did the Festivals of Bacchus or as it is usual to proceed against Traitors I think I may now put a period unto the Discourse about Indulgence which I have so managed as becomes a Son and a Friend unto the Church of England as well as a lover of the peace and welfare of his Native Countrey I have not debated the point of Prerogative in particular partly because what was said heretofore about the Deity is true concerning these Gods on earth It is dangerous to tell even the truth concerning their Essence partly because I could not do it without offending if not prejudicing the Church of England I do not think it convenient or seasonable that we should minutely inquire whether All the Power which was owned to be in the Pope at the Lateran Councill were vested in K. Henry VIII Or to examine strictly what the purport of those words are that The Kings of this Realme shall be taken accepted and reputed the onely Supreame Head on Earth of the Church of England called Anglicana Ecclesia and shall have and enjoy annexed and united unto the Imperial Crown of this Realm as well the title and stile thereof as all Honours Dignities Preheminences Jurisdictions Priviledges Authorities Immunities Profits and Commodities to the said Dignity of Supream Head of the same Church belonging and appertaining Our Laws doe likewise tell us that the King is the onely and undoubted supream Headof the Church of England and Ireland to whom by Holy Scripture all Authority and power is wholly given to hear and determine all manner of causes Ecclesiastical Which passages whosoever shall discreetly consider He will esteem of these Arcana Imperii as matters which no wise man will search into that affects the tranquillity of these Realms To exemplify this further did not Q. Elizabeth dispense with the Act for coming to Church and connived at the Popish Service in private Houses in a manner without punishment although it were prohibited by the Law under a pecuniary mulct This Indulgence she used for thirteen years And when the Statute was made against the bringing in of Bulls Agnus Dei's and hallowed grains c. privy tokens of Papal obedience or to reconcile any man unto the Church of Rome yet was there no man in full six years proceeded against by that Law What imports it whither a Law be suspended by Practice or Declaration Her Reign doth afford some instances of Toleration as also do the Primitive Times which I have declined to mention But yet they are instances of what a Prince may do upon Reason of State and against which I have not met with any Father Bishop or Lawyer that hath protested I thought to put an end here unto this Preface which is grown prolixe beyond my intention But I met lately with a Book written by an English Lawyer in 1640. and tendered to the Parliament which requires some Animadversions thereupon The Case is about Ship-Money but there is an excursion against the English Soveraignty of the Brittish Seas the which since I have so perspicuously asserted against the Dutch it seems necessary that I do not suffer it to be betrayed by the English I am sorry to find a sort of Civil war betwixt the Temple and a faction in Lincolns-Inn and I wondered who had suggested unto the Dutch those principles of refusing the Flag and denying our Rights on the Sea until I found this Book to have given them a pretext thereunto If I be any thing sharp in my reflections thereon I may be pâ—…doned since those assertions are less to be endured in an English man then in an Hollander After the writings of Selden it is strange to find a Subject of the King of Great Britain that doubts Whether the Sea be a part of the King's dominions and adds But grant the Sea be a part of the King's Dominions to some purposes How is it a part Essential or equally valuable or how does it appeare that the Fate of the Land depends wholly upon the Dominion of the Sea France subsists without the Regiment of the Sea and why may not we as well want the same If England quite spend it self and poure out all its treasure to preserve the Seignory of the Seas it is not certain to exceed the Naval force of France Spain Holland c. And if it content it self with its antient strength of Shipping it may remain as safe as it hath formerly done Nay I cannot see that either necessity of ruine or necessity of dishonour can be truly pretended out of this that France Spain or Holland c. are too potent at Sea for Us. The Dominion of the Seas may be considered as a meer Right or as an Honour or as a Profit to us As a Right it is a Theame fitter for Scholars to whet their Wits upon then for Christians to fight and spill blood about And since it doth not manifestly appeare how or when it was first purchased or by what Law conveyed unto Us we take notice of it onely as matter of wit and disputation As it is an Honour to make others strike saile to us as They pass it is a glory fitter for women and children to wonder at then for Statesmen to contend about It may be compared to a Chaplet of Flowers not to a Diadem of Gold But as it is a profit unto Us to fence and enclose the Sea its matter of moment yet it concernes Us no more then it doth other Nations By too insolent contestations hereupon we may provoke God and dishonour our selves we may more probably incense our friends then quell our enemies we may make the Land a Slave to the Sea rather then the Sea a Servant to the Land I mention this passage to shew the Frenzy which possessed the Heà ds of many that would be reputed Patriots and Defenders of the Laws and Liberties of the English Nation in 1636 c. But there are some fatal periods amongst these Northern Regions when the Inhabitants do become so brutal and prejudicate that no obligations of Reason Prudence or Conscience and Religion can prevail over their passions especially if they are instigated by the Boutefeus of the Law in opposition to the Gospel of Peace and Obedience At another time it would have seemed strange that a Common-Lawyer should doubt whither the Sea be a part of the King's Dominions Whereas our Laws and Parliaments have alwayes decreed it to be so It is strange that one of that Robe should controvert our Right thereunto or scruple How it was purchased since in Vulgar Titles the Common Law looks no farther then Prescription and in explication thereof they are not so nice as the Civilians â—…or by the Civil Law there is required a Just Title which the Common Law requireth not And Bona fides which the Common Law requireth not and continual Possession which the Common Law only requireth And This He might have seen proved in Mr. Selden and Sir John Boroughs
Inquisition By the pacification of Ghent A. D. 1576. the Hollanders and Zelanders united with the other more Catholick Provinces it being agreed that They should not attempt any thing against the Roman-catholick Religion or molest any for professing it but demean themselves without any offense except it were within their proper Provinces Governments and Commands were promiseuously disposed of to Papists and those of the Reformed Religion And by the Union at Utrecht A. D. 1579. The Provinces of Holland and Zeland are to be of what Religion they please the rest of the confederates are to continue the Roman Cotholick Religion or at least to make no alteration therein but by General consent or the Authority of the proper Magistrates When they tendered the Soveraignty of their Provinces to France it appears by the Articles and Instructions that They did not insist upon the having Protestant Magistrates but left that King to choose others so they were but honest peaceable men who would not persecute or molest those that were of a different Religion When the Earl of Leicester came to be Governour there He found not only Papists but even Ecclesiastics at Utrecht to rule in the Senate and Province and the original of the quarrel and complaints against Him were that He depressed the Papists and advanced Protestants contrary to the League at Utrecht in Their defense did Holland remonstrate against the Earl's proceedings this was the reason why the Ministers and all the zealous protestants honoured and loved the Earl and only the Atheistical politicians of Holland opposed him If we look upon them in their more flourishing condition All Religions are tollerated there as well as Protestants even such as are most repugnant to the Deity and Gospel of Christ. Their actions are regulated by principles of State and upon those grounds do they invite and encourage all Sects to live in their territories When their interest doth sway them they desert or fight against Protestants Thus they assisted the King of France with twenty Ships of war against Rochel A. D. 1627. 1628. When the Bosch Maestricht and Breda were conquered the Popish Religion was alwayes tolerated openly in those districts in such manner as it was exercised before and so it was intended if Antwerp had been taken and at the Munster-Treaty the States General did include as a part of their Treaty another private one made betwixt the Crown of Spain and the Prince of Orange in which it was agreed that in the districts of Sevenberg Turnhout and other places the Roman-Catholick Religion should be preserved entire and in the same manner as it was when that League was made and that All the Ecclesiasticks should enjoy their Endowments Estates Immunities and Priviledges At Munster their Excellencies the Embassadours and Plenipotentiaries of the High and Mighty States General those pure Protestans out of meer ostentation not business sent to the Pope's Nuncio twice to acquaint Him that They intended Him a visit The Nuncio was not at home to receive the first Complement Upon the second message He was solicitous what Answer to return It was most true That He might entertain them as the Embassadours from a Free State whereupon neither the Catholick King nor Catholick Church had any pretensions the one having relinquished His temporal claim and the other having no Spiritual Power over Locusts Infidels and Divels Yet He considered That where the Keys of Saint Peter were of no value those of His porter ought not to be made use of That in this visit He should rather give then receive Honour That these Dutch were very arrogant and had instructions to dispute every punctilio of Ceremony and Respect That in His Palace These Fishermen would take place of any Roman Fisher and quarrel with Him as They did with Mr. D. Avaux for lolling a little upon their Half of the Table That He must attend them to their Coaches and instead of Benedictions Excommunications or Exorcisms He must teach them to pay respect not Reverence by beginning it Upon such motives as these He sent them word That he was undressed and not in a condition to see Them The which Answer They took as if They had been interdicted his sight Sub sigillo Piscatoris If the Devil had sent a Plenipotentiary thither who would pay them all the punctilities of Honour which their Instructions obliged them to insist upon with the Agents of Spain and France These Embassadours to shew their grandeur would at Noon-day have made a visit to the publick Ministers of the Prince of darkness In that peace They pursued nothing but their private advantage for if they had joyned in the makeing of one General peace as France and Sweden offered the Prince Palatine had been restored and the Protestant Religion â—…etled in Germany according as it was before the war in 1618. This consideration was pressed by some of the Provinces earnestly and as a motive for the adhering to the Treaty with France But these High and Mighty professours of the Reformed Religion were swayed too much by the Maxims of Holland to prosecute any such matter and instructed their Embassadours to the contrary their demeanour at Japan is not the onely Scandal they have given unto Christendom In the Kingdom of Pegu when the English Merchants had refused being commanded to attend the Emperour at a Solemnity modestly to sacrifice some parched-Rice to the Idol in the Temple as also did the Portugueses spitting upon the said Rice the second man of the Dutch factory the principal declining it briskly takes the Rice and addressing himself to the Idol offers it as became a Christian of Holland And Mr. Bevernâ—…ngk being Embassadour to the pretended Common-wealth did say occasionally upon discourse with a great Man in those dayes That it was impossible for England to continue a Republick by reason of the violent animosities arising from the differences in Religion That in Holland Christianity had no such effects upon the spirits of Men so as that it might be said There were many opinions indeed in Holland yet but one Religion which was their Interest And we dare confidently avow that of all that have lived as exiles there not one found his reception to be bettered by the State upon the account of Protestancy or Puritanism Seeing the Cause of Religion did so little intercede for the Dutch and their Treachery having been such as is expressed the pretended Parliament and Council of State weighing well their extraordâ—…nary success at Sea did conclude that Treaties of Allyance how express and solemn soever could not yield any security to the English against the perfidious Hollanders that no contracts were able to ensure them that the Dutch would not attempt again to surprise their Fleets in the time of peace and when they professed as great kindness as they had done in May 1652. Whereupon 't was determined to put no
A FURTHER IUSTIFICATION OF THE PRESENT WAR AGAINST THE United Netherlands Illustrated with several SCULPTURES By Henry Stubbe a lover of the Honour and Welfare of old ENGLAND Everard Reidan Annal. Belgic lib. 17. A. D. 1600. Decretum Ord. General advers Groninganos Quod ad pactiones foedus toties ruptum provocarent absurdum nec audiendum neque vitio Patribus vertendum esse quod securitati rerum suarum consulere velint LONDON Printed for Henry Hills and John Starkey and are to be sold at the Sign of the Miter near Temple-Barr in Fleetstreet MDCLXXIII The Contents of the Epistle to the READER THe Reason why this Treatise is called the Apology of the Parliamentarians The Insolence of the Dutch against the Parliamentarians in particular An account of the Loevesteine-faction the powers of the State-holder and Advocate of Holland A Relation of the folly of John de Wit in subverting the fundamental Government of the United Provinces The Contents of the Preface unto the loyal Subjects of His Majesty THe necessity of writing the ensuing Treatise for the full satisfaction of the King's Subjects about the lawfulness of the present War pag. 1 Several just and approved Causes of War which yet His Majesty did not insist upon p. 1 2 A true and full account concerning the true grounds of this War and how it was unavoidable on the part of His Majesty p. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Reasons why the League betwixt England and Holland was not endeavoured nor ought to be renewed after its violation p. 9 10 11 12 13 14 What advise Q. Elizabeth would have suggested in the case p. 15 16 17 Arguments against the Neutrality of England during the War betwixt France and Holland p. 17 Arguments for the English to combine with France p. 17 18 19 Two Objections against the Alliance with France urged by an unknown Casuist and fully answered p. 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 The regard which His Majesty still preserved for the security of Flanders according to the Triple Alliance p. 26 27 The prudence of His Majesty in transacting the League with France with so much Secrecy p. 27 The prudence with which His Majesty penned and signed the Declaration for liberty of Conscience March 15. 1671 2. The parallel proceedings of the primitive Christian Emperors during the fourth Century That 't is the interest of the Church of England that Liberty of Conscience be granted at present That the Christian Church at first was setled by such contrivances as His Majesty now pursues That His Majesty hath in that Declaration provided better for the security of the Church of England than the antient Emperors did for Christianity in their times And consequently the Church of England is in no danger to be subverted by the present Indulgence That the present Indulgence is consonant to right reason of State and not repugnant unto civil Policy or likely to prove destructive to the Government p. 27. unto p. 73 A confutation of some assertions relating unto the Dominion of the Sea tendered to the Parliament in 1640. p. 76 Certain projects of Q. Elizabeth whereby she advanced the Honour and Trade of England p. 83 An Exhortation unto the English to be Unanimous and Couragious notwithstanding the troublesom condition of Europe p. 87 The Contents of the Apology THe Apology of those that were unhappily engaged in the service of the pretended Commonwealth and O. Cromwell for the King's Majesties Declaration and Proceedings against the United Provinces The Congratulation of the Parliamentarians for and their brief vindication of the Declaration of March 15. 1671 2. p. 57 Though the Dutch were Protestants yet this War is lawful p. 58 The Right of the Flagge a just cause of War with the Dutch the demands of the Parliamentarians and the Dutch concessions about it heretofore p. 58. 59 60 61 The English Channel not the sole Brittish Sea p. 61 62 The demands of the Parliamentarians concerning the Fishing the debate betwixt them and the Dutch about the Right of England thereto p. 62 63 64 65 66 The villanous composition made betwixt Oliver and the Dutch about the said Points and against His Majesty p. 66 The King's interest in the English Planters at Surinam afferâ—… p. 67 The Barbarity and Insolence of the Dutch towards the English in the East-Indies p. 67 68 69 A parallel betwixt the indignities done to His Majesty and those put upon the Parliamentarians formerly the defence of the Parliamentarians for their Resentments thereof p. 67 70 The perfidiousness of the Dutch illustrated at large p. 70 71 72 73 74 75 An account of the Dutch Religion p. 75 76 77 The Parliamentarians resolve that no secure peace can be made with the Hollanders except they submit to a Coalition or be reduced to an incapacity of hurting England p. 77 78 An account of the Treaty betwixt the Parliamentarians and Hollanders The States of Holland and West-Friesland confess their errors in fighting against England p. 78 79 The Parliamentarians reply and how they out-witted the Hollanders p. 79 80 The Parliamentarians refuse unto the States General the Title of High and Mighty and they discontinue it p. 80 81 Hugh Peters intercedes for the Dutch the voluntary proffers of the Dutch they amidst their solemn professions of Love unto the Rump perswade Cromwell to depose them and then cheat him p. 81 The Council of State beats the Dutch and makes them proceed by way of Humble Petition p. 82 83 The stark loving-kindness betwixt the Dutch and the Council and their joint concern for the Glory of God p. 84 The Council demands that the Dutch submit unto a Coalition the reciprocal Arguments about it p. 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 The Dutch refuse all Coalition and depart the sense of the whole Nation and particularly of the Fifth-Monarchists concerning them p. 91 92 The distressed condition of the Hollanders their Petition and submissive Memorial unto the Fifth-Monarchists p. 92 93 94 95 The Dutch are hated and scorned p. 96 Effectual projects to curb the insolence of the Dutch p. 97 Cromwell's dissimulation with the Dutch p. 97 98 The Dutch temporise with the Commissioners p. 98 9â—… A Preamble and draught of Articles tendered by the Commissioners 〈◊〉 99 100. 101 The exceptions of the Dutch thereunto their Papers slighted p. 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 The Dutch and English do again debate the point of Coalition p. 108 109 110 The Dutch perswade Cromwell to discard the Fifth-Monarchists and to assume the Government their Promises and Submissions unto him p. 110 111 Cromwell betrays the English interest unto the Dutch and yet is cheated by them several times before the Conclusion of the Treaty p. 111. unto p. 117 Both Parties agree to omit the general concernment of Religion p. 117 The Dutch observed not that Peace ibid. A large Memorial penned by the pretended Parliament of the Commonwealth of England concerning the English Rights to
towards His Majesty that 't was thence their Superiours derived much of their confidence They did believe the suggestions of John de Wit and his Partisans that His Majesty did seek what He could not avoid That what they made unavoidable was purely the effect of his unsatiable avarice and ambition That he was the most blood-thirsty person in the World that He armed against them such a Militia as would make Fricacies of their Children and Salt up the Men and Women for Naval Provision If the prevailing Party which swayes their Councils and Determinations were thus animated whatsoever be the fatal consequences of the War they are not to be imputed unto Us but unto the Loevesteine Faction and their deluded or malicious adherents If their ill success and time hath undeceived some what doth this reflect upon the Resolutions which His Majesty assumed last Year before they were dis-possessed We may reckon them unfortunate we may pity those who were averse from the War and His Majesty did express as much concern for the interest of the Prince of Orange as the nature of His Treaties would permit but we can charge no injustice upon the Arms of our King There was heretofore a sort of People who did not think it lawful for Protestants to contract Leagues with Papists or Idolaters But Prince William of Orange and His Divines did long since refute this Opinion For albeit that the Israelites might not make any League with the Inhabitants of Canaan whom God destined unto destruction yet with other Nations as with Hiram King of Tyre the Kings of AEgypt and Assyria c. they might The Cantons of Swizzerland as well Protestants as Papists are consederated for mutual defense The Protestant Princes of Germany joyn with the Papists in one Empire and in the Election of a Romanist to be Emperour The same Princes have sometimes called in by League the French to their assistance as Geneva hath implored their protection against the Savoyard If we consult the Law of nature the respect we owe to our Lives Liberties and Estates requires this at our hands that we preserve our selves and if we cannot effect thus much by our Domestick Forces we must recur to forein assistance The Law of Grace doth not destroy that of Nature hence it is that the Obligation doth still remain and that those Alliances made by Kings with Infidels and Hereticks when profitable or necessary may not justly be blamed Do we not see in holy Writ how the Patriarchs and the most renowned Kings of Juda have authorized this Doctrine by their Example Did not Abraham covenant with Abimelech both for himself and his Posterity as also with the Canaanites was not Lot confederate with the King of Sodom and went to War in his Company The Maccabees though zealous in the observance of their Religion did yet confederate themselves with the Lacedaemonians and Romans King David joyned his Forces with those of the Philistines against Israel nor doth it appear but He would have fought in that quarrel since He tells the King now thou shalt see what thy Servant will do To pass by the examples of Antiquity let us descend to latter times where seeking for Proofs of this Truth we find St. Paul recommending to the Primitive Christians a Peace with all men He himself makes use of the protection of the Pharisees against the Saducees and refuseth not to be secured against the violence of the Jews by the assistance of two hundred Archers and seventy Horsemen all Infidels What can be objected against this Reason It is permitted every one to make an alliance with all such as are comprised under the notion of Neighbours and it may not be doubted for the Son of God hath commanded Us to love them as our selves The Infidels are positively comprehended under that Title especially when they are of advantage unto us as Jesus Christ testifieth in the Parable of the Samaritan And by consequence it is evident that alliances with Infidels and Hereticks are permitted unto Princes If it be said that a Prince may make an alliance with such to have Peace with them or commerce or perhaps employ their Forces against others of the same Religion with them but not against such as profess the same Religion with himself I answer that the general practice of Christianity hath been otherwise How often did the Emperours of Constantinople the Kings of Spain and France contract for the assistance of the Sarracens against Christians Which of these Realms hath not confederated with the Turks to invade the Christians Which of them hath not combined with the Hereticks and made use of their assistance against their Enemies though of the same Religion with them If we turn our Eyes upon the Protestants do we not find Q. Elizabeth contriving with the Count of Embden how to undermine the Hanse-Towns many whereof were Protestants Do we not find the Dutch assisting the French King against the Protestants of Rochel Do we not read of Maurice Duke of Saxony assisting Charles the Fifth against the other Protestants Did not the House of Brandenburgh do the like Have not the Swedes fought against the Duke of Saxony and other Protestants in Germany who were reconciled to the Emperour by the Peace of Prague and did not the one Party adhere to the House of Austria whilst the other was supported by France Have not the Danes fought against the Swedes by confederation with Poland and the Emperour In such cases every Party regards the other as Potent Ambitious and Injurious Adversaries not as Protestants and whatever Dammage befals the Reformed Religion in the heat of War it is to be charged upon those that give occasion thereunto not unto them that are enforced to secure themselves We must distinguish betwixt the Church and State this War is not commenced against the First but the Latter nor doth his Majesty contract to advance the Religion but Dominions of France Whatsoever hath or may fall out as to the Popish Religion being restored in the United Provinces is not to be imputed unto Us but unto the French who are Zealous for its Promotion His Majesty is but indirectly and by accident concerned therein it being contrary to his Wishes and Inclinations nor can He be said so much as Interpretatively to Will the thing We ought to distinguish betwixt those events which do by a natural consequence follow our own Actions and those which ensue accidentally by reason our Allies are of another Religion Though there may be found a way to argue an indirect and interpretative Will in the former case yet that cannot be extended indefinitely to all such evil contingencies as arise not from our Wills but the particular intendments of another And it is a received Maxime amongst the Casuists that in such Circumstances no man is bound to avoid such enterprises if He have just Causes and Reasons moving Him thereunto Nor can he be said either expresly or interpretatively to Will or
occasion these evils which thus ensue nor is He any way guilty of them If then the War with the United Provinces be Just which is an unquestionable truth if it be lawful for the Protestant King of Great Britain to enter into a League with the King of France though a Papist which cannot well be questioned those considerations ought not to perplex the Consciences of any English man which arise from the voluntary and subsequent proceedings of his most Christian Majesty It became the States General at first to weigh those things they are extrinsical to our Business But we ought to take notice with what circumspection as to this point his Majesty hath proceeded by Inviting them to come hither and securely to profess their Religion in England Whereupon his Majesty did most piously and motuproprio make as great a provision for the support of the Protestant Religion as it was possible for him in that condition which the Treachery and Villany of the Dutch Governours had reduced Him unto They had made the Interests of the two Nations to be incompatible and as it becomes all English-men to prefer their own Welfare before that of a Stranger so it is manifest that the Reformed Religion will be in a better Posture by the Grandeur and Puissance of these Realms than if they fell under the force of Holland Out of what hath been alledged in Answer unto the first Scruple there hath been in a manner suggested a Reply unto the Second Yet I do further say That his Majesty hath a Cordial and sincere regard unto the general good of the Protestants and how much he regarded the welfare of the Dutch it doth appear by the Treaty at Breda the Triple Alliance and Defensive Articles It is not in His Power to oblige them further against their Wills nor is it requisite and fitting that he give up the Rights of England and abandon the concerns of His natural Subjects for the benefit of Holland It is for the general benefit of Protestancy that England flourish rather then be destroyed Hereunto His Majesty hath bent all His Councils He neither sought this War nor ever declined a just and honourable Peace We cannot expect He should perform impossibilities in behalf of the reformed Religion in general and we ought not to amuse the People with insinuations that are either vain or malitious Let us rather contemplate the success which hath happened upon the contests betwixt Protestants heretofore When Maurice aided Charles the 5th though the Lantgrave of Hesse and Elector of Saxony both were overthrown in the quarrel yet was not Protestancy it self prejudiced thereby and the like events have sundry times fallen out so that we have no such reason to prognosticate these calamities unto the reformed Religion whether we attend unto experience or the good will of God in the disposition of affairs and whilst we perplex our selves about the Hollanders it may be they are now saying It is good for us that we were afflicted They may now be reclaimed from their Pride and Insolence and at once become better Christians and better Neighbours But to resume my Discourse The Reasons aforesaid did not the more elevated judgement of His Majesty suggest unto Him any others are sufficient to authorize our Amity with France and Enmity with Holland Which His Majesty did so conclude upon as to remember the English interest in preserving Flanders unto the Spaniard The Embassadour of that Crown I am sure hath with repeated Declarations been satisfied that His Majesty did not intend nor had by this League abandoned those thoughts which at first led Him to enter upon the Triple Alliance and that an Article to that purpose was so penned that a Son of Spain could not have been more express as to that point then the King of England was If his Majesty did transact this whole affair with great secrecy it is an Argument of His extraordinary Conduct which was necessary to so great an affair If He did not advise with the Parliament about the War let us believe it not to have been fit that His privacies should be made publick or that the League should be protracted by their tedious debates and let us acknowledge that according to the English Laws His Majesty is sole Arbitrator and Judge of War and Peace and if our Kings have sometimes advised with their Parliaments about Wars they were never obliged thereunto If that hitherto the Conduct of His Majesty hath appeared to be such that every man must be satisfied with His care and vigilancy for the welfare and honour of His Subjects that which I now come to treat of is such an Action that represents His Prudence to be as great as Clemency and as by the latter vertue He hath equalled Himself to the best of former Princes so I am confident that Antiquity even those Ages which our Homily terms purer then our's did never produce any contrivance equal to what I now come to discourse upon and that is His Majesties Declaration to all His loving Subjects March 15. 1671. To do His Majesty justice about this point and to describe the excellency of that advise I shall choose to imitate the Painter of Crotona who being to draw the Picture of Venus assembled all the beautifull Damsels of the City and by reducing all those perfections which were scattered amongst them into one Effigies did pourtray His Deity or as in some Optick Tables the beautie of a multitude of little Figures are transferred and by reflexion form the Image of some Hero which is all life charm and attraict Thus I will faithfully repeat the several Decrees of the Christian Emperours in the purest times whose Prudence and Piety hath endeared their memories unto all the Church and whom the Church of England doth oblige all Her Sons to have in Reverence and thence it will be manifest that His Majesty hath revived again with advantage that Piety and Policy which is thought to have declined these thirteen hundred years Before I descend to the particulars it is requisite that I deduce these Counsils of His Majesty from their true Original that is His great Devotion unto and tenderness for the preservation of the Church of England Were Our Church retired into the Wilderness were their Dioceses in the desarts of Thebais or some unknown corner of the Earth the Ecclesiasticks might with safety perhaps attend unto their Devotion and perform in their Cells Hermitages and Mandrae the duties of Religion with poverty and without molestation But since it hath pleased Divine Providence to advance the Christian Church above its Primitive Streights want and persecution being originally its allotment to reduce the Kings and Emperours of the Earth unto the Christian Faith and to incorporate the concerns of Religion with those of the Empire other contrivances other means are necessary to support the Lustre and Grandeur of this Church now then were practised in its first condition and those are such as conform
Sentiments concerning their Persons then some of Saturnine Constitutions and petulant Wits could approve of It did then appear unto the Soveraign judgment of our most discerning Prince that there was not in those Men such an inveterate Animosity against Monarchy such an hatred towards his Reign such a rest-less Spirit as some rash and impolitick Men had inculcated every where It was manifest then that those heats which Youth unexperiencedness intemporate and inconsiderate Zeal Ambition or Covetousness had bred in those men were by Age a better discovery of the vanity of precipitous Counsils and the false-hood of pretenders to the publick good Liberty and Religion so abated and allayed that He might presume confidently to employ them in His Service whom neither the rigour of penal Laws nor the insolent deportment of their Enemies in their discourses and writings contrary to ordinary discretion the Laws of Christian Charity and the Act of utter Oblivion could force into a confederacy with the Dutch If their malice against the Church if their covetousness to regain the Ecclesiastical and Crown Lands had been such as it was boldly represented certainly in this juncture and with the ready assistance of John de Wit those so turbulent Persons irritated by so many and so bitter Contumelies would have embraced designes consonant thereunto His Majesty being very well satisfied with the services which some of that Party had done Him and which many others were ready to do and being desirous to engage them universally unto the defense of His Crown and Dignity when the implacable and restless malice of His Enemies did necessitate Him to employ all His care and all possible Provision against their secret and desperate complotments He issued out that Declaration March the 15th 1671. to all His loving Subjects wherein He exempted all sorts of Non-conformists from the execution of the penal Laws against them but with such a Declaracion of His reverence for the Church of England such a regulation of the Non-conformists that whilst His Majesty expresseth himself to be the common Father of His People at the same time He demonstrateth himself likewise a zealous and perfect Son of the Church He revives the Primitive Policy of Constantine and acteth like a Bishop over those that are without whilest he defends and owns the Orthodox Bishops over those that are within The Judgment of the Church of England in Her Homilies concerning the foure first Centuries of Christianity FOr three hundred years after our Saviour Christ the Christian Religion was most pure and indeed Golden Constantine was a Prince of good zeal to our Religion Homily III. against peril of Idolatry In those dayes which were about four hundred years after our Saviour the Church was much less corrupt and more pure then now Homily II. against peril of Idolatry In the Act of Parliament against Conventicles there is this Clause inserted Provided that neither this Act nor any thing therin contained shall extend to invalidate or avoid His Majesties Supremacy in Ecclesiastical affairs but that His Majesty and his Heirs and Successors may from time to time and at all times hereafter exercise and enjoy all Powers and Authorities in Ecclesiastical affairs as fully and as amply as himself or any of his Predecessours have or might have done the same any thing in this Act notwithstanding This Proviso puts me upon a necessity of researching into the Ecclesiastical Constitutions of the Royal Predecessours And I am sure that Constantine the Great was one of them who was not onely born in England but began His Reign in this Realm and did in a mauner as Selden Avows transfer the Roman Empire unto Britain The Imperial Crown which the Kings of England at present wear did descend unto them as being Successors of the said Constantine He began his Reign Anno Dom. 306. and continued until 337. He was and is esteemed of by the Church as an Apostle and sometimes so styled also the Apostle amongst Kings or one equal unto the Apostles Euseb de vita Constantini M. l. 4. c. 60. cum notis Hen. Valesii His President His Authority is so much the more illustrious and great by reason of the Century in which He lived And for so much as that the Christian Church deriveth it's first Settlement and the Hierarchy its lustre from His auspicious Conduct and Decrees I shall therefore particularly relate the Transactions of His Age in order to the composing of Sects more violent more dissonant more lewd and not less obstinate or numerous then those which distract these Kingdomes And because those Emperours which did succeed Him immediately lived in those dayes whereon our Church bestowes the aforesaid Elogy and since they contributed as much by their proceedings unto the Peace and Tranquillity of the Orthodox Christianity as Constantine did as also their memory is not less reverenced by the Universal Church I shall add an account of their deportment The Declaration of Constantine the great concerning a general Indulgence I Do desire O God that all thy People should live in Peace and free from dissensions out of a regard unto the common good of Mankinde Notwithstanding let those that are deluded enjoy the benefits of peace and quiet equally with those that believe For this Regulation of Men under a mutual Amity is an effectual course for the reclaiming of them unto the right way Let no man molest another Let every man follow his own judgement Only let well-meaning Persons believe that they alone live holily and purely who are regulated by the holy Lawes and they who with draw from their assemblies Let them pursue their false Deities since they will have it so We are possessed of the truth which thou hast revealed unto Us and we wish them in the same condition that they might participate in the satisfaction which would arise from the general Unanimity of the Empire Thanks be rendred unto thee most great God and Ruler of all things for the more that humane nature discovers it self in a diversity of judgements and interests the more will the true Religion be confirmed in the minds of its Followers But whosoever will not be cured of his Errors let him blame none but Himself For the way to recover him is publick and obvious unto him But let every one have a care left they injure that Religion which doth manifest it self to be blameless and unspotted wherefore let us all make use of the benefits tendered unto us keeping our Consciences free from what is contrary thereunto But let no man prejudice another for being of another per swasion But whosoever understands any thing let him if possible communicate it to his Neighbour If it be not possible to prevail then let him alone For it is one thing for a man voluntarily to pursue the race for immortality and another to compel him by penalties thereunto I have insisted hereon more largely then seemed to my purpose because I would not conceal
not being permitted to go forth to ease themselves Lâ—…urence Ryall the Dutch General caused â—…rates and Câ—…ge to be made and carried the English therein fetterâ—…d and shewed them triumphantly to the Indians at every port saying Behold and see here is the people of that Nation whose King you care so much for Now you may see how kindly we use his Subjects They have robbed the Indians under English colours thereby to incense them against us and to destroy our Trade there They have counterfeited the coyn of other Nations and then defamed the English for it The traffick to China and Persia c. was râ—…ined by their seizing and destroying the Ships of Sir William Courteen and â—…is Partners We did by our Embassadour St. Johns demand satisfaction for all these dammages and charged them with the blood of the English that had been slaughtered by them in the Katharine and Dragon in these words Though we cannot positively prove yet by good circumstances we can make it appear that you did destroy the Ships Dragon and Katharine though the ships and men were never heard of yet the Guns and Goods of those Ships have been found in your Country which doth give us some confidence to believe you did destroy the Men and Ships And we are informed that some of your own Countrey-men when they lay on their death-beds did make consession of those cruel murthers and seisures how that they met them going to the Cape of good Hope and after a friendly salutation the Dutch invited the English Commanders aboard and after they had been feasted they told them that it was fitting They should drink â—…stick as well as eat â—…stick and causing them to be bound back to back they were cast into the Sea And in the Evening when the English expected the return of their Commanders and their Crews the Dutch with their own and English boats went aboard the English Ships and served every man in the same manner and haveing taken out what Guns and Goods they thought fit the Ships were sunk by them the which were worth according to the Invoyce had they come to the port of London 170000 l. In Guiney and Brasile we have been treated with the same usage and the Dutch have been alwaies either acting open hostilities or which is worse destroying the Honour and Renown of our Nation in Spain Italy Russia and all places whither a Dutch-man trades Therefore we were then convinced that the true way to advance the English trade was to reduce the Hollanders to greater moderation and it was apparent unto us That so treacherous a people were not to be treated as faâ—… and generous Enemies nor otherwise to be restrained then by Arms. The Hollanders surprised us in the midst of a Treaty for a nearer Union They abused us with contumelâ—…ous â—…ictures and Libâ—…ls They sighted the force of England the town of Flushing alone offering to fight any Navy we could put forth But the usage which His Majesty hath met with is much more intolerable He being a King and united to them by more then one firm League of Anity Besides the obligations his Ancestours had fixed upon the Dutch He had extinguished at Breda a mulâ—…itude of Actions against Them and by consenting to that peâ—…e He had given them opportunity to resettle themselves in order to their security who were obnoxious to the French pretensions upon Brabant as He afterwards preserved them by projecting the Triple Alliance Yet as no Courtesie could engage these Hollanders to Civility so no Articles could tye them to a real friendship In a juncture when the puissance of France amased and terrified all Europe they dispute the Flag and deny the Dominion of the Sea threatning to abandon England to the French and privately tendering their aid and service unto that King Their Fleets were ordered not to strike sail unto the Ships of this Crown and thereby the whole Treaty at Breda annulled They having thus laid aside all respects for Faith and Honesty all concernment for the Protestant Religion all regards for His Majesty and the English interest We cannot think that his Majesty ought to be tender of their Amity or suspend his counsils upon a tedious Embassy to their High and Mighties at the Hague who had by a previous resolution about the Flag defeated all hopes of Agreement The War under the pretended Common-wealth had this further resemblance with that of His Majesty That the Dutch did twice send over Embassadours to amuse us in our Counsils and retard our preparations the first had power sufficient given by their Credentials but yet They would conclude nothing without the concurrence of the States General and Provincial also The second came over without any power to treat or conclude The like Finesse we observe to have been put upon His Majesty Upon this We proceeded to all actions of Hostility publishing every where that the Hollanders were the most perfidious persons in the world that it was in vain to seek a firm Amity or Union by Treaty or compact with Men that were swayed only by interest and profit that they did design to monopolize the Trade of the Universe unto themselves to impoverish the English and having weakened their strength at Sea and despoiled us of our ancient and indubitable right to its dominion wherein consists not only the Honour but Safety of the Nation for those Seas and our Ships are the out-works and Bulwarks of this Countrey to dispossess us of our Land-inheritance afterwards upon occasion That unless the Dutch would forbear these pernicious designs and own the undoubted Rights of the English with more sincerity then They had hitherto shewed there could be no foundation for any Agreement nor any reason why we should loose time in attending their opportunities for our satisfaction and security To what advantage will the Conclusion of any thing be or what encouragement is there for any proceeds in things of that nature For though Leagues are consirmed with all the Sacredness that Man knows of to bind the performance yet if Profit be paramount to such stipulations when a fair occasion is presented no bounds be they never so high and intrinsecal will be able to preserve those Leagues from doing Homage to the Supream Deity of Gain and special Utility Principles that center not in the performance of Covenants further then they are for advantage what differ they from or rather How are they not more destructive to Civil Society and the Law of Nations and true Religion then that vulgarly ascribed to the Papists That Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks We did remember a succession of Presidents in that Republick How little regard They had unto their words and contracts That no obligation of benefits received no terrour of cautionary Towns could moderate their minds heretofore but that they did most maliciously impudently and intolerably abuse and defame Q. Elizabeth whereof she made complaint