such reproach upon the Protestant Religion in general from the Enemies thereof as if upon obscure notions of faith and fancy it did admit the practice of Christian duties and obedience to be discountenanced and suspended and introduce a Licence in opinions and manners to the prejudice of the Christian Faith And let us all 59. And to strive to advance the Protestant Religion abroad by supporting the Dignity of the be Reformed Church at home endeavour and emulate each other in those endeavours to countenance and advance the Protestant Religion abroad which will be best done by supporting the dignity and Reverence due to the best reformed Protestant Church at home and which being once freed from the Calumnies and reproaches it hath undergone from these late ill times will be the best shelter for those abroad which will by that countenance both be the better protected against their Enemies and be the more easily induced to compose the differences among themselves which give their Enemies more advantage against them 60. No wonder why the â—ing was â—o zealous to Establish the True Protestant Religion before Indulâ—ent Dissenters from it NOW it must not be wondered at that being so zealous as we are saith our Royal Master again to us and by the grace of God shall ever be for the maintenace of the True Protestant His Majesties Declaration to all his loving Subjects Decemb 26. 1662. pag. 7. Religion finding it so shaken not to say overthrown as we did we should give its Establishment the Precedency before Matters of Indulgence to Dissenters from it For it is the great Wall and Bulwark of all the Reformed Churches abroad by this they stand are sheltered and defended and therefore as it were still the better to explain his meaning to us he repeats with enlargement saying We have been zealous to settle the Vniformity of the Church of England in Discipline Ceremony and Government pag. 8. and shall ever constantly maintain it AND whereas according to a former Declaration of the 61. The King Declares Liberty to Tender Consciences King from Breda 14 April 1660. in these words viz. We do declare a Liberty to tender Consciences and that no man shall be disquieted or called in question pag. 3. for differences of Opinion in Matters of Religion which do not disturb the Peace of the Kingdom and that we shall be ready to consent to such an Act of Parliament as upon mature deliberation shall be offered to us for the full granting that Indulgence SO saith he as for what concerns the Penalties upon those who living peaceably do not conform thereunto i. e. to the Act of Vniformity through scruple and tenderness of misguided conscience but modestly and without scandal perform their Devotions in their own way We shall make it our special care so far forth as in us lies without invading the freedom of Parliament to incline their 62. And Promises to try to incline the Parliament to consent to an Act of Indulgence for that purpose wisdom at this next approaching Sessions to concur with us in the His Majesties Declaration to all his loving Subjects Decemb. 26. 1662. Published by advice of his Privy Council pag. 7. 8. making some such Act for that purpose as may enable us to exercize with a more universal satisfaction for it seems the King did before now remember this Part of his Declaration and was sollicitous for one but he says just before that That Parliament to which those promises were made in relation to an Act never thought fit to offer us any to that purpose I say to exercize with a more universal satisfaction that power of dispencing which we conceive to be inherent in us Nor can we doubt of their chearful cooperating with us in a thing wherein we do conceive our selves so far engaged both in Honour and in what we owe to the Peace of our Dominions which we profess we can never think secure whilst there shall be a colour left to the malicious and disaffected to inflame the minds of so many Multitudes upon the Score of Conscience with despair of ever obtaining any effect of our promises for their ease 63. But the Parliament by no means did think it fit that such persons should have an Iudulgence who would dissent from the Act of Uniformity BUT the Parliament though they did with great joy receive his Majesties Most Gracious Speech wherein they were invited to consider this his above said Declaration did thus humbly give their advice hereupon That it was in no sort advisable that there be any Indulgence to such Persons who presume to Dissent from the Act of Uniformity and the Religion Established for these reasons 64. For several reasons here shewn BECAUSE it is not a Promise in it self but only a Gracious Declaration of your Majesties Intentions to do what in you lay and what a Parliament should advise your Majesty to do and no such advice was ever given or thought fit to be offered nor could it be otherwise understood because there were Laws of Uniformity then in Being which could not be dispensed with but by Act of Parliament THEY who do pretend aright to that supposed Promise put the right into the hands of their Representatives whom they chuse to serve for them in this Parliament who have passed and your Majesty consented unto the Act of Uniformity If any shall presume to say that a Right to the benefit of this Declaration doth still remain after this Act passed IT tends to Dissolve the very Bonds of Government and to suppose a disability in your Majesty and the Houses of Parliament to make a Law contrary to any part of your Majesties Declaration though both Houses should advise your Majesty to it WE have also considered the nature of the Indulgence proposed with reference to those consequences which must necessarily attend it IT will Establish Schism by a Law and make the whole Government of the Church precarious and the censures of it of no moment or consideration at all IT will no way become the Gravity or Wisdom of a Parliament to pass a Law at one Session for Uniformity and at the next Session the reasons of Uniformity continuing still the same to pass another Law to frustrate or weaken the execution of it IT will expose your Majesty to the restless Importunity of every Sect or Opinion and of every single person also who shall presume to Dissent from the Church of England IT will be a Cause of increasing Sects and Sectaries whose Numbers will weaken the True Protestant Profession so far that it will at least be difficult for it to defend it self against them and which is yet further considerable those Numbers vvhich by being troublesom to the Government find they can arrive to an Indulgence vvill as their Numbers encrease be yet more troublesom that so at length they may arrive to a general Tolleration vvhich your Majesty hath declared against
Rights which he is so sollicitous for SURELY it is enough for any Kingdom and more than most Kingdoms in the World can boast The Lord Chancellor's Speech Thursd Feb. 15. 1676 7. p. 12. of to have their Affairs brought into such a Condition that they may in all Humane Probability 187. Future Contingencies not capable of certain Prospect and unless it be their own default continue for a long time safe and happy FOR Future Contingencies are not capable of any certain Prospect a Security beyond that of Humane Id. ibid. 188. Let us bless the King for taking away our fears and jealousies that our Properties and Liberties are safe Probability no Nation ever did or ever shall attain to LET us therefore bless the King for taking away all our Fears and leaving no Room for Jealousies The Lord Chancellor's Speech Feb. 5. 1672 3. pag. 15 16. Let us bless the King that our Properties and Liberties are safe as well as our Religion What more hath a good English Man to ask but that THIS KING may long Reign and that the Tripple Alliance of King Parliament 189. And may the Tripple Alliance of King Parliament and People never be dissolved and People may never be dissolved AND let all who pray for the long Life and Prosperity of the King add their Endeavours to The Lord Chancellor's Speech Thursd Feb. 15. 1676 7. p. 17. their Prayers and study to prolong his Sacred Life by giving him all the Joys of Heart which can arise 190. And let those who pray for the King's Life and Prosperity add their Endeavours to their Prayers from the Demonstrations of the lively and the warm Affections of his People TO which most excellent Prayer of the Chancellor let all the People joyn with me in this Response of Amen CHAP. IV. Of Parliaments NOTHING conduceth more to the Happiness of a Nation than a right Understanding 1. Nothing tends more to the happiness of the Nation than frequent Meetings in Common Council for the Security of all we have or are is lodged in our English Parliaments Sir Edward Turner 's Speech to the King Friday Feb. 8. 1666. on the Prorogation pag. 1 2. between the Prince and the People and nothing more advanceth this Correspondence than frequent Meetings in Common-Council By the Wisdom of our Fore-Fathers the Security of our Lives our Liberties and our Properties is lodged in our English Parliaments And so Gratious have Your Majesty's Predecessors been that for the satisfaction of their People they have made several Laws some for Triennial some for Annual Parliaments Your Majesty by their Example upon the humble Suit of your Lords and Commons hath in a former Session of this Parliament passed an Act for Triennial Meetings in Parliament But in this Your Majesty hath exceeded all your Predecessors that as your happy Restauration was in a Convention of Parliament so of your own Accord for the Publick Good and as a Demonstration of your extraordinary Love to Parliaments You have vouchsafed ever since Your Return to converse with your People in Parliament this being the Sixth Year and the Sixth Session of this present Parliament I DO chuse to begin with these words of the Speaker as being vere Emphatical in themselves and most convenient and apposite to usher in the several other following Declarations and Speeches to prove this to you that the King's Affection to Parliaments is extraordinary and that it hath been his Delight and wonderful Satisfaction as well as his very often Use and Practice to converse with his People in them AND that you may have no reason why to disbelieve me I shall without any further trouble of my own words straight fall upon what the King himself hath said IN the Letter which His Majesty sent to the Speaker of the Commons assembled in Parliament what Security did he give us of this in saying WE do assure you upon our Royal Word 2. No former Kings have had a greater Esteem of Parliaments than our present King that none of our Predecessors have had a The King's Letter to the Speaker of the Commons from Breda April 4 14. 1660. pag. 4. greater Esteem of Parliaments than we have in our Iudgment as well as from our Obligation We do believe them to be so Vital a Part of the Constitution of the Kingdom and so necessary for the Government of it that we well know neither Prince nor People can be 3. Neither Prince nor People can be happy without them in any tolerable degree happy without them And therefore you may be confident that we shall always look upon their Counsels as the best we can receive and shall be as tender of their Privileges and as careful 4. Their Counsels the best the King can receive to preserve and protect them as of that which is most near to our self and most necessary for our own Preservation AND as this is our Opinion of Parliaments that 5. He will be tender of their Privileges and careful to preserve them their Authority is most necessary for the Government of the Kingdom so we are most confident that you believe and find that the Preservation of the King's Authority is as necessary for the Preservation of Parliaments 6. The Preservation of the King's Authority as necessary for the Preservation of Parliaments as their Authority is necessary for the Government of the Kingdom and that it is not the Name but the right Constitution of them which can prepare and apply proper Remedies for those Evils which are grievous to the People and which can thereby establish their Peace and Security And therefore we have not the least doubt but that you will be as tender in and as jealous of any thing that may infringe our Honour or impair our Authority as of your own Liberty and Property which is best preserved by preserving the other HOW far We have trusted you in this great Affair and how much it is in your 7. It is in their Power to restore a ruined Nation Id. pag. 5. Power to restore the Nation to all that it hath lost and to redeem it from any Infamy it hath undergone and to make King and People as happy as they ought to be you will find by Our inclosed Declaration a Copy of which We have likewise sent to the House of Peers and you will easily belieâ—e that We would not voluntarily and of Our Self have reposed so great a Trust in you but upon an entire Confidence that you will not abuse it and that you will proceed in such a manner and with such due Consideration of Vs who have trusted you that We shall not be ashamed of declining other Assistance which we have Assurance of and repairing to you for more Natural and Proper Remedies for the Evils We would be free from nor sorry that We have bound up Our own Interest so entirely with that of Our
unseasonable Scruple in any Man who should have refused to bear his part in the excellent Transactions of that Parliament because he was not called thither by the King 's Writ And it would be a more unreasonable Scruple now in any man after we have all received the Fruit and Benefit of their Counsels and Conclusions when in truth we owe our Orderly and Regular Meeting at this time to their extraordinary Meeting then to their Wisdom in laying hold upon the King's Promises and to the King's Justice in performing all he promised and to the Kingdom 's Submission and Acquiescence in 31. A Parliament is that Foundation which supports the whole Fabrick of our Peace and Security those Promises I say it would be very unseasonable and unreasonable now to endeavour to shake that Foundation which if you will take the King's Judgment supports the whole Fabrick of our Peace and Security He tells you what he shall think of any who goes about to undermine that Foundation which is a Zeal no Prince could be transported with but himself WE use to say and say truly that the King when seated in Parliament is then in the fulness The Lord Chancellor's Speech March 6. 167â— â— pag. 18. 32. The King in Parliament is in the Fulness of his Majesty and Power of his Majesty and Power and shines forth with the brightest Lustre Let no Exhalations from beneath darken or obscure it FOREIGN Nations say and say truly that the King of England in Conjunction with his Parliament Id. ibid. 33. And as great and dreadful a Prince as any in Europe is as great and as dreadful a Prince as any in Europe IT was no less a Consideration you may be sure that made the King thus speak to both his Houses I need 34. No King so beholding to Parliaments as he hath been not tell you how much I love Parliaments The King's Speech to both Houses March 21. 166â— 4. pag. 6 7. Never King was to much beholding to Parliaments as I have been nor 35. The Crown cannot be happy without frequent Parliaments do I think the Crown can ever be happy without frequent Parliaments WHEN upon the King 's desiring the House of Commons to give the Triennial Bill a Reading in their House and upon their ready Obedience to that Request both the Houses presented His Majesty with a Bill entituled An Act for the Assembling and Holding of Parliaments once in three Years at the least And for the Repeal of an Act entituled An Act for the preventing of Inconveniences happening by the long Intermission of Parliaments His Majesty saith to them You will easily believe that I have come very willingly to give my The King's Speech Apr. 5. 1664. pag. 3 4. Assent to this Bill I do thank you very heartily for your so Vnanimous Concurrence in it and for desiring me speedily to finish it And if I understand any thing that concerns the Peace and Security of the Kingdom and the Welfare of my Subjects all which I study more than my Prerogative Indeed I consider my Prerogative only in order to preserving the other every good English Man will thank you for it For the Act you have repealed could only serve to discredit Parliaments to make the Crown Iealous of Parliaments and parliaments of the Crown and perswade Neighbour Princes that England was not Governed under a Monarch It could never have been the occasion of Frequent Parliaments I do promise you I will not be one Hour the less without a Parliament for this Act of Repeal For They are the Great Physicians of the Kingdom and as such can best search into the Distempers of the State and by their good and wholesome Prescriptions if they cannot absolutely bring it to its perfect Health they can at least preserve it in some very good degrees of CONVALESCENCE THIS made His Majesty to desire their Concurrence with him 36. A Parliament is the Great Physician of the Kingdom in his Just and Necessary Severity towards those that were resolved yet to keep up their Factious and Turbulent Spirits against the Peace of the State And though saith he I do very willingly pardon all that is pardoned by 37. Though Clemency be most agreeable to the King's Nature yet he will be severe to the editions dislikers of the Government the Act of Iudemnity yet for the time to The King's Speech to both Houses Aug. 29. 1660. p. 4 5. come the same Discretion and Conscience which disposed me to the Clemency I have expressed which is most agreeable to my Nature will oblige me to all Rigour and Severity how contrary soever it be to my Nature towards those who shall not now acquiesce but continue to manifest their Sedition and dislike of the Government either in Actions or Words And I must conjure you all my Lords 38. And desires the Parliament to concur with him in that just and necessary severity towards such and Gentlemen to concur with me in this just and necessary Severity and that you will in your several Stations be so jealous of the publick Peace and of my particular Honour that you will cause Exemplary Iustice to be done upon those who are guilty of Seditious Speeches or Writings as well as those who break out into Seditious Actions and that you will 39. The traducers of the King's Person are not well affected to Parliaments and the Publick Peace believe those who delight in reproaching and traducing my Person not to be well affected to You and the Publick Peace AND here as they found it most absolutely necessary for the good of the Weal-publick so to do they most readily and most religiously obey'd the Commands of their Sovereign Lord the King So that upon the day of their Dissolution he could not forbear in his Speech thus to deliver himself MY Lords and Gentlemen I will not entertain The King's Speech Decem. 29. 1660. p. 3. you with a long Discourse the sum of all I have to say to you being but to give you thanks very hearty thanks And I assure you I find it a very difficult Work to satisfie my self in my own Expressions of those Thanks Perfunctory Thanks Ordinary Thanks for Ordinary Civilities are easily given but when the Heart is as full as mine is it is a Labour to thank you You have taken great pains to oblige me and therefore it cannot be easie for me to express the sense I have of it THERE cannot be a greater manifestation of The Lord Chancellor's Speech to the same p. 6. 40. The greatest Evidence of the harmony of Affections throughout the Nation is when the King and his Parliament meet with the same alacrity at the Dissolution as at the first Convention an excellent Temper and harmony of Affections throughout the Nation than that the King and his two Houses of Parliament meet with the same Affections and Chearfulness the same Alacrity
and in time some prevalent Sect vvill at last contend for an Establishment vvhich for ought can be foreseen may end in Popery IT is a thing altogether vvithout Precedent and vvill take avvay all means of Convicting Recusants and be inconsistent vvith the Method and Proceedings of the Lavvs of England LASTLY it is humbly conceived that the Indulgence proposed vvill be so far from tending to the Peace of the Kingdom that it is rather likely to occasion great disturbance And on the contrary the asserting of the Lavvs and the Religion Established according to the Act of Uniformity is the most probable means to produce a Setled Peace and Obedience throughout your Kingdom because the variety of Professions in Religion vvhen openly indulged doth directly distinguish Men into Parties and vvithall gives them opportunity to count their Numbers vvhich considering the Animosities that out of a Religious Pride vvill be kept on foot by the several Factions doth tend directly and inevitably to open disturbance nor can your Majesty have any security that the Doctrine or Worship of the several Factions vvhich are all governed by a several Rule shall be consistent vvith the Peace of your Kingdom These Reasons vvere too povverful for his Majesty not to be 65. These Reasons o're-powred the King so that He yielded to them and He hoped that the Truly Religious and Peaceable would soon do so too overcome by them and therefore he yielded to their force and prevalency and doubted not but in a little vvhile The Truly Religious and the Peaceable vvould likevvise be brought over to a submissive Acquiescence and a dutiful compliance with them and that their minds would be better composed and the Peace of the Church Established And though he was verily perswaded That the great Piety and Devotion the Moderation Wisdom Charity and Hospitality of the Bishops would in a short time recover the Weak and the Misled to 66. And that by the Bishops Care and Example the Weak would be brought over to their Primitive Temper of Obedience to Laws and Government their Primitive Temper of a chearful Obedience and Submission to Laws and Government and so to be the best Neighbours and the best Friends and the best Subjects of the World yet was he not also insensible that the forwardness and pride of some might not be yet enough subdued The Humours and Spirits of such Men being too rough and boisterous and therefore was willing that there should be prepared sharper Laws and Penalties to contend with those Refractory Persons and to break that stuborness which would not bend to gentler 67. That those who would not must feel the weight of sharper Laws Applications and it is great reason that they upon whom Clemency cannot prevail should feel that severity they have provoked but still the Execution of those sharp Laws depends upon the Wisdome of the King who is the most discerning 68. But yet the Execution of those Laws depended on the King who was merciful and of a tender conscience himself generous and merciful Prince in the world and of so excellent a Nature and so tender a Conscience himself that he hath the highest compassion for all Errours of that kind as before is said But his constant zeal for the Church hath been visible throughout the whole course of his Reign scarce can he admit a Speech to come from him unless it hath in it some 69. His constant zeal the Church went above all things earnest request that his Parliament would take care of the Protestant Religion That they would see to secure the Church of England and to keep that up in all its just and Antient Rights THIS Zeal of his for the Church after the Dreadful Conflagration of his great City of London made the King so earnest with them soon after to get up some of their Churches Reedified that so the Service of God in the publick Worship might be performed and that we might there mourn for those our grievous sins which was the cause of Gods so heavy a judgment upon us These are his words We do heartily recommend it to the Charity and Magnanimity of all well-disposed Persons 70. How instant the King was to have Churches Rebuilt after the Fire of London that some might have publick places to worship and serve God in and we heartily pray unto Almighty God that he would infuse into the hearts of Men speedily to endeavour by degrees to Reedifie some of those many Churches which in this Lamentable Fire have been burnt down and defaced that so men may have those publick places of God's Worship to resort to to humble themselves together before him upon this his heavy dipsleasure and joyn in their Devotion for his future mercy blessing upon us as soon as we shall be informed 71. The King invites his People to it by the promise not only of his assistance and direction but of his Bounty too any readiness to begin such a good work we shall not only give our assistance and direction for the Model of it and freeing it from Buildings at so near a distance but shall encourage it by our own Bounty and all other ways we shall be desired Is not this sufficiently expressive of his zeal for upholding the True Religion What after this astonishing Judgment of Fire upon the Metropolitan City of this Kingdom was the King's first care ought to have been that of us all to endeavour to have God worshipped in his Sanctuary for this makes up the Beauty of Holyness and declares our great desires for what we all do at least outwardly profess to believe the Communion of Saints NOR did his Majesty rest here his zeal for the Church was his zeal for the service of it and he was resolved that nothing justly belonging to it should be lost Says He Our Care and Endeavours for the Preservation 72. His Majesty hath all along shewâ—d his care to preserve the Rights and Interests of the Church of the Rights and Interests His Majesties Declaration to all his Loving Subjects March 15. 1671. pag. 3. 4. of the Church have been sufficiently manifested to the World by the whole course of our Government since our happy Restauration and by the many and frequent ways of Coercion that we have used for reducing all erring or dissenting persons and for composing the unhappy differences in matters of Religion which we found among our Subjects upon our Return but it being evident by the sad experience of twelve years that there is very little 73. By the way the Supream Power in Ecclesiastical Matters is not only inherent in the King but is Recognised so by divers Acts of Parliament Fruit of all those forcible Courses We think our Self obliged to make use of that Supreme Power in Ecclesiastical Matters which is not only inherent in us but hath been declared and recognized to be so by several Statutes and Acts of Parliaments and
me in it I have transmitted the Book of Common Prayer with those Alterations and Additions which have been presented to me by the Convocation to the House of Peers with my approbation that the Act of Vniformity may relate to it so that I presume it will be shortly dispatched there and 89. It requires great prudence and discretion no passion and precipitation when we have done all we can the well-setling that Affair will require great prudence and discretion and the absence of all passion and precipitation You see how his Majesty promised that he would give up all his endeavours to compose the unhappy differences in matters of Religion and to restore the Languishing Church to Peace Vnity and Order Constantine himself hardly spent so much of 90. How mightily his Majesty has laid out himself to restore the Church to peace unity and order his own time in private and publick conferences to that purpose His Majesty Lord Chancellors Speech to both Houses of Parliament on Saturday Decemb. 29 1660. The Day of their Dissolution pag. 8. in private Conferred with the Learned Men and heard all that could be said upon several Opinions and Interests apart and then in the Presence 91. Constantine himself scarce spent so much time about it of both Parties himself moderating in the Debates and less care and diligence and authority would not have done the work And if after all this his Majesty doth not reap 93. If after all some will keep up old Breaches they must be reduced by Law to the obedience of the Law the full Harvest he expected from those Condescentions if some men by their Writing and by their Preachings endeavour to continue the old Breaches c. I shall say no more than that I hope their want of modesty and obedience will cause them to be disclaimed by all pious and peaceable men who cannot but be well contented to see them reduced by Law to the obedience they owe to Law ON Tuesday April 5. 1664. as if his Parliament were somewhat doubtful of it The King when he came then to give his Royal Assent to two Bills breaks out into these words to them I do assure you upon my word and I pray believe 9â— The King has no other thoughts or designs in his heart but to support the Religion Established and make us happy by it me That I have no other thoughts or designs in my heart but to make you all happy in the support of the Religion and Laws Established pag. 4. The Late King lost his Life in the defence of the Reformed Religion and his present Majesty whom God Almighty long continue among us hath manifested his affection to the Church of England as by Law Established in despight of all calumnies and through extream difficulties with the highest acts of Solemnity imaginable WHEN his Majesty met his both Houses of Parliament in 67. how instant was he to have them take it into their considerate thoughts how to settle Religion more to the quieting of his Peoples minds and His Majesties Speech to both Houses Monday 10 Feb. 1667. pag. 4. for the Establishment of Unity and Concord among them Saith he one thing more I hold my self obliged to recommend unto you at this 94. And therefore reminds his Parliament that they would think of some course to beget a better union among his Protestant Subjects as being the best way to support the Government present which is that you would seriously think of some course to beget a better union and composure in the minds of my Protestant Subjects in matters of Religion whereby they may be induced not only to submit quietly to the Government but also chearfully give their assistance to the support of it WHEN the King sent his Grace the then Earl of Lauderdail his Maiesties High Commissioner for the Parliament of Scotland You shall hear what he said to them concerning his Majesties 95. The Kings constant and unalterable zeal to maintain and defend the True Reformed Protestant Religion in Scotland Resolution to maintain the True Protestant Religion there It was by command from his Royal Master to say in his Name at the opening Earl of Lauderdail 's Speech to the Parliament of Scotland Oct. 19. 1669. pag. 3. 4. of that his Parlirment And first saith he I am to assure you of his Majesties constant and unalterable zeal for maintaining and defending the True Reformed Protestant Religion in this 96. That â—e will maintain and defend the autient Government of it being most suitable to Monarchy his Kingdom for which he will constantly lay out his whole power and authority as also for discouraging and punishing all Atheism and Prophanities and all that is contrary to true Religion and Godliness I am further particularly commanded to assure you that with no less zeal and constancy he will maintain and defend the Antient Government by Arch-Bishops 97. Episcopal Government the most Primitive and Apostolick and Bishops as now it is happily setled as a sure Fence for the True Refromed Protestant Religion a Government most suitable to Monarchy and well may I call it Antient for whoever 98. The King will refend the persons of the Archbishops Bishops all the Orthodox Clergy in their Functions will look into Antiquity shall find Episcopal Government hath continued in the whole Catholick Church both East and West even from the most Primitive and Apostolick Times and a little after in the said 4 pag. after he had just touched upon the sad Calamities and Confusions of the Late Times he says farther in his Majesties Name and by his special Command I do assure you he will employ his utmost power in the maintenance 99. Will not endure those numerous Conventicles that tend to Sedition and Schism of that Government and will protect the persons of my Lords the Archbishops and Bishops and of the Loyal Orthodox and Peaceable Clergy in the exercise of their Functions he will not endure those numerous and unlawful Conventicles 100. The King of late hath set up some that were peaceable men in vacant Churches though they came not up to the Rules Established They should therefore carry themselves worthy of that high favour which tend to Sedition and Schism which have been too frequent in some few Shires of this Kingdom Good Laws have been made and in prosecution of those Laws the Lords of his Majesties Privy Council have shewn their care for suppressing those Seditious Assemblies yea and of late his Majesty has graciously indulged the planting of some who were esteened peaceable men in vacant Churches though they came not up to the Rules Established it will be expected that they walk worthy of so great a favour but if after this removal of the very pretence of unlawful Conventicles any Factious People shall in contempt of his Majesties Laws yea 101. But if any factious people in contempt of his
now suffer Sit Ecclesia Anglicana libera habeat libertates suas illaesas Magna Charta IN order to this great work the Commons have prepared 113 A Bill brought by the Commons to Repeal the Act fâ—â— exclusion of the Bishops from sitting in the House a Bill to repeal that Law was made in 17. Car whereby the Bishops were excluded this House These Noble Lords have all agreed and now we beg your Majesty will give it life speak but the word Great Sir and your Servants yet shall live TO which his Majesty presently was pleased to return this 114. The great thanks the King gives them for the Repeal of that Act as being an unhappy Act in an unhappy time most gracious Answer I thank you with all my heart indeed as much as I can The King's Speech to both Houses July 30. 1661. pag. 4 5. do for any thing for the Repeal of that Act which excluded the Bishops from sitting in Parliament it was an unhappy Act in an unhappy time passed with many unhappy circumstances and attended with miserable events and therefore I 115. It has restored Parliaments to their Primitive Institutions do again thank you for repealing it You have thereby restored Parliaments to their Primitive Institutions AND his Majesty was so greatly pleased with this Act of Repeal that he found it as it were impossible for him to forbear coming to his House of Lords even the very first day of their meeting after the Adjournment and what was it for you shall immediately know from his own words I know the Visit saith he I make you this day is not ne necessary is not of course yet if there were no more in 16. How the King visits them the first day of their next Meeting to give them thanks again and how he rejoyces to see the Lords Spiritual and Temporal House of Commons met together c. it it would not be strange that I come to see what You and I have so long desired to see The Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons of England met together to consult for the peace and safety of Church and State by which Parliaments The King's Speech to both Houses on Wednesday Novemb. 20. 1661. pag. 1. are restored to their Primitive Lustre and Integrity I do heartily congratulate with you for this day THIS surely was a signal evidence of his true love to the Church his hearty joy to behold the great Supporters and Pillars of it restored to their rightful Seats in Parliament And this both the King and the Parliament knew was one ready way to restore to them their due honour and reverence from the People If the Authority of the Church should not carefully be upheld how quickly should we come to have no Church at all and into what sad Calamities should we lapse by such an abandonment which in some sense but little differs from a Persecution LET us suppose that possible which the piety and goodness of the Kng hath made next to impossible says the 117. What would become of the Church if her Authority were despiled Lord Keeper in his Speech to both Houses of Parliament but let it be for once supposed Lord Keepers Speech April 13. 1675. pag 12 13. that the Church of England were forsaken her Authority made insignificant her Government precarious suppose her disarmed of all those Laws by which she is guarded denied all Aid from the Civil Magistrate and that none were obliged to obey her commands but those that have a mind to it would not this turn a National Church into nothing else but a Tolerated Sect or Party in the Nation Would it not take away all appearance of Establishment from it would it not drive the Church into the Wilderness again where she should be sure to find her self encompassed with all sorts of Enemies if at least she should find her self at all in the midst of so many Tolerations THEREFORE is it not most fitting that a strict Rule should be observed and that we could have the Law to be that Rule and not to leave every Man to be a Law and Rule unto himself WELL then may the King say to his Parliament what 118. His Majesties assurance that he will preserve the True Reformed Protestant Religion and the Church as now established he has said since in almost every one of his Speeches to them I will conclude with this assurance to you that I will preserve the True His Majesties Speech to both Houses Feb. 5. 16672. pag. 4. Reformed Protestant Religion and the Church as it is now Established in this Kingdom and in the whole course of my indulgence to Dissenters I do not intend that it shall any ways prejudice the Church but I will support its Rights and it in its full power THE Church of England and all good Protestants says 119. The Church and all good Protestants have reason to rejoyce in this their Defendour the Lord Chancellor to this Speech of the King in his own pag. 12 13. have reason to rejoyce in such a Head and such a Defendour His Majesty doth declare his care and concerns for the Church and will maintain them in all their Rights and Priviledges equal if not beyond any of his Predecessours He was born and bred up in it It was that his Father died for 120. Good reasons to induce his Majesty to it We all know how great temptations and offers he resisted abroad when he was in his lowest condition and he thinks it the honour of his Reign that he hath been the Restorer of 121. He hopes to bring it into greater lustre than ever yet it has been the Church 'T is that he will ever maintain and hopes to leave to posterity in greater lustre and upon surer grounds than our Ancestours ever saw it but his Majesty is not convinced That violent ways are the interest of Religion or the Church 122. violent ways not conducing to it AND after his Majestie 's conclusion of his Speech let me 123. Let us then all bless God and the King conclude nay let us all conclude with blessing God and the King Let us bless God that he Idem pag. 14. 15. hath given us such a King to be the Repairer of our Breaches both in Church and State and the Restorer of our paths to dwell in LET us bless the King for taking away all our fears and 124. That God hath given us such a King who makes the Church of England his great care leaving no room for jealousies for those assurances and promises he hath made us Let us bless God and the King that our Religion is safe that the Church of England is the care of our Prince what more hath a good English Man to ask but that this King may long Reign 125. Long therefore should we pray that this King may Reign WHEN He met his Parliament
do so should be denied some part of that mercy which we 16. For that would seem unjust have obliged our Self to afford to ten times the number of such who have not done so Besides such are the Capital 17. It is grievous to put any to death for their Opinions in matters of Religion only Laws in force against them as though justified in their vigour by the times in which they were made We profess it Would be grievous unto us to consent to the execution of them by putting any of our Subjects to death for their Opinions in matters of Religion only but at the 18. Yet let them all know if they hope for Toleration of their Profession c. or that Priests shall appear and avow themselves to the scandal of good Protestants and of the Laws we will be severe same time That we declare our little liking of those Sanguinary Ones and our Gracious Intentions already expressed to such of our Roman Catholick Subjects as shall live peaceably modestly and without scandal We would have them all know that if for doing what their Duties Loyalties obliged them to or from our acknowledgment of their well-deserving they shall have the presumption to hope for a Toleration of their Profession or a taking away either those marks of distinction or of our displeasure which in a well-governed Kingdom ought always to be set upon Dissenters from the Religion of the State or to obtain the least remission in the strictness of those Laws which either are or shall be made to hinder the spreading of their Doctrine to the prejudice of the True Protestant Religion or that upon our expressing according to Christian Charity our dislike of Bloodshed for Religion only Priests shall take the boldness to appear and avow themselves to the offence and scandal of good Protestants and of the Laws in force against them They shall quickly find we know as well to be severe when wisdom requires as indulgent when charity and sense of Merit challenge it from us WitH this we have thought fit to arm our good Subjects 19. This is to arm the good Subjects minds against the practises of our ill ones minds against the practises of our ill ones by a True Knowledg of our own of which now rightly perswaded we make no question but that whatsoever they be from whom they can derive the spreading or somenting of 20. That those who foment such suggestions are the most dangerous Enemies of the Crown and the peace of the Nation any of those wicked suggestions they will look upon them with detestation as the most dangerous Enemies of our Crown and of the Peace and Happiness of the Nation I thought it could not be too tedious either for me to Recite or for you to hear thus much of his Majesties Declaration upon this Head because he has in it so clearly fully delivered himself as one would think it should be to the general if I may not say Eternal satisfaction of all his loving and dutiful Subjects IS it not a superlative expression for the King to say of those 21. What can be higher said than this that give out that most pernicious as well as malicious scandal of his favour to Papists that he looks on it as the most unpardonable offence that any can be guilty of towards him and that those wicked Aspersers by all his good and Loyal People will as they deservedly ought to be looked upon as the most dangerous Enemies both to his Crown and the Peace and Welfare of the Kingdom AND whereas still some men would fain possess the people 22. Never any Prince hath given more convincing proofs to the contrary of his favouring Papists that his Majesty is a Favourer of Popery though never any Prince in Christendom hath given more convincing and irrefragable proofs of the contrary let them take heed and consider that by such aspersion they run the hazard of a Praemunire upon the Act for the safety of the King's Person in scandalizing his Majesty for a Favourer of Popery NOW where the humours and spirits of men are too rough 23. Where mens humours are too rough for soft indulgence shar Laws must be made to break their Stubborness and boisterous for the soft remedies of signal indulgence and condescensions of suspension of the rigour of former Laws there must be prepared sharper Laws and penalties to contend with those refractory Lord Chancellor's Speech to both Houses May 19. 1662. pag. 16. persons and to break that stubbornness which will not bend to gentler applications and it is great reason that they upon whom Clemency cannot prevail should seel that severity they have prcvoked I pray hear what the Speaker of the House of Commons could say in his Address to the King from the whole House they being there present Above The Address of the House spoke by Sir Edw. Turner Feb. 28. 1662. pag. 7. all saith he we can never enough remember to 24. The Speaker of the House of Commons acknowledges His Majesties most solemn invitations of them to make Laws against the growth of Popery the Honour of Your Majesties Piety and our own unspeakable comfort those solemn and most indearing invitations of us Your Majesties Subjects to prepare Laws to be presented to Your Majesty against the growth and increase of Popery and withal to provide more Laws against Licentiousness and Impiety at the same time declaring Your own resolution for maintaining the Act of Uniformity And when a little after both the Lords and Commons Petitioned His Majesty by his Proclamation to command all Romish Priests and Jesuits c. to depart this Kingdom by a day at the reception of the Petition His Majesty thus begins his Speech to them My Lords and Gentlemen You do not expect that I should give you an Answer presently to your petition yet I will tell you that I will speedily send you an Answer which I am confident will be to your satisfaction and was it not so think ye when he in his Gracious Answer on the 1st of April 1663. told them that he did readily concur with their advice and that he had given order for such a Proclamation as they desired which you may see more at large a little before This made the Speaker of the House of Commons no doubt so sensible that he could not be kept off from a fresh mention of it when he spake to his Majesty although it was almost four years afterwards Saith he We have been allarum'd from all parts of the Kingdom 25. His Majestie commands all his Officers and Souldiers to take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy â—d and Priests an Jesuits to de part by a day which much secures us aginst fears c by the insolencies of Popish Priests and Jesuits who by their great numbers and bold writings declare to all the world they are in expectation of a plentiful harvest here in