Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	king_n	parliament_n	prerogative_n	4,603	5	10.2111	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A83946	Englands alarm from the north, vvherein the affaires of Scotland are represented, with the ominous aspect they have to England, to awaken all interests to consider of the nearest conjunction among themselves against the common enemie, who appears in a new disguize, yet as destructive as ever to our lawes, liberties, and priviledges.		1648 (1648)	Wing E2938; Thomason E434_24; ESTC R205279	15,178	23

hope they have observed and read the Scots Commissioners by this time as well as they have formerly done them if they will still be made pack horses to the Scots designes I shall wish them no worse masters I have one word to another party of which I am sorry to hear that they should be thought a party distinct from the whole the Levellers falsely so called and as innocently misled in whom the principles of liberty would shine very resplendently were they not mixed with some other unsuitable passions You honest hearts whose designe do you drive on with such violence are there not parties enough already make no more lest you part your Interest from the Publique Liberty is the garland we must weare after victory but we must take heed how we prosecute the attainment of it all things cannot be done at once every man is not to be judge of his own liberty there may be more dangers sometimes in setling liberty then in acting a warre I fear you have done more disservice and made more breaches in the honest Party then the liberty of your particular persons will countervaile Avide ruendo ad libertatem in servitutem delapsi sunt was an observation found out by old experience It is observed in you that the violence of your spirit hath sprung from some particular discontents and injuries received from particular persons which is an ill foundation and honest men see not these holy and Christian-like gallantryes in your carriages but much of selfe and particular reflexions on private persons Oh let not advantages be given by you to your and our enemies againe revenge not your particular quarrels to some members of Parliament with opening a gap for the old Incendiaries to creep in at to destroy us all Ballance former services with present failings consider the many exigencies men of publique imployment are put unto they bear with your passions you must with their other infirmities wait but a while and calmly indeavour in your places what you aim at but let not your particular spirits manage such a publique work and especially remember who threatens to take advantage by our divisions I can assure you give the Cavaliers such a glimpse of hope that they as men risen from the dead at the hearing of your new agreements of the people and such like transactions for while you seem to agree in that you divide from the whole and incourage the present designe to destroy our Union and Communion together But I know the thoughts of a Scottish Invasion will settle your present thoughts to indeavour the strengthening the present honest Party under what names soever What remaines but that all honest and true-hearted English men should unite their apprehensions and affections in standing for the particular Interest of England and the sticking to this present Parliament for though things have not been carried so uniformely as could have been wished and many members have had their particular failings yet that is the most certaine remedy we have ever found and if we vilifie and undervalue them we shake the foundations of our own peace and there is no other visible remedy left us to support our selves but what is violent and unnaturall and though private men may see many failings in particular actions they must remember that they cannot see all the difficulties they meet with nor all the secret principles and reasons they act by and that what ever passeth through the best of men will need refining and long continuance in variety of Affaires cannot but alter thoughts and apprehensions if not principles We now know the worst of this Parliament but we know not what will be the next they are now going on happily if we discourage them by our divisions the blame must lie on us not on them who cannot possible please all parties in every circumstance of their desires and it is a mercy they have kept to the foundation of our liberties and have not given it up yet either to the King or Scots and their last declaration in Answer to the Scots Commissioners papers may satisfie the whole world in their absolute intirenesse to the Interest of this Kingdome and may calme our spirits from such murmurings as arise against them I am sorry to heare honest men so hot to desire a dissolution of this Parliament before we are freed of our feares and they have setled the Kingdome in a positive defence against our enemies It is better trust them whom we know and who promise better things then leave all to the hazard of a next Parliament of whom we know nothing nor how they may be packt and how in the intervall designes may act Let the last malignant elections in Scotland for ever stand a Patterne to us else we shall be wise when we have paid more for it And that we may yet prevent this designe from the North let us reflect on our former actings and recall our first principles of ingagement in this warre We may very well remember that the old Character which was given to our common Enemie by which we distinguished them was from their owning the Kings Prerogative interest against the Parliament of England and the libertie of the Subject from whence they were called Malignants and who ever owne the same interest or seeke to set up the King in his Throne contrary to the Propositions of Peace propounded by both Houses of Parliament and do joyne with the same partie cannot be looked upon any other notion then as the common Enemie though under another name all honest men are to unite against them as at first except we mean to forsake our principles or do imagine that our Enemies are regenerated and that the King is turned purely for the libertie of the Subjects and the Priviledges of Parliament Cujus contrarium verum est they had never more wicked intentions then now they have nor their hearts fuller fraught with malice then at this day But it s our misery that we can see nothing but what we feele nor will beleeve nothing before its too late to prevent it we have not so much wit that the same designe can be carried on by severall mediums which seeme contrary to it But if men will be secure let them be undone by the danger I hope wise men will take care for themselves If God will yet punish us with a senselesse slavish spirit it s but the fruit of our own doings It s happy for honest men they have a reserve at last but its sad to thinke that so many gallant spirits in this juncture of time are divided when division is the greatest prejudice to our affaires It s no wonder that Englands glory and happinesse hath beene the object of so much envie and other Nations have such ambitious eyes upon it but the wonder is that we should by our own folly prostrate so faire a Virgin to the ravishments of everie ones lust We can exchange nothing with other Nations of our Liberties and Priviledges without indangering their affections to it It hath beene but a little part of our wisdome that we have given Scotland such a sair prospect of our happiness we might have kept our secrets and have beene kinde enough unto them too But we cannot now help it you see what a vertue men make of necessitie let us be wise for time to come and know that a faire and loving distance from Scotland will not at all prejudice our condition so long as we keep to the substance of our union correspondence in mutual affaires any neerenesse besides will but make them covet and us fear It stands upon you to have your eyes in your head and to observe where you are and what you are comming unto and if all will not make you wise there must be a whip provided for the back of such fooles It may be this discourse may seeme needlesse and be thought only the frenzie of some melancholy spirit I wish it may prove so I shall be glad to lose my paines so they may lose their designs It wil be my happiness to be mistaken in this though timely caution never yet hindered any serious work I shall conclude with my heartie desires to God that he would open the eyes of this Nation defeate the plots of our Enemies settle us in Truth and Peace and that while we are of one Nation we may have one Interest in all publique Affairs FINIS