Selected quad for the lemma: act_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A52894
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Some reasons for annual Parliaments, in a letter to a friend
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N. N.
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1693
(1693)
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Wing N58; ESTC R32968
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12,281
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11
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Some REASONS for Annual Parliaments in a Letter to a Friend SIR I Have received yours and find that you think that imperfect representations of our Affairs are the occasion that so many in your parts who wish well to the present Government suspect that it is too tottering and unsteady but with great grief of mind I must assure you that the Thinking Men about this Town have as melancholly a prospect of those Affairs For since we see so little is done for so great Taxes we don't only deplore the successes against us in Flanders but expect great uneasiness at home and we fear the King is not fallen into right hands and right measures to support his Throne You know me too tender of the Honour of the present Establishment to imagine I will expose the failures of it But since you so earnestly entreat me to offer at some Remedies if I think our Circumstances require them I shall not deny to satisfie so good a Friend in so just a Request I think our Case calls for schemes from every hand I fear some Men about the King have false Notions concerning Government it self and that is an Errour in the first Concoction I will not write too pointedly but without accusing any body am willing as far as the brevity of a Letter will permit to demonstrate that a Limited is preferable to a Despotick Monarchy I believe it more suitable to the ends and design of Government more conducive to the safety and glory of the Prince as well as better calculated for the peace and happiness of the subject I need not use any other Arguments to prove this Assertion than Quotations out of History where we shall find that violent Convulsions sudden and bloody Revolutions deplorable and desolating Civil Wars do more frequently attend the Despotick than any other form of Government The desire of Liberty is born with Mankind and the love of it so deeply ingrafted in our Hearts that in all Ages and Nations of the Universe it hath given plain and evident discoveries how impossible it is to destroy it The more vigorous the Efforts of Despotick Monarchs and Governments have been to efface it the more frequent and bloody sacrifices have been offered by the People for its Establishment and more and stranger Instances can be given of what is here asserted under a Despotick than under any other Form of Government The frequent Rebellions and repeated Murders committed upon the Persons of the Roman Emperors after that Government became Absolute The deposing and massacring of so many of the Gothish Kings in Spain and Italy the innumerable Insurrections bloody Revenges upon the Persons of their Kings practised by the Subjects of those Despotick Monarchs in Asia and Affrick in all Ages and at this day in the Empires of Turkey and Persia Mogul Fez Morocco and Muscovy are plain and evident Proofs of what is alledged and may give a just distaste to every wise and prudent Prince of a Government which is always under the cruel Circumstances either of devouring their Subjects or of being pulled in pieces by them Whoever will look into the Records of those Countries which I have mentioned will draw in his own mind too ugly and too ghastly an Image of Absolute Power to be in love with such an hideous Monster I am not willing to tax any man with so unnatural a Lust but in Policy as well as Religion Princes and their Ministers should avoid all appearance of Evil they should not give the People the least umbrage to suspect so Fatal a Project is hatching against their Liberties Our Government has more than ordinary need to ward off all occasions of Jealousie For however unwilling some are to own Election to be King William's Title I hope no body dares affirm we were Conquered and I am sure he has not the Crown by the Jus Divinum right of Lineship and if his Title is Election I am as sure an elective Government has as much need of the Peoples Love to continue it as it had at first need of their Affections to make it And therefore without all question a man cannot express his Love to this Government more effectually than by pointing out what are the true and genuine Methods to conserve the esteem of all the honest and well-affected Subjects And two things present themselves to my thoughts which I humbly recommend to the Consideration of the present Parliament His Majesty and all the People of England The First is Annual Parliaments I suppose no body has forgot that at the beginning of the Revolution in the Act which was made for declaring the Rights of the Subject after the Grievances reckoned up it says that for redress of all Grievances for the amending strengthening and preserving of the Law Parliaments ought to be held frequently which must mean frequent Parliaments and not frequent Sessions of the same Parliament or our Constitution is but little amended by that Act. Our Ancestors understood the necessity and wisdom of having frequent Parliaments Alfred as you may see in the Mirrour of Justice Chap. 1. Sect. 3. Ordained That the Parliament should meet every year twice or oftner if need were There are many Statutes in Edward the Thirds time that a Parliament shall be held once a year and oftner if need be That Act is no less than three times reiterated in his Reign Acts of the same import are made in Richard the Seconds and these Acts were made when Prorogations and long Continuances of the same Parliaments were not in Use Henry Sixths Reign was the first in which Prorogations began at all to be made for any time and they were but very little used till Henry the Eighths time But the usual way formerly was to call a Parliament at least once a year and as soon as their business was done to dissolve them They adjourn'd themselves for some short time but the King did not prorogue at pleasure That this was the constant practise I appeal to the Parliament Rolls but I don't so much dote upon Antiquity as to desire to revive that practice unless I can prove it reasonable and advantagious I think it is very much so in the present juncture It cannot be unknown to King William how much he has been Libelled because so many of his Officers are in the House Those that wish him ill have hit the Blot But it has disgraced him with those that wish him well It is fit the King should choose whomsoever he thinks fit to serve him in his Imployments but it will be matter of scandal if the People think their representatives are bought off Whether by Places or Pensions But if they are chosen Annually it will not easily be believed that an unfair Bargain can be struck with them Our Taxes will be less heavy whilst we think our Representative Assessors pay their Proportion How just the Clamours and Suspicions of Mankind are I don't determine but I know they are great