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	sovereign_a	3,527	5	9.3552	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89881	Interest will not lie. Or, a view of England's true interest: in reference to the [brace] papist, royalist, Presbyterian, baptised, neuter, Army, Parliament, City of London. In refutation of a treasonable pamphlet, entituled, The interest of England stated. Wherein the author of it pretends to discover a way, how to satisfie all parties before-mentioned, and provide for the publick good, by calling in the son of the late King, &c. Against whom it is here proved, that it is really the interest of every party (except only the papist) to keep him out: and whatever hath been objected by Mr. William Pryn, or other malcontents, in order to the restoring of that family, or against the legality of this Parliament's sitting, is here answer'd by arguments drawn from Mr Baxter's late book called A holy commonwealth, for the satisfaction of them of the Presbyterian way; and from writings of the most learned royalists, to convince those of the royal party. By Mar. Nedham.	Nedham, Marchamont, 1620-1678.	1659 (1659)	Wing N392; Thomason E763_5; ESTC R202968	47,454	45

been from reason deduced in the former Sactions But now let us return to our Author again He saith This Parliament is no Parliament because by Law it is Dissolved through the Kings Death that Called it So saith Mr. Pryn also and others Thus when men are over-heated with Prejudice and Passion they know not or remember not what they say They affirm The Parliament dyed together with the King and so can no longer have a Being yet they keep a clamour to get into the House and then they will be content it shall be a Living Parliament again although the King be Dead and shall serve the turn and he … ed a Full a Free and a Good Parliament but you may suppose to no other purpose but their own Why else did William Pryn and his fellows make such a stir to get in And why doth the 〈◊〉 Pa●er subscribed G. Booth intimate That if the House will let in the Old Members again all shall be as well as if it were a new Virgin Parliament By th●s the world may plainly see it is not the Publick Interest of the Nation though they pretend it but their own which they seek If the seclusion of them be taken off that they may sit then it will be as good a Parliament as it was at first or as any new one can be Speak out then and say O House of Parliament ye shall reign and we will be content provided we may reign with you And who knows forsooth if such a bargain could be made whether they would not upon those terms leave Charls Stuart to commence his Reign Ad Graecas Calendas or Latter-Lammas But they have more wit than to believe such a bargain possible therefore not being able to get into the House their best way is to say it is no Parliament and upon that account keep up a faction to bring in Charls and try whether they can reign with him by perswading the Nation they are undone and neither have nor can have any Government without him Thus far I have argued this business Argumento ad hominem that is to say in a way of Argumentation good against Mr. William Prynne and the men of his party quatenus Prynne and that party so that they above all other men ought to hold their tongues But because it is necessary that both they and the Cavalier Objectors should be confuted and that others should be satisfied and likewise that the mindes of friends should be confirmed and all mens scruples be removed touching the legality and equity of this Parliaments sitting I shall now descend to handle the question Argumento ad Rem that is to say by an Argument to the purpose making good the thing it self as it now stands against the world of Malecontents of what party soever they be and this I will do not by such principles as may be said to be onely our own but from such as are owned by some of those of the Presbyterian party who appear opposite to the Parliament and by others also Royalists of high reputation and judgment in the world This leads me to make Reply unto what our Author further saith viz. That not onely many of the Members of this Parliament are secluded but they were first dissolved by reason of the death of the King that called them so that legally they could sit no longer and at last by the late Protector Which dissolution was acknowledged by as many Members against themselves as sat in intermediate Parliaments Here you see the utmost that the Cavaliers and which Mr. Prynne and the other Malecontents do or can say against this Parliaments sitting For Answer whereunto give me leave to lay down these Prolegomena or Previous Positions which are not points of my own invention but as well founded upon the judgment of the learned as agreeable to my own which perhaps is but weak 1. The first Position is drawn from Mr. Baxters own words in his late Book entituled A holy Commonwealth and I suppose whatever he saith his Brethren will approve He to justifie himself for his finding with the Parliaments Arms against those of the King declareth That the King by the constitution of the Kingdom had the Title of Soveraign but not so as that the Soveraign Power was wholly in him for that according to the constitution was divided betwixt him and the Parliament and so p. 46. he sheweth how that in this Kingdom the Title of Soveraign given to the King was Honorary and ought not to be interpreted contrary to the constitution of the Kingdom which allowed him but a part onely of the Soveraignty So that though the persons representing the people in Parliament were being taken in their personal condition each of them but Subjects yet in respect to the publick constitution of the Kingdom they revera had one part of that Soveraign Power of Parliament as the King had another part and could really claim no more but his part in the Acts of Supremacy For proof of this Mr. Baxter in Page 463 464 465 466. citeth the Kings own Answer to the Nineteen Propositions and from thence inferre that large his Royal acknowledgment of the truth of this assertion therefore I suppose neither the Cavaliers will contradict this seeing the King acknowledged it nor the Presbyterians because not onely Mr. Baxter writes this but because also they all engaged in the War upon this principle for the Parliament against the King and questionless a righteous principle of engagement it was 2. This leads me to a second Position viz. That in a Kingdom where the Soveraignty is so divided if the King shall grow insolent and by Arms seek to invade that part of the Soveraignty which belongs to the people in Parliament he may by arms be lawfully opposed For proof of this Mr. Baxter because he would now be courteous with the Cavaliers and win them citeth the judgments of two the most learned Royalists that this later Age hath produced viz. Barclay and Grotius which citations being large I for brevities sake omit them onely one out of Grotius give me leave to repeat in English because it hath the full sence of the rest It is this If the Authority be divided betwixt a King and the People in Parliament so that the King hath one part of is the people another the King offering to encroach upon that part which is none of his may lawfully be opposed by Arms because be exceeds the bounds of his Authority And not only so but he may lose his own part likemise by the Law of Arms. 3. The third Position is That a King carrying on a War upon such terms against the people to the death and destruction of his people while they are contending for their right remaine no longer a King having dissolved the constitution of the Kingdom but hath lost his Kingdom and becoms an enemy and a private person For proof of this against the Cavaliers Barclay the great Champion of

you could forget their implacable temper yet for these things they will never forget you Secondly Take heed of Promises all ye that have ever been engaged against that Family and Party Is it not strange to hear that some who have been so active against him openly should now engage for him under a disgaise What security can they have therein for themselves or the Nation Oh but our Author tells us young Charles is a good man in all respects and as to his honesty no malice hath the impudence to blast it Though we could say somewhat to one Part of his honesty yet we wave it but in the other part of honesty which concerneth oaths and promises we might say he hath blasted himself but that he ought not to seem over-serious about them lest while he pretends to a Crown he should lose his credit with the Politicians that would think him unfit to be a KING But they need not doubt him he hath made proof enough of himself in that particular having most Royally given evidence that to trust him is the right way to true Repentance If ye look into my Third Section ye may there see how like a KING he carryed himself in the Trust given him by the Presbyterians when they made him a White Boy in Scotland by cloathing him with the Covenant and a Coronation-oath and Royal Robes all together Thirdly consider that as you have had the Honour hitherto to stand firm to the Nations true interest in opposition to that Family so while they pretend here in print to court you their great business is at the same time to make you jealous of the Parliament the Parliament of you and at once to exasperate all parties of men against you that being diffident of each other and discontented ye may not be in a condition vigorously to unite your Counsels and Forces against the design which they have now in hand for the ruine of all Make much then of this Parliament they are the founders of the Nations Interest upon a better Basis of Freedome than our Ancestors could ever hope for and questionless they must needs be most concerned and fittest to finish the Building seeing it is their own Interest as well as the Publick and they have most experience in the work Charles Stuart is for the giving of our wise men and our interested men a Rotation as quick as may be Therefore certainly it is your interest to stand by the Parliament with your ancient courage and affection beat down the enemies before you and so when you have gained Victory ye will be in the ready way of getting your Arrears out of the Purses of your Adversaries which will be the greatest comfort to your selves and an ease to the People more words might be used but you see where your Interest doth lye and if you follow it strenuously it cannot lie it will not deceive you whereas if you swerve but from a tittle of it your enemies will soon slip into one Advantage or other to bring trouble and desolation upon the Land ruine upon your selves and all your Friends SECT VII Of the Parliament THe Parliament being the Butt at which the Adversaries shoot all their bitter Arrows of reproach and envy it will be necessary to be particular in curing the Wounds which have of late been given to their Reputation because their Being is the grand Bulwark of our security But in the first place to sandalize them our Author saith It is the design of the Parliament to continue themselves in absolute Power by the specious name of a Popular Government and finally to set up an Oligarchy By this you see 1. That which the enemy principally fears is lest this Parliament should continue over-long could they but be rid of this Parliament they presume they should do well enough afterwards either with or without another and therefore their Work is if they knew how to precipitate the ending of it But to confute the folly of this Scandal t is known they have by a special Vote already fixt a time short enough indeed considering the greatness of their work and the opposition like to be against them beyond which they intend not to sit 2. As to the other Point of erecting an Oligarchy or Government by some few Persons this is as great a scandal as the other and it were to be wished that the over-busie talk and Prints of some of our own had not given too much occasion for opening the mouth of the Enemy touching that particular But how should there be any ground for suspition about an Oligarchy seeing no such thing can be as by many reasons might be proved where a supreme Legislative Power is intended to be fixed in an orderly succession of Parliaments managed by elections rightly qualified and bounded for which with all convenient speed a course will be taken by this Parlament Secondly our Author endeavours to make this no free Parlament by reason that a great part of its Members remain Secluded This Argument hath been handled likewise with great fury by Mr. Pryn and now the present Malecontents in Arms make use of it to countenance their Rebellion and require that either the Secluded Members may be admitted to sit again in this Parliament or that a New one may be called So that you see they and our Cavalier Author do meet in one Point For Answer to this I wish Mr Pryn and the other dissatisfied Gentlemen would take heed of this way of arguing for by it he may chance to condemn himself and all others of his own judgment for their acting along with the Parliament first ●fter the King went away f●om Westminster and then after part of the Members of both Honses withdrew and sate as a Parliament at Oxford seeing thereby he will justifie the King in what he declared at that time against the Parliament viz. That it was no free Parliament and so that nothing they should do in the absence of himself and those Membe●s could be counted valid of Parliamentary because they had in countenancing tumults driven him and their Follow members away by force and so gained the Major Vote of the remaining part of the Parliament Nevertherless when the remaining part sate and continued to Act the Parliamentary partie made no scruple to Act with them and Mr Prynne among the rest as highly as any as also did all those of the Presbyterian Judgment who though the Parliament wanted the legal for malitie of the Kings presence and so great a part of its Members who Printed in several Declarations That a force was upon them yet rather than the publick Cause should fall to the ground they by Sermons Purses and all other ways seconded that remaining part of the Parliament in their actings acknowledging them a free Parliament to all intents and purposes as if every Member had been present But you will object and say The Case of this House now sitting is different from that House who then

Royalists opinion as you see it is how can ye cotton together What can you of the Presbyterian judgment expect but certain ruine to your way and your persons by such a clenching and closure with inconsistent principles Whereas those that he calls the lesser parties which have grown up under you have hitherto allowed the men of your way as great a freedom as they do enjoy themselves and have admitted you to an equal participation with others of that grand priviledge Liberty of Conscience which however some of you may flatter your selves ye can never enjoy under a sort of people that will never be at rest without a Ranting Episcopacie Secondly Consider the animosity naturally inherent in the Royal party and their Head against you They will never leave buzzing in his eares to quicken his memorie that the Interest of your party was in its infancie founded in Scotland upon the ruine of his great Grandmother continued and improved by the perpetual vexation of his Grandfather and at length prosecuted to the decapitating of his Father Be not so weak as to sooth your selves that you shall fare better than others because you never opposed this young Gentlemans person It is ground sufficient for his hatred that you bandied against his Father and the Prerogative to which he conceives himself Heir and to hate you the more because the making good of promises to you would be the clipping of that Prerogative It is the common sence of the Cavaliers that you prepared his Father for the Block and are incensed at others because they took from you the honor of the Execution And in a Fast-Sermon preached upon the news of his death before his Son then at the Hague Dr Creigheon told him That the Presbyterians pulled his Father down and held him by the hair while the Independents out off his head And after him it was more elegantly expressed by Salmasius in his Defens●o Regia Presbyteriani sacrificium ligârunt Independentes jugulârunt Nor will he count your party any whit the less guilty for your hypocritical protesting against the death of his Father seeing in Sermons printed several years before you declared him over and over to be a Man of Blood The Scotish Ministers printed it that he had shed more in these three Nations than was shed in the Ten Christian Persecutions and upon the same account Mr. Love proclaimed in the pulpit at Vxbridge-Treaty That no Peace ought to be had with him It was your partie that reduced him diminutione capitis into the condition of a Captive and the Cavaliers say You unking'd him you deprived him of his earthly Crown and kept him languishing whereas they say others were more courteous in sending him to an heavenly In short you brought him as it were to the foot of the Scaffold whoever led him up Now trie the Cavaliers courtesie if ye please you that have fought and preached against them but remember this though I trust ye shall never have occasion that when time serves the Philosophers Maxim will prove good Logick at Court Qui vult media ad finem vult etiam ipsum finem He that willeth the means conducing to the end willeth also the end it self Ergo will the Courtiers say seeing the Presbyterians did put such Courses in practise as tended to the Kings ruine they certainly intended it and are as deep in it as others I wish you may understand rather then feel what Conclusions will be drawn by them against you from that Act of Justice Thirdly consider that as he hath a most particular Antipathie against your party as the old enemies of his Family so with what promises soever he may sooth you yet you of all other men have least reason to trust him Had not your party in Scotland an experiment when they entertained him there how little conscience he made of all his promises and how in a trice he shuffled out your Presbyterian Interest in that Nation and turn'd up Trump the Cavalier But that you may take a compleat view of both his Faith and affection toward you and your party give me leave to refresh your memories with a little History to prove him one of whom you can take no hold by any Oaths Promises or Engagements whatsoever Take him before he went to Scotland and the first place you have cause to observe him in was in the Isle of Jersey Being there the Presbyterians of Scotland by the consent and concurrence of the principal of their party in England made application to him and it was declared a Treaty should be held at Breda betwixt them which by an Express he signified to the Presbyterians in Scotland nevertheless at the very same time he privately sent away another Express to Montrose requiring him to go on vigorously with his designed Invasion of Scotland against the same Presbyterians because at the same time likewise he was trucking with the Rebels of Ireland hoping by their friendship to have made his way into England without the Presbyterian shackle at his heels Yea and that you may see how hereditarily he hated the Presbyterian Interest and partie he went far higher than ever his Father had done in expressions of hatred For he continued utterly averse from Treating in good earnest with the Presbyterian Scots and their friends as long as he had any the least hopes of effecting his business by Ireland chusing rather to have made an open Contract with those barbarous Rebels into whose country he had already transported his goods and intended himself to follow rather than want executioners of his revenge against the godly of all opinions whom he equally detested in England and Scotland But at length perceiving a fairer way paved for him by Scotland he did then but would never till then relinquish the Irish and seemed to close with the English and Scotish Presbyterians in the Treaty concluded at Breda Now consider that as he never closed with them till his Irish hopes were blown over so being brought into Scotland by pure necessitie he would do nothing there but what the same necessitie constrained him to as appeared by his refusing to signe the Declaration of Kirk and State till the Lord Loudoun the Chancellor told him plainly in a Letter written to him which in those daies was printed that they would abandon and give him over except he subscribed Hereupon he began to acknowledge and condole the sins of his Family c. and to personate all that hypocrytical mockery of Repentance which followed after and took the Solemn League and Covenant when at the same time his Counsels were privately and wholly set for the destruction of the Covenant and all its Abettors For no sooner had he taken up that Visor but immediately the Kirk-partie losing the Battel at Dunbar he laid it aside again and began openly to play his own game rejoicing at their defeat and presently endevored to give them the slip and run away to the Cavalierpartie then up in the