franciae Hiberniae Regi c. Magno Pio Augustissimo Deus optimus maximus Regiam vestram Majestatem sovolemque Serenissimum Ecclesiae et Britaniis Imperpetuum sospitet beatissime The 3 is most learned renowned and pious Archbishop Vsher who thus winds up his Epistle to King Charls perfixed to his Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates Dublini 1639. Deus optimus maximus Regum suorum custos et vinder vitam tibi det proliram imperium securum domum tutam exercitus fortes Senatum fidelem populum probum Veteris Ecclesiae pro Imperatoribus suis vota haec solemnia pro tua et tuorum salute Redintegrat et toto animi affectu numini divino nuncupat Serenissimae Tuae Majestatis servus humilimus Jacobus Armachanus The very next day after the most illegal Trial Condemnation and bloody Execution of our late Soveraign Lord King Charles by that Prodigy of Lawyers John Bradshaw and his Assessors in the new created High Court of Injustice against the Votes and Protests of the Secluded Lords and Secured Commons one of the then secured Members out of his Loyalty to his Majesty and his royal Heir and Successor whose rights he strenuously asserted in his Speech in the House for which he was seized and imprisoned by the Army Dec. 6. 1648. at his own charge Printed 350. of the ensuing Proclamations which he caused to be sent to most Sheriffs and Mayers throughout England and Wales and some of them to be pasted up at Westminster and elsewhere in and about London notwithstanding the Anti-Parliamentary and Antimonarchical Junctoes strict Proclamation to the contrary under pain of High Treasons and the most Capital Punishments which deterred others both from crowning and proclaiming their Hereditary Soveraign according to their former Oathes Covenants and printed Remonstrances A PROCLAMATION PROCLAIMING CHARLES Prince of VVales King of Great Britain France and Ireland WEE the Noblemen Judges Knights Lawyers Gentlemen Free-holders Marchants Citizens Neomen Seamen and other freemen of England doe according to our Allegiance and Covenant by these presents heartily joyfully and unanimously acknowledge and proclaim the Illustrious Charles Prince of Wales next heir of the Blood Royal to his Father King Charles whose late wicked and trayterous Murther we doe from our souls abominate and all parties and consenters thereunto to be by hereditary Birthright and lawfull succession rightfull and undoubted King of Great Britain France and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging And that we will faithfully constantly and sincerely in our several places and callings defend and maintain his Royal Person Crown and Dignity with our Estates Lives and last drop of our Bloods against all opposers thereof whom we do hereby declare to be Traytors and Enemies to his Majestie and his Kingdoms In testimony whereof we have caused these to be published and proclaimed throughout all Counties and Corporations of this Realm the first day of February in the first year of his Majesties Raign God save KING CHARLES the Second This short ejaculatorie Prayer and Acclamation GOD SAVE THE KING subjoyned to this Proclamation was not only used at the Coronations tryumphs and publick Receptions in Cities Colleges Villages Corporations of all our own forein Kings as I have elswhere touched but constantlie annexed at the end all our Statutes at large printed after everie Session of Parliament from 19 H. 7. till 1 Caroli and at the close of all our Kings Queens publick Proclamations yea ecchoed out by our Sheriffs Heralds Cryers Officers who proclaimed them and by the generalitie of the people present at such Proclamations And it was likewise constantlie used by all Cryers of all publick Courts of Iustice Assises Sessions of the peace Eyres and Gaol Deliveries upon sundrie occasions yea by everie Malefactor acquitted or admitted to his Clergie who usually cry'd GOD SAVE THE KING neither could our Kings enter into anie Citie Town Village College School or House within their Dominions but their Ears were filled with the joyfull sound of this Prayer and Loyal Acclamation Which custom I trust will grow into common practice again after its over-long Dis-continuance through the treacherie and disloyalty of those who above all others had most obliged themselves to continue it by their respective old oftreiterated Oaths of Fealty Homage Supremacy Allegiance Iustices Maiors Recorders Serjeants at Law Freemen their new Protestations Solemn National League and Covenant Commissions Trusts Offices Callings obliging them both in point of Conscience and Dutie to bear Faith and true Allegiance to the Kings Majesty his Heirs and lawfull Successors and to maintain and defend his and their Persons Crowns and all Jurisdictions Rights Privileges and Royal Prerogatives united annexed and belonging to the Imperial Crown of their Realms against all Powers Persons Invasions Plots and Conspiracies whatsoever without any Apostacy defection or detestable Neutrality Which I hope they will now at last remember so far as to expiate all former violations of them by their future fincere cordial constant inviolable Observations by their dailie publick and private fervent Prayers Supplications Intercessions Thanksgivings to God for his Majesties restitution long life and prosperous Reign and by ecchoing out this usual Acclamation upon all occasions according to its pristine frequent use throughout our Realms and Dominions I have thus at large by Histories Records and Presidents of all times sorts to which sundrie more might be accumulated irrefragably evidenced the constant un-interrupted practical loyaltie of our Christian Predecessors in making publick and private Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Thanksgivings for our Christian Kings in this Island whether of the British Saxon English Danish Norman or Scotish Race and for their Queens their Royal Posterity and Kingdoms in their publick and private Devotions and in their Epistles Addresses and Dedications to them to the inrent they may now at last
the holy Scriptures from them from my childhood which brought me into the knowledge of the truth but when I became a man and had very frequently used peregrinations and had fallen into the consideration of many things as was meet I verily found in other Arts Sciences much concord amongst those who exactly exercise singular Arts but in the Church of God only and for which Christ dyed and into which he hath abundantly and richly powred forth his holy Spirit I observed the greatest discord and vehement dissentions of many both between themselves and also against the divine Scripture and that which is most horrid the very Presidents of the Church constituted in so great a Dissention both of mind and opinions between themselves and fighting against the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ with so great contrariety as even cruelly to dissipate the Church of Christ and to disturb his redeemed Flock without any commiseration that even on these now if ever when wicked men went out and flourished that of the Apostles may be fulfilled Out of your selves shall arise men speaking perverse things that they may draw disciples after them When I discerned these things and the like and doubted what and whence the sourse of so great an evil might be at first I was as it were in some thick darknesse and as if set in a ballance I did turn my self now on this side now on that side one scale drawing me to it self by reason of the long custom of men but the other pulling me back for the truth acknowledged in the holy Scripture Now when as this had for some space and very often hapned whiles I was searching out the cause of this evil as I have related that of the Book relating the History of the Judges came into my mind where it is written that every one then did what seemed right in his eyes and the cause thereof is declared together with it in that which is premised That in those daies there was no King in Israel Therefore remembring these things I did think even of these present dissentions that which truly is terrible to be spoken and perchance a paradox but if it shall be considered and weighed is most true that peradventure even now for the contempt of one great true and only King of all there is so great Dissention and Fighting among those who are in the Church of Christ whiles every one hath revolted from the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ and challengeth to himself by his own Authority his own cogitations and definitions and would rather reign against the Lord than be subject to the Lord and be governed by him When I searched this with my self and stood amazed at this monstrous impiety did yet further search it out I was farther perswaded that the foresaid cause was true by nothing more then from the things of this life For I saw every state of a multitude well compounded and to obtain agreement and consist together so long only as their obedience was kept towards some one King over them all and on the other side that dissention and division of every kind yea and moreover polyarchy did arise from hence if there being no King there was liberty obtained of doing any thing we would I have seen sometimes even a swarm of Bees from the Law of Nature to wage War and in order to follow their own King And truly I my self have beheld many such things and I have also heard many such things and those know more who are imployed about these things that even from hence that I have said may be proved to be true for it is the property and peculiar of those who look unto the command of one and obey and use one King that they are may be well disposed and at concord among themselves therfore all dissention discord is both a Judgment and sign of that contumacy wherein the principality of one is rejected According to the same reason even the very dissention which is forbidden both between the Commandements of our Father and our Lord and also between our selves ariseth either from a departure from the true King or from the renouncing of him which he there further proves from sundry Texts Therefore by his and Gods own resolution there is no way to heal our manifold Dissensions Distractions and restore peace unity order in our Church and State but by returning to our true lawfull Spiritual and Temporal only Kings both whom we have most contemptuously and obstinately so long rejected both in our devotions legal transactions our Church and State affairs which I wish all Republicans Antimonarchists most seriously to ponder and our new Junctoes and General Council of Army-Officers seduced and acted by Campanella Spanish and Romish Emissaries to promote our ruine who of our Servants are now become our Soveraign Lords and Legifers changing their lunatick Votes Resolutions Moddels of Government as frequently as the Moon to keep us in endless Confusions by trampling all Laws of God and the Realm and their spiritual as well as temporal King and Monarchy under their feet But this King of Kings as he hath of late years dashed them in pieces by his admirable stupendious providences of which they will not take notice for this their obstinate opposition of and rebellion against their Kings Monarchy and Kingship Prov. 24. 21 22. so no doubt He that sitteth in the Heavens if they therein still proceed will laugh at them and their Antimonarchical Votes the Lord shall have them in derision yea he shall speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure He shall break them with a rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters vessel maugre all their forces votes counsels confederacies and make good those general promises Yet have I set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion Rule thou in the middest of thine enemies The Lord reigneth let the Earth rejoyce let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof Yea the Lord reigneth be the people never so impatient He sitteth between the Cherubins be the Earth never so unquiet Great deliverance giveth he unto his King and sheweth mercy to his Anointed to vid and to his Seed for evermore And that which is most considerable their own transcendent unpresidented tyrannical illegal unrighteous violent proceedings against the whole House of Peers the majority of their own secluded ejected old Fellow-Members the City of London and their Common Council their former chief Supporters whom they have now made the scorn and derision of the World by voting down their Common Council and pulling down their Gates Percullises and Posts before any hearing or Judgement and putting higher affronts upon them after all their former Obligations and the late Kings large Privileges granted to them in the Isle of Weight than ever any Kings of England formerly did or durst attempt Their dis-obliging and dis-carding
all or most of those Army-Officers and Souldiers who first created them a Parliament without a King or House of Lords and restored them to their present power in May last and engaging others of them in such displeasing services as do render them odious for the present and infamous to posterity Their exasperating the generality of the Nobility Gentry Ministers and Commons of our three Kingdoms against them by their peremptory denyal to admit and forcible seclusion and voting out the old secluded Members the Majority of the House to monopolize all Parliamentary power and Offices into their own hands and refusing the convening of a free and full Parliament without prelimitations to settle our Distractions according to the general Desires and Addresses of most Counties and Cities of the Kingdom and imprisoning some worthy Gentlemen Swordmen only for presenting at their Counties requests these their Desires in Letters directed to their Speaker and unjustly refusing to bayl them upon Habeas Corporaes in Courts where they sit both as Members and Judges and Parties which none ever did before thereby leaving the subjects in greater Vassalage than ever they sustained under the late King whom they branded and beheaded as the worst of all Tyrants And yet doubling and trebling their Taxes in their exhausted condition and losse of all Trade for those very 6 Months space for which they were taxed and forced to pay in before hand by them without their Common consent in Parl during their Representatives forcible seclusion against their own Act Oct. 11. 1659. contrary to all their former late Declarations no Kings of England having been so extravagant arbitrary unjust oppressive in their Governments and proceedings as they have been and that in the very midst of their own private fears and unsettlement and our publick dangers after all the late vast expences of blood and treasure to maintain our Laws Liberties Propertys against all arbitrary and tyrannical powers nor yet daring to attempt against their Subjects what they have boldly acted against their fellow Members and the People whom they once voted the Sovereign power of the Nation whose servants not Lords they pretend themselves which desperate violences oppressions and extravagances without any hopes of ease peace liberty or settlement will render our Kings and Kingship more amiable and desirable than ever and more promote and accelerate their restitution than all Royallists Counsels and endeavours whatsoever in wise mens Judgements Cum duplicantur lateres Venit Moyses 1 Tim. 1. 17. Now unto the King eternal immortal invisible the only wise God be Honor and Glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS ERRATA P. 4. l. 24. last r. middle p. 43. l. 19. 500 r. 300. p. 68. l. 31. disciâ— r. dejicis l. 34. r. dolori p. 77. l. 32. dele si p. 78. l. 1. r. orationis l. 19. nuncupari l. 34. Antoninus Margin p. 78. l. 9. Antoninus l. 10. p. 10 r. 49. THE SECOND PART OF THE Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods true Saints and pious Christians towards their KINGS HAving lately presented the world with the first part of the Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods true Saints and Pious Christians as likewise of Idolatrous Pagans towards their Kings and Emperors both before and under the Law and also under the Gospel whiles their Emperors and Kings were Idolaters and Ethnicks expressed both by their private and publick Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Thanksgivings unto God by their Votes Acclamations unto themselves others for their health safety long-life temporal spiritual and eternal felicity whether they were Good or Bad Orthodox or Heterodox Protectors or Persecutors in 5. distinct Chapters I shall now by Gods assistance proceed to the constant practice of Christians under the Gospel in this kind after their Kings and Emperors became Christians professing the Gospel of Jesus Christ whether their Kings and Emperors were gracious and Religious vitious or impious Orthodox or Erronious beginning with the Kings of our own Island and presenting you with presidents of this kind both in forein Prelates and Clergy-men as well as in their Domestick Christian Subjects of all sorts our British Island producing the first Christian King Queen and Emperor in the world and the first presidents of private and publick Supplications Prayers Intercessions and thanksgivings for them unto God and Votes Acclamations for their safety health life and prosperity as they were Christian CHAP. VI. THe very first Christian King professing the Christian Religion under the Gospel mentioned in History is Lucius King of the Britons reigning in this our Island this King Anno Christi 156. as Radulphus Baldoc the Chronicle of Gisâ—urn the antient Manuscript De primo statu Landavensis Ecclesiae and Bishop Vsher out of them relate sending two Embassadors to Pope Elutherius most earnestly and devoutly intreating him That by his command and will he might be made a Christian This Pope thereupon granting his request Gratias agens Deo suo c. giving thanks to his God and singing Glory be to God on high for joy that this King and Nation who had continued Gentiles from the first peopling of the Island by Brute did so ardently hasten to the faith of Christ sending Eluan and Meduin to convert them After which this King Lucius in the year 179. or sooner as some or in the year 185. or later as others think it writing a Letter to Pope Elutherius to send him a Copy of the Imperial Laws to govern his Nation by them this Pope in the conclusion of his Epistle in Answer to the Kings Letter inserted this devout Prayer unto God in his behalf Det vobis omnipotens Deus c. Almighty God grant you so to rule the Kingdom of Britain that you may reign for ever with him whose Vicar you are in the Realm aforesaid If this Pope though a forein Prelate thus prayed to God for this first Christian King no doubt his own Christian Bishops Ministers whom he endowed with ample possessions and maintenance and his Christian Subjects in their private and publick Prayers and Devotions to God and in their Epistles and Addresses to him did much more imitate his example in pursuit of the Apostles precept 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. as all the Primitive Christians did even for their Pagan Kings and Emperors as I have evidenced in the precedent Chapters though we find no expresse mention thereof in our British Histories The first Christian Queen in the world was Helena Daughter of King Coel whose Son Constantine the Great born and first created Emperor in our Island of Britain was the first Roman Emperor who publickly professed the Christian faith and instituted publick Prayers to be made unto God by his Souldiers People and Subjects whether Christians or Ethnicks for himself his Sons and his Posterity who constantly powred forth their Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Thanksgivings unto God for his life health safety victories and successes