Three Nations both for Spiritual and Civil Liberties If there was a proper time to make David King when they Covenanted with him at Hebron it is now a proper time for you to accept this Title when the Parliament hath brought this with a Covenant for the Three Nations that relates both to their civil and Spiritual Liberties Lord Broghill SIR I can add so little to what hath been already spoken that were it not in obedience to command I should with much more satisfaction be silent then now speak but being under an obligation I may not violate I shall in obedience thereof presume to lay my poor thoughts before you but first I shall take the boldness to say I believe it is a thing impossible for any to particularize every individual reason which invites a Parliament to pass any Vote for the Parliament is a body consisting of many Members and all of them relish those arguments and reasonings which are most consonant to every mans apprehension in which there is so great variety that though when a Vote is past we may conclude that Vote is the sense of the House yet we cannot say that these and none but these reasons produced that result I onely mention this Sir that whatever I shall speak may be considered by you but as my poor apprehension what in some degree might have contributed to move the Parliament to petition and advise your Highness to assume the Title and Office of King for it would be too high a presumption in any Member especially in me above any to dare aver that what I should now say did only invite the Parliament to give your Highness that Counsel having thus humbly premised what I held my self obliged unto in duty I shall now proceed to acquaint you what in my weak judgment did in some measure move the Parliament to do what they have done First I humbly conceive that the Title of King is that which the Law takes notice of as the Title of Supream Magistrate and no other and that the old foundations that are good are better than any new ones though equally good in their own nature what is confirmed by time and experience carries along with it the best Trial and the most satisfactory stamp and authority Secondly It was considered too that it was much better that the Supreme Magistrate should be fitted to the Laws that are in being than that those Laws should be fitted unto him Thirdly The people legally assembled in Parliament having considered of what Title was best for the supreme Magistrate did after a solemn debate thereof pitch upon that of King it being that by which the people knew their duty to him and he the duty of his Office towards them and both by old and known Laws Fourthly There is hardly any who own Government at all in these Nations but think themselves obliged to obey the old Laws or those which your Highness and the Parliament shall enact So that if the Supream Magistrate of these Three Nations be intituled King all those who reverence the old Laws will obediently and chearfully accept of him as that which is setled upon the establishment they own and all that own this present authority will do the like because grafted by it by which none can rest unsatisfied that think it a duty to obey former Authorities or the present Fifthly The former Authorities know no Supream Magistrate but by the Title of King and this present Authority desires to know him by no other which if refused might it not too much heighten our enemies who may boulster up their faint hopes with saying to one another and to those which assist them that their chief is not onely under that Title which all past Parliaments have approved but under that Title which even this Parliament does approve likewise and that your head is not known by the former Laws and has refused to be known by that application which even the Parliament that he himself hath called doth desire to know him by Sixthly By your Highness bearing the Title of King all those that obey and serve you are secured by a Law made long before any of our differences had a being in the 11th Hen. 7. where a full provision is made for the safety of those that shall serve who ever is King 't is by that Law that hitherto our enemies have pleaded indemnity and by your assuming what is now desired that Law which hitherto they pretended for their disobedience tyes them even by their own profession and principles to obedience and I hope taking off all pretences from so numerous a party may not be a thing unworthy consideration That the Law seems very rational for it doth not provide for any particular family or person but for the peace and safety of the people by obeying whoever is in that Office and bears that Title The end of all Government is to give the people justice and safety and the best means to obtain that end is to settle a Supream Magistrate it would therefore seem very irrational that the people having obtained the end should decline that end onely to follow the means which is but conducing to that end so that if the Title and Office of King be vested in your Highness and that thereby the people enjoy their rights and peace it would be little less than madness for any of them to cast off those blessings onely in order to obtain the same end under another person Seventhly there is at present but a divorce between the pretending King and Imperial Crown of these Nations and we know that persons divorc'd may marry again but if the person be married to another it cuts off all hope These may be some of those reasons which invited the Parliament to make that desire and give that advice to your Highness of assuming the Title of King There is another and a very strong one which is that now they have actually given you that advice and the advices of the Parliaments are things which always ought and therefore I am confident will carry with them very great force and Authority nor doth this advice come singly but accompanied with many other excellent things in reference to our civil and spiritual Liberties which your Highness hath born a just and signal testimony to It is also a Parliament who have given unquestionable proofs of their affection to your Highness and who if listned to in this particular will be thereby encouraged to give you more Lord Protector I Have very little to say to you at this time I confess I shall never be willing to deny or defer those things that come from the Parliament to the Supream Magistrate if they come in the bare and naked Authority of such an Assembly as known by that name and are really the representation of so many people as a Parliament of England Scotland and Ireland is I say it ought to have its weight and it hath so and ever will have
not seek to set up that which Providence hath destroyed and laid in the dust and I would not build Jericho again and this is somewhat to me and to my Judgment and Conscience that it is true it is that that hath an awe upon my spirit and I must confess as the times are they are very fickle very uncertain nay God knows you had need have a great deal of faith to strenghten you in your work and all assistance you had need to look at Settlement I would rather I were in my grave than hinder you in any thing that may be for Settlement for the Nation for the Nation needs and never needed it more and therefore out of the love and honour I bear you I am for ever bound to do whatever becomes of me I am ever bound to acknowledge you have dealt most honourably and worthily with me and lovingly and had respect for one that deserves nothing indeed out of the love and faithfulness I bear you and out of the sence I have of the difficulty of your works I would not have you lose any help that may serve you that may stand in stead to you but would be a sacrifice that there might be so long as God shall please to let this Parliament sit a harmony and better and good understanding between all of you and whatsoever any man thinks it equally concerns one man as another to go on to settlement and where I meet with any that is of another mind indeed I could almost curse him in my heart and therefore to the end I may deal heartily and freely I would have you lose nothing that may stand you instead in this way I would advise you that if there be any of a froward and unmannerly or womanish spirit I would not have you lose them I would not that you should lose any servant or friend that may help in this work that they should be offended by that that signifies no more to me than as I told you that is I do not think the thing necessary I do not I would not that you should loose a friend for it if I should help you to many and multiply my self into many I would be to serve you in settlement and therefore would not that any especially any of these that indeed perhaps are men that do think themselves engaged to continue to you and to serve you should be any ways disobliged from you The truth is I did make that my conclusion to you at the first when I told you what method I would speak to you in I may say that I cannot with conveniency to my self nor good to this service that I wish so well to speak out all my arguments in order to safety and in order in tendency to an effectuall carrying on of this work I say I do not think it fit to use all the thoughts I have in my mind as to that point of safety but I shall pray to God Almighty that he would direct you to do what is according to his Will and this is that poor account I am able to give of my self in this thing 16. April Lord Chief-Justice Glynne The Name and Office essential to Settlement FIrst Because it is known to the Law his Duty known in reference to the people and the peoples Duty known in reference to him this cannot be transmitted to another name without much labour great hazard if it may at all To go by individuals and reckon up all the Duties and Powers that a King by our Laws hath in reference to his Trust towards the people and the Duty of the people towards him is a work of so great labour that it would require months yea years if not ages Secondly To apply its relative talis qualis would introduce these difficulties First it would be a new thing how it would prove is but guest and its the Foundation-stone its unsafe to put it to a hazard when you have a safe one Secondly Those Certainties and Securities that accompany that Title are incident by the ancient Laws and Customs of the Nations and that which the other Office can have are introductive and given him de novo from this Parliament as their ancient inheritance that can claim but by a new title of purchase Thirdly The People and your Highness loose the best Title both to their Liberty and your Rights which is the Law antient Custome and Vsage and claim it only but upon the strength of the Parliament but if you take it as a King you have the strength of both Fourthly If you assume any other name and have the rights given you by Parliament it may seem as if the people had lost their ancient rights and had need of new ones to be created by this Parliament Fifthly The assumption of the Title of King is without need of any other Authority to protect the people and bind the people to obey you Sixthly If you should take the name of Protector or any other new Title whatsoever Authority is applyed thereto is but grafting upon a stock that is new and doubtful whether it will bear the fruits well and still liable to former objections without doors Seventhly If you take the Title of King the worst affected cannot object against Authority or at all against the Parliament as the Donor 16 April Master of the Rolls IT is certain that all Governments in themselves may be good for none as male in se but the rule that hath always been observed that the most necessary and prudent course to govern a Nation must be taken from that proportion which is most suitable to the nature and disposition of the people that are governed if this be the general rule always in the world we may well draw this argument both from an absolute necessity and ex necessitate consequentis also The chief Governour in a setled Government being obliged to do for the good of his people not onely quoad bonum sed quoad optimum then the consideration that will follow properly here will be whether the name King which in the judgment of the Law implies the Office be not the best Government for the peoples safety but ex necessitate causa necessitate consequentis to explain this it must be premised that when we speak of King we must take the difference between the person dignified with the Name and the Name it self for this must be taken for a sure ground the word King is a Name as it is a word which the Law doth look upon so it hath its proper Basis and foundation upon the Law and is as ancient as the Law is now the Person of the King is a name that hath its dignity and foundation from the word King as ex necessitate consequentis because in reason a man must be used to exercise that Authority which proceeds from that name These things being very clear by the fundamental grounds of the Law if then we examine the foundation of things
the Nation There is a certain latitude wherein there may be had a respect to friends when the publick good of the whole Nations is in question other considerations may not take place and it is not love to satisfie mens desires to their own hurt and the hurt of the publick so it cannot be thought but that Godly and sober men when they see this name stamped first with the ordinance of man and after with Gods ordinance for so it will then be they will submit thereunto for the Lords sake and satisfie their minds that they ought so to do for that other reason alledged by your Highness that this name hath been blasted and taken away by the Parliament it is clear that the thing was as much blasted as the name and the Government by one person under what name soever as much and more blasted than this name but in truth neither name nor thing hath been at all blasted by God otherwise than he blasted all things and names of this nature It may be as truly said that he hath blasted Parliaments for they have also undergone and felt the like blasts but God hath so declared his will concerning all particular forms of Government that they are wholly at the pleasure and disposition of men to be continued and altered and changed according to the exigency of affairs and publick good of the People and Nations for which they are created by men for the Scripture calleth them humanae creationis Therefore as men blast them so God blasteth them and when men set them up again God honoureth them again and commands they should be honoured One Parliamâ—nâ— thought the perfect state of affairs required the taking away of this name and office and this Parliament iudgeth the present State of affairs requireth the restoring it to the Nations again as to that point of safetie which your Highness touched upon we may best answer it by drawing a curtain before it as your Highness hath given us an example there are dissatisfactions on the one side as well as on the other neither is the consideration of danger only on the one side and some things may be more convenient for your Highness to conceive than for us to speak onely I shall remember your Highness what the Wiseman saith he that observeth the wind shall never sow and he that regardeth the clouds shall never reap the husbandman in the way of his calling must rule his actions by the ordinance and revealed will of God without attending unto the uncertain events which may arise through the indisposition of the air which is in Gods hands and disposition so every man in the way of his calling must attend to what is the revealed will of God to guide his resolutions and actions thereby and not by the various minds of men which are in the hands of God and the Wiseman also saith he that walketh uprightly walketh surely he walketh uprightly that walketh according to Gods revealed will It is also a great note of Integrity to speak as a man thinketh to do as he speaketh and to suit name to things and as your Parliament hath thought to suit with this thing so have they offered to your Highness with much integrity and without any other respect saving to your good and liberty of the Nations Lord Broghill April 16. YOur Highness the last time this Committee had the honour to wait on you seemed to be of opinion that it was not necessary that you should assume the Title of King to exercise legally the office and duty of supream Magistracy of these three Nations because that the Title of Protector is by the authority of Parliament made the Title of the chief Magistrate would do as well and answer all ends of Government as fully as that which now the Parliament does desire and advise your Highness to take upon you but to effect this either all the powers and limitations of a Protector must be more particularly enumerated or he must under the name have all the Authorities with a King as a King has by the Law Of the first of these then as those learned Gentlemen that have spoken before have fully proved whatsoever is not particularly specified the Protector is left to act arbitrarily or a Parliament must be called to supply every new discovered defect his power being derived only from that authority that now does or hereafter shall constitute them which will prove dangerous and inconvenient both to himself and the people and to set down all authorities and abundances which are requisite will be a work of so much time and difficulty if that in the Nation only it seems impracticable in the acting it will be much more found so if the second then it will evidently appear if the difficulty is only about a name and it would be a sad thing indeed that any disagreement should be between your Highness and the Parliament especially when the thing differed in as the settling of our foundation and the thing differed upon is only a name I hope that unhappiness will be so well foreseen as never to run unto Your Highness was pleased to take notice that if the Title of Protector were settled by Parliament hardly any thing could be objected against it but that it is a Title not so long known to these Nations as that of King which is a grave and weighty objection since in constituting of Governments the ablest and most deserving judges are uncapable to see these disadvantages and inconveniences which time and experience do render evident which may be a reason if not the chief one why our Ancestours would never alter Kingly Government though they had often the power to do it and were provoked thereunto by exorbitance and evil Government of their Princes chusing rather to bound that office proportionably to the evils they have deserved in it than to establish a new Model of their own in erecting of which they could not have in some ages the experience they had of that and to cast off an office that has been some hundred of years a pruning and fitting for the good of the people to establish one that has been but newly known were to think our selves wiser in one day than our forefathers have been ever since the first erecting of Kingship It has been an unquestionable principle that the Magistrate is establisht for the Laws and not the lawes for the Magistrate if therefore the Title of Protector should be the Title of the supreme Magistrate we should fit the laws to him not him to the laws which would be by our practice to contradict our professions and possibly wound the peoples rights but in this point there has been so much said and that so learnedly by those worthy persons who have spoken before that to prove the necessity of your Highness assuming the Title of King and should only add a mentioning of those many reasons that the Parliament of three Nations think it necessary you should
Constitution and likewise the ancient Foundation of the Laws of England to be the Basis of the Title of King What Changes of this nature may bring of Inconvenience with them can hardly in every particular be foreseen but it is imagined that many will be that possibly we may not be able beforehand to comprehend but there seems to be more of certainty and stability and of the Supream Authority civil Sanction upon tha Title than upon the other This I humbly apprehend to be one reason concerning both the establishment of the whole and as to that particular which I think is the first part of it your Highness seemed to intimate Master of the Rolls MAy it please your Highness I am very glad that there is such a latitude as we may shew our selves here as I know the Parliament intends to give your Highness all satisfaction as may be and truly I say upon the first head which your Highness is pleased to call a Title as if it were a bare Title which I must humbly crave pardon if I do not think nor the House did not think but it carries more in it of weight than a meer Title for upon due consideration you shall find that the whole body of the Law is carried upon this Wheel it is not a thing that stands on the top meerely but runs through the whole life and veins of the Law you cannot almost make any thing or do any thing look upon all our Laws ever since we had Laws look upon all the Constitution still there is such an interest not of the Title but of the name King besides the Title that 's not the thing for the Title you may rather tye it to the person than the thing but the word King doth signifie the person Now Sir we do see in all the ways of our proceedings in the maintaining of the Rights Properties and Interests of the people and of the Prerogative of the chief Magistrate that the very Office carries on the business and not the Title and yet it must be such a Title too as implies the Office and makes the Office suitable to the Law It 's the Office that doth dignifie the person not the person the Office I shall crave your Highness pardon if I speak any thing amiss we see that the very Office that carries on and not the Person yet that Office must have a suitableness I have observed all along that we have had many Debates that have arisen in this Nation about the thing but the ground and reason why they have adhered to this Title was for the maintenance of their Liberties not for the change of the Office I must confess I do not see that the other Title will do the same thing that other Title hath no further latitude nor extent but the very Instrument it goes no further for the very Instrument is the foundation of it we can finde no further Instrument original we have had those Names heretofore but never grounded upon the thing it self but grounded upon the Office of a King they had no Office or Duty to perform but what was under the Office and Duty of a King 't is very true it is not so now certainly for you have now a Title upon that foundation that is your Instrument and it can reach no further it is a Title that I cannot see I must confess but that we have a good Magistrate and good Officers but it may extend whither it will it hath no limit at all but the Chief Magistrate if he should prove otherwise you have no limit by it by any rule of Law that I understand If you please give me leave to tell you the very Instrument does give a foundation to the Title of Protector I am sure to cross if he please the most Fundamental Points that the Law hath There was a time when a Prince of this Nation a very late time too would change this Name and it was a very slender change for it was but from the King of England to the King of Great Britain and this was presented to the Parliament it had a Debate of many days and it was resolved there and settled that they could not change there was so much hazard in that change they knew not but that all their Rights and Liberties might be thereby altered and when the King saw he could not obtain it of the House he declared by Proclamation that he never intended to take any name upon him that should put a doubt to the Liberties and Priviledges of Parliament and caused this Proclamation to be put among the Statutes I may say it indeed very cunningly to be Printed and put among the Statutes though indeed it was none and because there was a danger he laid it down willingly only saies he your Divines in the Pulpits shall pray for me by the Title King of Great Britain and Ambassadours shall make their Address by that name but your Laws I will not alter the name In the Parliament there was a question Whether we should not alter the name of Parliament and call it The Representative of the People but the whole House went upon this ground that by changing the name of Parliament to a Representative we did not know how it might change the very course ground and reason of Parliament There is a great deal of thing in the very name I remember a very Honourable Person now with God was then very earnest for it for having this name changed and he did shew many Reasons for it but hearing the Debates and Reasons against it he sat down and was satisfied I think I may name him it was my Lord Ireton who did say he was satisfied it was not fit to be done at that time It is a famous Story in every mans mouth heretofore when there was but a little intention to change the Law it was a general Resolution given by the Lords Nolimus Leges Angliae mutare It 's doubted yea conceived not possible to annex the Laws and the Title of Protector together this I must say we come now with an intention of a perfect Settlement such as may give safety to the Nation to your Person to the People for indeed Sir they are very jealous of their Laws and Liberties and have bin in all Ages and though it may not have an intention to do such a thing yet if you have a doubt 't is better and more safe for the Chief Magistrate to keep that which hath no doubt then The Parliament laying their interest and their regard to you together and giving you this advice this is Vox populi for it is the voice of Three Nations in one Parliament Upon publick interest the chief thing is the safety of the people that safety your will your judgment nay give me leave to tell you your Conscience is bound to it for it is the principal end of Government and Governours this is presented to you by Three Nations by the
our Physick into our food To which I humbly answer had that been so the people might have had new Writs sent unto them for the election of their representatives who might have carryed on the publick affairs of the Nation by a new Parliament but it seems those times would not bear it and therefore a convention of select Persons were called unchosen by the people to whom all power was devolv'd and who had even a right to have perpetuated themselves by calling into themselves from time to time whom they thought fit so that Parliaments were not for that turn only laid aside but even by that constitution which did it were perpetually excluded by which it is evident that if Kings were de facto blasted Parliaments were the like yea much more for in the act for abolishing Kingship it was treason in those only who offered to restore it but by consent in Parliament but in that assembly there was no such provision for Parliaments ever as hath been said By their constitution Parliaments were excluded and to evidence how much stress there lies barely upon a legal name that assembly to give greater authority to their actings stiled themselves a Parliament as the only name the Parliament took notice of as the Supreme authority of the Nation which possibly may invite your Highness to believe that godly men and wise men think it essential to have Titles consonant to our Laws and therefore that your Highness in the exercise of the Supreme Magistracy will be the rather invited to assume the Title King that being consonant and that only being consonant to the Law I think all sober men agree of that Government but for the particular form thereof it is left to the wisdome of those which the people chuse to represent them to set upon such a form as may be most fitted to their Genius and likeliest to prove their good and quiet If any can prove that Kingship by the word of God is unlawful or that people have not power to give the Supreme Magistrate what name they think best I should be then silent but since that power is unquestionable in the Representative of the people and that they have desired your Highness to govern them by the Title of King and since also nothing can be objected against it and both reason and cuâ—â—ome pleads for it we earnestly hope you will not think fit to deny the people that which is but their Right and I believe it was not yet denied by any Supreme Magistrate to any people to which may be added that if the Kingship has been cast out by many providences your Highness accepting it will shew that it is restored at least by as many more as have happened in reference thereunto for its absolution to its restitution Your Highness did further object that some good men would be offended at your acceptance of that Title I confess it is very considerable and I think every judicial person of the House would be very cautious to give men under that character a just offence but your Highness will be pleased to permit me to mind you of the character you gave of good men in your last speech they are such you said as give obedience to Gospel-Ordinances which requires Obedience to authorities not for fear but for conscience sake That you reckon nothing of Godliness without the Circle and that any principle which opposeth thus was diabolical and sprung from the depth of Satans wickedness You were pleased further to say that though some good men scrupled at that name the Parliament thought fit to assume yet their doing so was no part of their goodness by all which it will be evident that your acceptance thereof cannot offend good men but by their esteeming their Obedience to a Gospel-Ordinance an offence which I hope no good men will or can do I shall also humbly beseech your Highness to consider that if on the one side the â—cceptance of the Title may offend some good men so on the other side the declining of it will give offence to the Parliament where all good men are legally and at once only represented The case of David when his child was sick may possibly parallel the case of such good men as are herein unsatisfied while as the child was sick he was very earnest with the Lord for the restoring of it to health but God was not pleased so to do and the child died his servants being of another principle than himself thus reasoned if his trouble and grief were so great while yet the child was not dead what will it be now it is dead but David reasoned thus while there was hope I wrestled with God but since his will is declared I chearfully submit to it I hope as scrupulous good mens cases in the particular of Kingship is a parable in the History so it will likewise prove in the event Your Highness was further pleased to mention some considerations in reference to safety to which I humbly answer the things that are offered to you are just in themselves in reference to Civils and Spirituals and so acknowledged by you that authority that tenders them is the Supreme legal authority of three great Nations You have a faithful and a good army and we have you at the head of them what shall we then fear To which I shall only add that safety hath been often in danger by the Kings and Parliaments disagreeing but this is the first time if it be in danger that ever it was by their agreement to which I may further add that whatever evil may arise from your agreement with your Parliament it will befall us on the way of our duty which is an inward comfort to ballance any outward evil But if any evil happens by your not closing with your Parliament we shall undergo the outward harm and be denied the inward support Your Highness was pleased to say your had rather have any name that is not given by them Permit me therefore now to say that to all other arguments we have one irrefutable and that is your own ingagement for the Parliament doth desire and advise you to accept the name of King hitherto we have pleaded but upon the accout of your engagement and it is humbly hoped your Highness who hath so ' exactly observed your word to your worst enemies will not break it unto your best friends the Parliament Lord Whitlock 16. April SIR I have very little to tuouble your Highness with so much hath been already spoken and so well that it will be hard for me or any other to undertake to add to it only the duty of my employment and something due to your Highness occasions me to speak a few words to acknowledge with very humble thanks the honour and right which you have done this Committee by the clear and free discourses and conferences which they have had with you Highness and for your frequent expressions and testimonies of affection
and respect to the Parliament whose sence in this I may presume to speak that never any persons met their Supream Magistrate with more love duty and honour than the Parliament have met your Highness with in their present and addresses which argument of Love deserves the esteem and force which I doubt not but your Highness will put upon it I am fearful to be too tedious at any time especially at so late an hour and therefore shall speak but short to some things which I remember not to have been mentioned Your Highness was pleased at the last meeting to say that the original Institution of the Title King was by common consent and that the same common consent might institute any other Title and make it as effectual as that of King this must be acknowledged but withal you may be pleased to observe that the Title of King is not only by an original common consent but that consent also proved and confirmed and the Law fitted thereunto and that fitted to the Laws by the experience and industry of many ages and many hundreds of years together whereas any other Title will be only by present common consent without that experience and approbation for that experience which your Highness mentioned to have been of other Titles and the due administration of Justice under them this experience is far short of the other and for the course of Justice we have cause to thank that care which plac'd so Good Judges and Officers over us yet give me leave to say that in private causes between Party and Party and in publick matters in nominal causes it was not easy to find justice to be done by some Jurors and many questions have risen upon the occsion of those new Titles concerning that tender point of good mens satisfaction I think it requires a very great regard from us and I doubt not but those good people will be fully satisfied if they consider the covenants promises and precepts which in the Scriptures are annext to the name of King and although some have alledged that they belong to any chief Magistrate as well as to King yet no man did ever read the Original word translated otherwise than King neither do I find the present Title once mentioned in the holy Text if the present authority be a lawsul authority which I hope none of us will deny surely those good men who are so well principled in godliness will not forget that precept of submission to authority and to be satisfied with that which lawful authority shall ordain Their Rights and Liberties are the same with ours and the Parliament cannot advise any thing for the preservation of the peoples Rights but these good men are included which I hope will be no disatisfaction to them in all the changes which we have seen there hath been a dissatisfaction to some yet still the blessing of God hath gone along through all these changes with those who carried on his interest and the cause being the same the same mercies have been continued and I doubt not but if the intended change or rather restitution be made as I hope it will I doubt not but the same God will continue his blessings to that good old cause wherein we are engaged and that good men receive satisfaction by it Your Highness hath been told that the Title of King is upon the foundation of Law and that a new Title must have a constitution to make the Laws relate unto it and that unto the Laws I shall only add this that a Title by relation is not so certain and safe as a Title upon the old foundation of the Law and that a Title upon a present single constitution as any new Title must be cannot be so firm as a Title both upon the present constitution and upon the old foundation of the Law likewise which the Title of King will be if any inconvenience should ensue upon your acceptance of this Title which the Parliament adviseth your Highness satisfaction will be that they did advise it On the contrary part if inconvenience should arise upon your Highness refusal of this Title which the Parliament hath advised your burden will be the greater And therefore whatsoever may fall out will be better answered by your Highness complying with your Parliament than otherwise This question is not altogether new some instances have been given of the like to which I shall add two or three the Titles of the Kings of England in the Realm of Ireland was Lord of Ireland And the Parliament in the 33. year of Hen. 8. reciting that inconveniences did arise there by reason of that Title did enact that Hen. 8. should assume the Stile and Title of King of Ireland which in the Judgement of this Parliament was preferred before the other In the State of Rome new Titles proved fatal to their liberties Their case was not much unlike ours they were wearied with a civil War and coming to a settlement Cuncta discordiis civilibus fessa nomine principis sub imperium accepit some would not admit the Title Rex to be used but were contented to give the Titles of Caesar perpetuus Dictator Princeps Senator Imperator Non sum Rex sed Caesar came at last to this Voluntas Caesaris pro lege habeatur the Northern people wers more happy amongst themselves a private Gentleman of a noble family took up arms with his Countrey-men against a Tyrant and by the blessing of God rescued their native liberties and rights of their Country from the oppression of that Tyrant This Gentleman had the Title of Marshall given unto him which continued for some years Afterwards their Parliament judging it best to resume the old Title elected this Gentleman to be their King and with him was brought in the liberty of Protestant Religion and the establishment of the civil rights of that people which have continued in a prosperous condition ever since unto this day Sir I shall make no other application but in my prayers to God to direct your Highness and the Parliament as I hope he will to do that which will be most for his honour and the good of his people The Lord Protectors Speech April 26. 1657. I Have as well as I could considered the Arguments used by you the other day to inforce the conclusion that refers to the name and Title that was the Subject matter of the debates and conferences that have been between us I shall not now spend your time nor my own much in â—â—â—â—ating those Arguments and in giving answers to them although indeed I think they are but the same that they were formerly only there were some additional inforcements of those arguments by new instances I think truely after the rate of Debate I may spend your time which I know is very precious and unless I were a satisfied person the time would spinne out and be very unprofitable spent so it would I onely must say a word or two