of Parliament by their industry who are so well read in Machiavell as to have learned that the best way to enjoy a Kingdome is to divide it One side affirming our Government by a fundamentall constitution a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Sophocles an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch and an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Strabo saith an absolute and full Kingdome wherein his Majesty was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by no meanes obnoxious to his Subjects being Supreame over all Causes and Persons accountable to none but to the blessed God as the Hebrew Barnachman hath it who saith Job shall say to Kings yee are wicked or to Princes yee are ungodly The other side asserting our constitution mixt and our Supreame power divided between the King the Lords and the Commons as Chalchondylos formerly asserted of England Arragon Nâ—varrre vide Plin. l. 6. c. 22. and some new Politicians of late who though they confesse that in the beginning Kings had all power as Pomponius and Justine out of him yet afterwards as Tacitus observes the People established Lawes which the King was to obey Tacit. 3. Annal. Cic. de rep 1. et Fenestell 3. 2. And indeed we had the best constitution of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Solon and an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Lycarg is by some made to speak § 23 But upon some discontents the severall powers clashed and mistrusted each other and gave themselves over to such feares and jealousies as put each rashly upon thoughts of War which cannot be just unlesse it be necessary and therefore not to be undertaken upon every causlesse feare of uncertaine danger But then there were some with Attila that Cared not how the War begins If they could bring it to their ends This civil War was managed a while with variety of success that neither side should either presume or despaire § 24 It pleased God his Majesty suffered some disadvantage at last successe being not commanded to attend the best cause here nor miscarrage the worst greatnesse and goodnesse justice and victory being not yet married there is so much security of tâ—e happinesse of another life that Christs Kingdome was not and our hapiness is not of this World though many have been perplexed with that question Cur bonis male sit why it fares so ill with the good yet a Bible well understood hath taught them that there is neither love nor hatred to be knowne by any thing under the Sun when we goe into the Sanctuary we are taught that its unwarrantable to appeale to heaven for the decision of this or that controversy by the successe bestowed upon this party or that cause according to its righteousnesse and due merit Pluto in Aristophanes is commanded to be as favourable to the wicked as the good because if virtue were rich she should be courted more for her dowry then for her beauty so if Justice or Religion had the advantage of prosperity we should be apt to follow it as the common Souldiers more for the prey then for the canse Christ would be followed againe for loaves § 25 His Majesties unhappy affaires in England made some alterations in his Councels together with no lesse unseasonable then unlawfull interposition of those of Scotland in our affaires for since civill society was instituted its certaine the Rulers of every one have attained a speciall right in which others have no share over their own Subject so that in them onely resides the supreame power of Judgement whence there is no appeal saith Thacydides Nos quotquot hujus Colimus urbis maenia Sufficimus ipsi nostra judicia exequi Heraclides Spartam tibi quae contigit orna nobiâ— fuerit Cura mysaenae Proc. vandal 2. c. b. n. b. although when Subjects suffer what 's intollerable humane Society hath allowed and prompted one Nation to assist another so the Romans assisted the Persians so the English succoured the oppressed Dutch and French § 26 These advantages prevailed with his Majesty to order the honourable Marquesse of Ormond to bring the Rebels to a cessation upon the most advantageous termes and to spare so many of his best Regiments for English service among whom his Excellencies is brought over as one every way accomplished for the exigence of those times affaires Neither needed his Majesty make use of a Quintili Varo redde legiones So compleat are his Companies that he might reply to his Majesty with reverence to our Saviours words and of those which you have given me I have hardly lost one § 27 No sooner was he and others landed on English ground but they were entertained with a Surprize by some Parliament Forces before they had time to know which was their foe which was their friend For the Scene was altered â—nd their noble hands were to be imbrued now in Protestant and not in Popish blood their swords were to be sheathed no longer in Irish but in English bowels It had been some comfort had it been strangers that they engaged with but alas it was with those of their own and their Fathers house It was w th their familiars those w th whom they had taken sweet councell together they of their own faith one Baptisme and one hope were their aid called against aliens it were easy to resolve saith Aristides Luctrica 5. but a suddaine disaster prevented these debates they being set upon by that Person whose undertakings were more suddaine then others thoughts and sometimes then his own § 28 The Parliament were too well informed of these Regiments to give them the strengthning advantage of uniting with the Kings main body and better instructed in that maxime dum singuli pagnant vincuntur universi then to let them pass without attempts upon them singly § 29 His Excellency and others were taken Prisoners and had now nothing left them but the glory of suffering for his Majesty he is deprived of all those things that make a Souldier and now what remaines but those prayers teares that may make a Martyr And in this capacity of a Prisoner did he remaine in the Tower so long aâ— to see his Majesty utterly defeated imprisoned aâ— himselfe the anointed of the Lord was taken in their Nets under whose shadow we said we should live in peace yea and murthered too to see Monaâ—chy laid aside Parliaments forced Lawes Priviledges and Properties invaded by their own Patrons and the veyle that the uncertaine Warre kept on the Rebells face now by a certaine successe drawn off At their first entrance to England the Irish Forces were puzled Against whom to direct their loyall Swords while each side was for the King for Lawes for Liberty Property and Religion But now they were satisfyed in what they meant that fought for his Majesty against the King Now the whole World saw that they least intended what they most pretended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer they that sit at our helme looked one way
but rowed another whey they should make his Majesty glorious they summon all the wit and malice of their side to make him infamous when they should bring him to his Throne they bring him to the Scaffold the Liberty they with much blood and treasure obtained for the Parliament is it seemes an unparalleld force the Religion to be established are all the antiquated and condemned errours and heresies with the exploded Schismes that attended them so many Religions that sober unconcerned Spectators thought we had none so easy is it in a throng of Religions to loose Religion § 30 His Excellency saw how prosperity opened those Persons whom another condition kept close as mid day discloseth those shels whom night keepes shut advancement discovers a Man when Appius had his wish finem fecit gerendae alienae personae he left wearing another mans Person maximâ— pars morem hunc homines habent quid sibi volunt dum id impetrant boni sunt sâ—d id ubi jam penes sese habent ex bonis pessimi et fraudulentissimi sunt Beâ—…e the man Had got hiâ— Snd He was all Puritan What he would have He thus obtained And then resumed knave § 31 And now he was in love with hiâ— imprisonment seeing cleerly by this time that good cause that consecrated his misery advanced his Prison to a sanctuary and his close retirement to a religious life in the good company of his many honourable and reverend fellow-sufferers his withering and tedious durance being deceived away by the happy alleviation of Society wherein it was doubtfull whether he took or gave more content § 32 There were no meane Persons then that buzzed in his Excellencies eare his Majesties neglect of him in that upon the severall exchanges of Prisoners on both sides he was not thought off It seemes there broke out through his concealement obscure restraint that worth that was not by our grandees thought below their temptations But his Excellency was so well appointed with naked honesty that he was proofe against all suggestions to disloyalty He that looked upon his service to his Majesty as its own encouragement and upon his loyalty as his own reward â—…ued noâ— a neglect or contemâ—… his care was not so much what he was in others thoughts as what he was in his own he is great that is just good and great in his conscience And moreover his Majesty was so beset with malignant Courtiers that he could hardly see any Person in his own worth without a malicious tincture from those mediums they passed through otherwise he knew the Sun beheld not a more gracious Master to condescend humbly to take notice of his subjects service to acknowledge it gratefully and to reward it liberally His Excellency was not ignorant how coldly the renowned Montrosse was entertained for those services that were then without disparagement to any unparallelled and have not been since seconded by any but those of his own But now he and three Nations have reason to think it was not his Majesty but God that delayed his releasement reserving him for better seasons wherein it might please him to make use of his Excellency when rebellion had run to the end of the line and the iniquities of the Amorites became full And it was time to check successefull villanies that blustered in the World casting terror round about and threatning Heaven and Earth and to vindicate oppressed right and afflicted innocence Perijssem might he say nisi perijssem I had been undone had I not been undone for had he been released probably he might have partaked in some of the stragling undertakings of those times which provoked as unhappy to his Majesties cause as to the undertakers for these slight endeavours kept together their divided adversaries with the common danger and hardned them with their miscarriage for they now thought that success hallowed their villanies Honesâ—a scelera successus facit Sen Whereas if Men had stood still the fury of the Rebels had been spent upon themselves for as they say wine must be fed with flesh otherwise it will devour its own strength so usurpation must have an adversary up for a fomes to its power otherwise as we have since seen its like to feed upon its selfe wherfore who knowes not that his Excellency was reserved for such a time as this § 33 And although he had been slighted by his Majesty which was not impossible considering the evill councell about his Majesty that betrayed him to his friends and foes against whom he himselfe had as great cause to raise a War aâ— his Parliament yet that his enemies who durst not put him to death it being against equity saith Sen. ep 1. Alexander in Plutarch against the Law of War saith Salust in his Jugurt History and great cruelty saith Diodorus Siculus l. 17. against the custome of War saith Caesar l. 2. de belle Gallioo Taul Anali 12. to murther Prisoners quos mars reliquit praelio superstites Eurip. entrust him with liberty is the eternall Monument for his worth and faithfulnesse this was a Man as his late Majesty said of that honourable Strafford that even Principalities and Powers that would not trust might feare § 34 Upon the Parliaments unhappy successe Men of dangerous designe and loose Principles usurping Supâ—eame power 1. From the Sword when most that fought in this unhappy War protest they fought not for power but for Liberty 2 From the people when though they are not Servants by nature as Arist. would have it yet neither are they all Masters for who then would obey or if they had the power all the World knows that they would otherwise dispose of it then to these Persons Proceed as its usuall after civill Wars against the Kings party as Traytors for their loyalty whose carriage in the War could not be treason against their Government which they acknowledge is the issue of the War and now searching Prisons they chose out the chiefe for exemplary justice as the fattest commonly falls a Sacrifice and shed the blood of War in the time of peace and revenged themselves 1. Inhumanely saith Sen. 2. Unjustly as they were injured saith Tyrius yea beastly saith Plut. for saith he Beasts bite him that bites see Grotius de bello et pace part 2. p. 80 Upon his sacred Majesty though they were checked with a Touch not mine anoynted and though no Man 1 Sam. 26. 9. could lay hands upon the Lords anoynted and â—e guiltlesse and upon the flower of the Nobility and Gentry that had escaped their fury in the Field § 35 His Excellency being a younger Brother had not estate enough to make his offences capitall yet had too much worth to be at liberty and to be an enemy there appeared it seemes in his single Person what whole Nations might be afraid of Therefore Cromwell that had Souldier enough in him to understand a Souldier takes the advantage of his Excellencies solitude for a tâ—…ptation
by rendring their friends the Phanatiques odious to them and so useless and unservicable when he seemed to discharge Cavaleers from imployment he meant those whose actions had been more serviceable to their enemies then their friends whose rash and unadvised zeal had done more harm than their Loyalty was ever like to do good for those sober persons that were in a mean between madness and AEnthusiasme were such as we have seen manage their moderate Councils in two Moneths with more success on his Majesties behalf then others have managed their valour in twenty years 7. He commends to them Scotland as a Nation that indeed had of late deserved to be encouraged and assures them of Ireland with the persons in whose hands that Nation was 8. He commends to them a Free State for he would gladly lay down his life but he knew well that Nunquam libertas gratior extat quam sub rege pio That it is the highest freedome a State can hope for to serve a good Prince Sect. The Parliament imploy him to the City And then he withdraws to his place in the Council of State where the first thing under consideration was the reducing of the City now stiffly resolved to own no power save that of a Free and full Parliament where he saw that that Parliament and Council of State were neer a period by those strong attempts they made to keep themselves alive Morientium morsus acerrimus the last endeavour of the dying is most vigorous for they order 1. That he should march into the City with so many Horse and Foot to force them to an obedience to the Act of Assesment It s the guise of men in power to act themselves in the plausible part of their Government leaving the more offensive passages to their instruments His Excellency coming up to the City at Guild-Hall peremptorily demands the Assessement by an order from the Parliament and the Council of State to which demand proceeding from him beyond expectation the City after a little respit for extasy and amazement return this answer In Magna Charta confirmed by the Petition of Right and renewed by this present Parliament a day before their forcible dissolution upon the 11. of Octob. they were to pay no Taxes c. but by their consent iu Parliament which now they had not Yet to give no offence to the Parliament the Council of State or his Excellency desire time to consider of it and indeed those debates upon which depended the welfare of the Nation with its Liberties priveledges and properties called for time and leisure His Excellency in the mean time writes to the House to know their pleasure to which they answer that 1. He should imprison the Honourable Col. Bromfield Alder. Bludworth L. C. Jackson Maâ—or Cox c. 2. That he should remove their Chaines digge up their posts and break their Gates Which strange orders were sent not only to try his Excellencys patience and obedience but to make that emnity open which was but suspected between him and the City so did Achitophel advise Absolom to ravish his Fathers Concubines before all Israel that Israel might be assured that he and his Father were enemies And his Excellency obeys them readily thereby gaining an opportunity to discover the genius of the City which he had not otherwise there known certainly to be so resolute for and so true to Liberty and right Sect. They afterwards degrade him But the Parliament as they intended that by that imployment so offensive to the City he should weaken his Interest so they contrive that while he is busy in it he should be weakned in his power His Commission for Generalship expiring they renew it not according to his desert but impower six more of themselves to be equal with him in command that never came neer him in merits according to their interest viz. Hazslerig Walton Morley c. which when his Army heared as they were not satisfied with their late imployment so much less were they satisfied with this reward the lessening of their Generals power when they might justly expect his advancement and therefore being assured of the City by a conference at the three Tunns at Guild-Hall his Excellencies Head quarters His Officers Remonstrance thereupon They humbly remonstrate First their sence of that violence they were commanded to offer the renowned City a violence unparraleld in our worst of daies which though they made havock of most part of the Nations yet spared the ancient City for its late performances too honourable and for its antiquity too reverend to be so abused Secondly their fear of several persons eminent in this late disturbance who had their freedome within and without the City to consult plot and design what might reduce us to our former misery Thirdly their abhorrency of a late Petition delivered in the House by Praise-God Barebone so subversive of all order and power so dangerous to all Religion worship and discipline so destructive to all Lawes Statutes and Customes that to repeat it was to confute and condemne it and all sober eyes have as soon abhorred it as seen it Fourthly Their wish that the Parliament would quickly determine their session and provide for succeeding Parliaments Sect. He adheres to the City for a Free Parliament Which as soon as his Excellency had communicated to the Speaker by a Letter he marched to London for quarters declaring for a Free Parliament and caâ—ting himself upon the love and faithfulness of the City and Coâ—ntreâ— that they might stand by him in the prosecution of publick good In which resolution he persisted notwithstanding 1. The flatteries of the House caâ—oling him with the Honour of Hampâ—on Court and his Brotheâ— the Honorable Sir â— h. Clergis with the Hamper Office which was woâ—th a 1000 l. a year 2. Their sâ—ares into which had it not been for his incomparable Lady he migh hâ—ve been trappanned by a dinner to whiâ—h he was to be invited by the Council of State 3. their threatnings expressed in Haslerig 's Speeches that breathed nothing but fire and sword In the mean time taking his quarters among the Citizens he expects patiently the issue of the Parliaments debates in answer to his last Letters to them and finding they thought of nothing but the setling of their own interest and continuing of their power he desired the messengers they sent to treat with him to delay time to procure a conference between some Members of the House and some honourable patriots that were excluded from it which was granted and had before him for mutual information He heardt the controversie between the Secluded and the other Members in which he â—udiâ—iously weighed each sides reasons and arguments being all the while silent himself and conâ—luding with himself upon the result of the whole that the settlement intended by the house was upon â—oundations too naâ—…ow to bear up a publike good He admits Secluded Members to