Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	king_n	law_n	liberty_n	6,707	5	6.5575	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25942	Articles of peace made and concluded with the Irish rebels and papists by James Earle of Ormond ... also, a letter sent by Ormond to Col. Jones, Governour of Dublin, with his answer thereunto : and a representation of the Scotch Presbytery at Belfast in Ireland : upon all which are added observations.	Ireland. Lord Lieutenant (1641-1649 : Ormonde); Ormonde, James Butler, Duke of, 1610-1688.; Milton, John, 1608-1674. Observations upon the articles of peace with the Irish rebels.	1649 (1649)	Wing A3863; ESTC R495	49,636	68

to you or any of them or out of any dis-esteem I had to your power to advance or impede the same but out of my fear whiles those that have of late usurped power over the Subjects of England held forth the least colourable shadow of moderation in their intentions towards the settlement of Church or State and that in some tollerable way with relation to Religion the interest of the King and Crown the freedom of Parliament the Liberties of the subject any addresses from mee proposing the withdrawing of that party from those thus professing from whom they have received some and expected further support would have been but coldly received and any determination thereupon deferred in hope and expectation of the forementioned settlement or that you your selfe who certainly have not wanted aforesight of the sad confusion now covering the face of England would have declared with me the Lord Inchequeen and the Protestant Army in Munster in prevention thereof yet my fear was it would have been as difficult for you to have carried with you the main body of of the Armie under your command not so clear sighted as your self as it would have been dangerous to you and those with you well inclined to have attempted it without them but now that the mask of hypocrisie by which the Independent Armie hath ensnared and enslaved all estates and degrees of men is laid aside now that barefaced they evidently appear to bee the subverters of true religion and to be the protectors and inviters not only of all false ones but of irreligion and Atheisme now that they have barbarously and inhumanely laid violent sacrilegious hands upon and murthered Gods annointed and our King not as heretofore some Patricides have done to make room for some usurper but in a way plainly manifesting their intentions to change the Monarchy of England into Anarchy unlesse their aime bee first to constitute an elective Kingdome and Crumwell or some such Iohn of Leiden being elected then by the same force by which they have thus far compassed their ends to establish a perfect Turklsh tyranny now that of the three estates of King Lords Commons whereof in all ages Parliaments have consisted there remains only a small number and they the dregs and scum of the House of Commons pickt and awed by the Armie a wicked remnant left for no other end then yet further if it be possible to delude the people with the name of a Parliament The King being murthered the Lords and the rest of the Commons being by unheard of violence at severall times forced from the Houses and some imprisoned And now that there remaines no other libertie in the subject but to professe blasphemous opinions to revile and tread underfoot Magistracie to murther Magistrates and oppresse and undoe all that are not like minded with them Now I say that I cannot doubt but that you and all with you under your command will take this opportunitie to act and declare against so monstrous and unparaleld a rebellion and that you and they will cheerfully acknowledge and faithfully serve and obey our gracious King Charles the second undoubted heir of his Father Crown and Vertues under whose right and conduct we may by Gods assistance restore Protestant Religion to puritie and therein settle it Parliaments to their freedome good laws to their force and our fellow-subjects to their just liberties wherein how glorious and blessed a thing it will bee to be so considerablie instrumentall as you may now make your self I leave to you now to consider And though I conceive there are not any motives relating to some particular interest to be mentioned after these so weightie considerations which are such as the world hath not been at any time furnished with yet I hold it my part to assure you that as there is nothing you can reasonably propose for the safety satisfaction or advantage of your self or of any that shall adhear to you in what I desire that I shall not to the uttermost of my power provide for so there is nothing I would nor shall more industriously avoid then those necessities arising from my duty to God and man that may by your rejecting this offer force me to be a sad instrument of shedding English blood which in such case must on both sides happen If thir overture finde place with you as I earnestly wish it may let me know with what possible speed you can and if you please by the bearer in what way you desire it should bee drawne on to a conclusion For in that as well as in the substance you shall find all ready complyance from me that desire to bee Your affectionate friend to serve you ORMOND Carrick March 9. 1648. For Colonel Michael Jones Governour of Dublin My Lord YOur Lordships of the ninth I received the twelfth instant and therein have I your Lordships invitation to a conjunction with your self I suppose as Lord lieutenant of Ireland and with others now united with the Irish and with the Irish themselves also As I understand not how your Lordship should be invested with that power pretended so am I very well assured That it is not in the power of any without the Parliament of England to give and assure pardon to those bloodie Rebels as by the Act to that end passed may appear more fully I am also well assured that the Parliament of England would never assent to such a Peace such as is that your Lordships with the Rebels wherin is little or no provision made either for the Protestants or the Protestant Religion Nor can I understand how the Protestant Religion should bee setled and restored to its puritie by an Armie of Papists or the Protestant interests maintained by those very enemies by whom they have been spoiled and there slaughtered And very evident it is that both the Protestants and Protestant Religion are in that your Lordships Treaty left as in the power of the Rebels to be by them born down and rooted out at pleasure As for that consideration by your Lordship offered of the present and late proceedings in England I see not how it may be a sufficient motive to mee or any other in like trust for the Parliament of England in the service of this Kingdome to joyn with those Rebels upon any the pretences in that your Lordships letter mentioned for therein were there a manifest betraying that trust reposed in me in disserting the service and work committed to me in joyning with those I should oppose and in opposing whom I am obliged to serve Neither conceive I it any part of my work and care to take notice of any whatsoever proceedings of State forreign to my charge and trust here especially they being found hereunto apparently destructive Most certain it is and former ages have approved it that the intermedling of Governors and parties in this Kingdom with sidings and parties in England have been the very betraying of this kingdom to the

Irish whiles the Brittish forces here had bin thereupon called off and the place therin laid open and as it were given up to the common enemie It is what your Lordship might have observed in your former Treatie with the Rebels that upon your Lordships thereupon withdrawing and sending hence into England the most considerable part of the English army then commanded by you thereby was the remaining Brittish party not long after over-poured and your quarters by the Irish over-run to the gates of Dublin your self also reduced to that low condition as to be besieged in this very Citie the Metropolis and princpall cittadell of the Kingdom and that by those very Rebels who till then could never stand before you and what the end hath bin of that party also so sent by your Lordship into England although the flower strength of the English army here both officers and souldiers hath bin very observable And how much the dangers are at present more then in former ages of hazarding the English interest in this Kingdom by sending any parties hence into any other Kingdom upon any pretences whatsoever is very apparent as in the generalitie of the Rebellion now more then formerly So considering your Lordships present conclusions with and concessions to the Rebels wherein they are allowed the continued possession of all the cities forts and places of strength whereof they stood possessed at the time of their Treatie with your Lordship and that they are to have a standing force if I well remember of 15000 foot and 2500 horse all of their own party officers and souldiers and they with the whole kingdom to be regulated by a Major party of Irish Trustees chosen by the Rebels themselves as persons for their interests and ends to be by them confided in without whom nothing is to be acted Therein I cannot but mind your Lordship of what hath been sometimes by your self delivered as your sence in this particular that the English interest in Ireland must be preserved by the English and not by Irish and upon that ground if I be not deceived did your Lordship then capitulate with the Parliament of England from which cleer principle I am sorrie to see your Lordship now receding As to that by your Lordship menaced us here of blood and force if dissenting from your Lordships waies and designes for my particular I shall my Lord much rather chuse to suffer in so doing for therein shall I doe what is becomming and answerable to my trust then to purchase my self on the contrary the ignominious brand of perfidie by any allurements of whatsoever advantages offered me But very confident I am of the same divine power which hath still followed me in this work and will still folllow me and in that trust doubt I nothing of thus giving your Lordship plainly this my resolution in that particular So I remain Dublin March 14. 1648. Your Lordships humble servant Signed Mic Jones For the Lord of Ormond these By the Lord Lieutenant Generall of Ireland Ormond WHereas our late Soveraign King Charles of happie memory hath bin lately by a party of his rebellious Subjects of England most traiterously maliciously and inhumanely put to death and murthered and forasmuch as his Majestie that now is Charles by the grace of God King of England Scotlana France and Ireland is son and heir of his said late Majestie and therefore by the Laws of the Land of force and practised in all ages is to inherit We therefore in discharge of the dutie we owe unto God our allegiance and loyaltie to our Soveraign holding it fit him so to proclaim in and through this his Majesties Kingdome doe by this our present proclamation declare and manifest to the world that Charles the second son and heir of our late Soveraign King Charles the first of happy memory is by the grace of God the undoubted King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. Given at Carrick Febr. 26. 1648. God save the King A NECESSARY REPRESENTATION of the present evills and eminent dangers to Religion Lawes and Liberties arising from the late and present practises of the Sectarian party in England together with an Exhortation to duties relating to the Covenant unto all within our Charge and to all the well-affected within this Kingdome by the Presbytery at Belfast February 15th 1649. WHen we doe seriously consider the great and many duties which we owe unto God and his people over whom he hath made us Overseers and for whom we must give an accompt and when wee behold the laudable Examples of the worthy Ministers of the Province of London and of the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly of the Church of Scotland in their free and faithfull testimonies against the insolencies of the Sectarian party in England Considering also the dependency of this Kingdome upon the Kingdome of England and remembring how against strong oppositions we were assisted by the Lord the last yeare in discharge of the like dutie and how he punished the Contempt of our warning upon the despisers thereof We finde our selves as necessitated so the more encouraged to cast in our Mite in the treasury least our silence should involve us in the guilt of unfaithfulnesse and our People in security and neglect of duties In this discharge of the trust put upon us by God we would not be looked upon as sowers of sedition or broachers of Nationall and divisive motions our record is in heaven that nothing is more hatefull unto us nor lesse intended by us and therefore we shall not feare the malicious and wicked aspersions which we know Satan by his Instruments is ready to cast not onely upon us but on all who sincerely endeavour the advancement of Reformation What of late have been and now are the insolent and presumptuous practises of the Sectaries in England is not unknowne to the world For first notwithstanding their specious pretences for Religion and Liberties yet their late and present actings being therewith compared doe clearly evidence that they love a rough garment to deceive since they have with a high hand despised the Oath in breaking the Covenant which is so strong a foundation to both whilest they loaden it with slighting reproaches calling it a Bundle of particular and contrary Interests and a Snare to the people and likewise labour to establish by Lawes an Universall Toleration of all Religions which is an Innovation over-turning of Unity in Religion and so directly repugnant to the word of God the two first Articles of our Solemne Covenant which is the greatest wickednesse in them to violate since many of the chiefest of themselves have with their hands testified to the most high God sworne and sealed it Moreover their great dis-affection to the Settlement of Religion and so their future breach of Covenant doth more fully appeare by their strong oppositions to Presbyteriall Government the hedge and Bulwarke of Religion whilest they expresse their hatred

to it more then to the worst of errours by excluding it under the name of Compulsion when they imbrace even Paganisme and Judaisme in the Armes of Toleration Not to speake of their Aspersions upon it and the Assertors thereof as Antichristian and Popish though they have deeply sworn to maintaine the same Government in the first Article of the Covenant as it is established in the Church of Scotland which they now so despite and fully blaspheme Againe It is more then manifest that they seek not the vindication but the extirpation of Lawes and Liberties as appeares by their seizing on the person of the King and at their pleasures removing him from place to place not onely without the consent but if we mis-take not against a direct Ordinance of Parliament their violent surprizing imprisoning and secluding many of the most worthy Members of the Honourable House of Commons directly against a declared Priviledge of Parliament an Action certainly without parallell in any age and their purposes of abolishing Parliamentary power for the future and establishing of a Representative as they call it in stead thereof Neither hath their fury stayed here but without all rule or example being but private men they have proceeded to the tryall of the King against both the Interest and Protestation of the Kingdome of Scotland and the former publique Declarations of both Kingdomes besides the violent hast reiecting the hearing of any defences with cruell hands have put him to death an act so horrible as no history divine or humane hath laid a President of the like These and many other their detestable insolencies may abundantly convince every unbyassed Judgement that the present practise of the Sectaries and their Abettors doe directly over-turne the Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdomes roote out lawfull and supreme Magistracy the just priviledges whereof we have sworne to maintaine and introduce a fearfull confusion and lawlesse Anarchie The Spirit of God by Solomon tells us Pro. 30. 21. That a servant to reigne is one of the foure things for which the earth is disquieted and which is cannot heare We wonder nothing that the earth is disquieted for these things but we wonder greatly if the earth can beare them and albeit the Lord so permit that folly be set in great dignity and they which sit in low place That servants ride upon horses and Princes walke as servants upon the Earth Eccles. 10. ver. 6 7. Yet the same Wise man saith Pro. 19. 10. Delight is not seemely for a foole much lesse for a servant to have rule ever Princes When we consider these things we cannot but declare and manifest our utter dislike and detestation of such unwarrantable practises directly subverting our Covenant Religion Lawes and Liberties And as Watchmen in Sion warne all the Lovers of truth and well-affected to the Covenant carefully to avoyde compliance with or not bearing witnesse against horrid Insolencies least partaking with them in their sinnes they also be partakers of their plagues Therefore in the Spirit of meeknesse wee earnestly intreate and in the authority of Jesus Christ whose servants wee are Charge and obtest all who resolve to adhere unto truth and the Covenant diligently to observe and conscientiously to performe these following duties 1. First That according to our solemne Covenant every one study more to the power of godlinesse and personall reformation of themselves and families because for the great breach of this part of the Covenant God is highly offended with these Lands and justly provoked to permit men to be the Instruments of our misery and afflictions 2. Secondly That every one in their station and calling earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. And seeke to have their hearts established with grace that they be not unstable and wavering carried about with every winde of doctrine but that they receive the truth in love avoyding the company of such as withdraw from and vilifie the publique Ordinances speake evill of Church-Government invent damnable errors under the specious pretence of a Gospel-way and new Light and highly extoll the persons and courses of notorious Sectaries least God give them over to strong delusions the plague of these times that they may beleeve lies and be damned 3. Thirdly That they would not be drawne by Councell Command or Example to shake off the ancient and fundamentall Government of these Kingdomes by King and Parliament which we are so deeply ingaged to preserve by our solemne Covenant as they would not be found guilty of the great evill of these times condemned by the Holy Ghost the despising of Dominion and speaking evill of Dignities 4. Fourthly That they doe cordially endeavour the preservation of the Union amongst the well-affected in the Kingdomes not being swayed by any Nationall respect remembring that part of the Covenant That wee shall not suffer our selves directly nor indirectly by whatsoever Combination perswasion or terrour to be divided or withdrawne from this blessed Union and Conjunction And finally albeit there be more present hazard from the power of Sectaries as were from Malignants the last yeare yet wee are not ignorant of the evill purposes of Malignants even at this time in all the Kingdomes and particularly in this and for this cause we exhort every one with equall watchfulnesse to keep themselves free from associating with such or from swerving in their judgements to Malignant principles and to avoyd all such persons as have been from the beginning knowne opposers of Reformation refusers of the Covenant combining themselves with Papists and other notorious Malignants especially such who have been chiefe Promotors of the late Ingagement against England Calumniators of the worke of Reformation in reputing the miseries of the present times unto the advancers thereof and that their just hatred to Sectaries incline not their mindes to favour Malignants or to thinke that because of the power of Sectaries the cause of God needs the more to feare the Enmity or to stand in need of the helpe of Malignants OBSERVATIONS UPON the Articles of Peace with the Irish Rebels on the Letter of Ormond to Col. Jones and the Representation of the Presbytery at Belfast ALthough it be a Maxim much agreeable to wisdom that just deeds are the best answer to injurious words and actions of what ever sort their own plainest Interpreters yet since our enemies can finde the leisure both wayes to offend us it will be requisite we should be found in neither of those wayes neglectfull of our just defence To let them know that sincere and upright intentions can certainly with as much ease deliver themselvs into words as into deeds Having therefore seen of late those Articles of Peace granted to the Papist Rebels of Ireland as speciall graces and favours from the late King in reward most likely of their work don and in his name and authority confirm'd and ratifi'd by James Earle of Ormond together with his Letter to Col. Jones Governour

If absolute then suppose the King to have committed all prodigious crimes and impieties against God or nature or whole Nations he must neverthelesse be sacred from all violent touch Which absurd opinion how it can live in any mans reason either naturall or rectifi'd wee much marvell Since God declard his anger as impetuous for the saving of King Benhadad though surrendring himselfe at mercy as for the killing of Naboth If it be conditionall in the preservation and defence of Religion and the peoples libertie then certainly to take away his life beeing dangerous and pernicious to both these was no more a breach of the Covnant then for the same reason at Edinburrow to behead Gordon the Marquess Huntley By the same Covnant we made vow to assist and to defend all those that should enter with us into this league not absolutely but in the maintenance and pursuing thereof If therefore no man else ever were so madd as to claime from hence an impunitie from all Justice why should any for the King Whose life by other Articles of the same Covnant was forfet Nay if common sense had not led us to such a cleer interpretation the Scotch Commissioners themselves might boast to have bin our first teachers who when they drew to the malignance which brought forth that perfidious last years irruption against all the bands of Covnant or Christian neighbourhood making thir hollow plea the defence of his Majesties person they were constraind by thir own guiltinesse to leave out that following morsell that would have choakd them the preservation and defence of true Religion and our liberties And questionless in the preservation of these wee are bound as well both by the Covnant and before the Covnant to preserve and defend the person of any private man and the person and authoritie of any inferior Magistrate So that this Article objected with such vehemence against us containes not an exception of the Kings person and autoritie to doe by privilege what wickedness he list and be defended as som fancy but an express testification of our Loyaltie and the plaine words without wresting will beare as much that wee had no thoughts against his person or just power provided they might confist with the preservation and defence of true Religion and our liberties But to these how hazardous his life was will be needless to repeat so oftn It may suffice that while he was in custody where wee expected his repentance his remorse at last and compassion of all the innocent bloud shed already and hereafter likely to be shed for his meer wilfulness he made no other use of our continuall forbearance our humblest Petitions and obtestations at his feet but to sit contriving and fomenting new plots against us and as his own phrase was playing his own game upon the miseries of his people Of which wee desire no other view at present then these Articles of peace with the Rebells and the rare game likely to ensue from such a cast of his Cards And then let men reflect a little upon the slanders and reviles of these wretched Priests and judge what modesty what truth what conscience what any thing fit for Ministers or wee might say reasonable men can harbour in them For what they began in shamelesness and malice they conclude in frenzie throwing out a sudden rapsody of Proverbs quite from the purpose and with as much comliness as when Saul propheci'd For casting off as he did his garments all modestie and meekness wherewith the language of Ministers ought to be cloath'd speaking especially to thir supreme Magistrate they talke at random of servants raigning servants riding and wonder how the Earth can beare them Either those men imagin themselves to be marvellously high set and exalied in the chaire of Belfast to voutsafe the Parlament of England no better stile then servants or els thir high notion which wee rather beleeve falls as low as Court parasitism supposing all men to be servants but the King And then all thir paines tak'n to seem so wise in proverbing serves but to conclude them down right slaves and the edge of thir own proverb falls reverse upon themselves For as Delight is not seemly for fooles much less high words to come from base minds What they are for Ministers or how they crept into the fould whether at the window or through the wall or who set them there so haughtie in the Pontificall See of Belfast wee know not But this wee rather have cause to wonder if the Earth can beare this unsufferable insolency of upstarts who from a ground which is not thir own dare send such defiance to the sovran Magistracy of England by whose autoritie and in whose right they inhabit there By thir actions we might rather judge them to be a generation of High-land theevs and Red-shanks who beeing neighbourly admitted not as the Saxons by merit of thir warfare against our enemies but by the courtesie of England to hold possessions in our Province a Countrey better then thir own have with worse faith then those Heathen prov'd ingratefull and treacherous guests to thir best friends and entertainers And let them take heed lest while thir Glence as to these matters might have kept them blameless and secure under those proceedings which they so feard to partake in that these thir treasonous attempts and practices have not involv'd them in a farr worse guilt of rebellion and notwithstanding that faire dehortatory from joyning with Malignants in the appearance of a co-interest and partaking with the Irish Rebells Against whom though by themselves pronouncd to be the enemies of God they goe not out to battell as they ought but rather by these thir doings assist and become associats The End