Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	author_n	great_a	name_n	1,614	5	4.6579	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96074	The constant man's character. Intended to be sent first as a letter from a gentleman in the country, to a gentlemen his esteemed friend and countryman, a Member of the House of Commons. Since inlarged into a discourse by way of humble advice to keep him from revolting, either directly or collaterally by the side-winde of being Presbyterially affected, through the mistaken and unhappy conceit, that those who have taken the Covenant, cannot without breach of the same, assent and submit unto the late proceedings of the Parliament, when as the parts of the Covenant seem to be inconsistent within themselves, as the author's observations here discoursed do manifest. The scope whereof is 1 Historically to set down the occasion and beginnings of the war. ... 4 To prove the fitness and necessity (as matters now stand) of complying with, and submitting unto this present government. For the powers that be are ordained of God, Rom. 13. Together with some animadversions incident hereunto on the same book, and on the two declarations, intituled The declarations of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament at Oxford. The one touching a treaty for peace, [the] other concerning their endeavors for peace. Printed there, 1643.	S. W.	1650 (1650)	Wing W105; Thomason E595_7; ESTC R204161	52,955	81

Parliamentary Body remaining at Edenburgh So that as to the Parliament of England it must be confessed that He meant not what He expressed in allowing that Latitude of Power or that His Party hath since prevailed with Him to renounce that judgment which He declared to have had of Them That the contentions at the first sitting of the House were upon the point about matters of Fact what things were done what attempted to be done how the King and His Ministers of Justice had demeaned themselves since the beginning of His Raign how many Oppressions of severall kindes had been offered by them how they had offended against the Known and Fundamentall Laws in an Arbitrary way of Government The Question then tacitely disputed in all mens hearts betwixt Those who would that He should go on to do what He pleased and Those who contended to have Him govern according to the Laws Whether there were any Power in being to emulate and check a King 's except a Parliaments That this Parliament in contending to maintain the one against the other was interrupted and opposed and as the Scots aver b See the Scots Remonstrance 1640. cited by M. Tho. May in his History of the Parliament of England written 1647. For no other reason called then to give the King relief and ayd against their comming into England on which grounds they sent to the Parliament of England a Justification of their proceedings intreating Them to be wary in vindicating their own Laws and Liberties to frustrate the Designs of those Evill Counsellours who had procured this Parliament for no other end then to arm the King with warlike supplyes against His Scottish Subjects and by that War to enslave if not to ruine both Nations That after many violations and dissolutions of Parliaments in England This was not to redress Grievances but to be so over-reached if They were not carefull and couragious that no possibility should be left for the future redressing any That so dangerous Practices might be well suspected when at the same time a Parliament was denyed to Scotland although promised on the word of a King granted to England when not expected and obtruded upon Ireland when not desired The Rise of all which was from the Anger which the Scots knew the King conceived against them for some particular acts of theirs charged with disloyalty as That they refused and declared amongst other matters against His Messages sent them to receive the Service Book obtruded on them for which as for Vindicating themselves from the like charged Disloyalties they were Accused by the King to have wrote a a Cited and complained of by the King in the same Declaration against His Scottish Subjects for inviting Forreign Powers into this Kingdom Pag. 56 57. See the Letter it self in the same Declaration Signed by seven of the principall of the Nobility of Scotland Letter to the King of France imploring His Protection as weary of their Obedience to their own King For which disloyall Letter as it was termed a chief b The Lord Louden See in his Answer his prudent excuse Peer of theirs was imprisoned and condemned to die That the Pacification had and made to take away all differences past and which might ensue betwixt the King the English and the Scots by the prudent and joynt advice of a select Committee of English and Scottish Lords as to remove all jealousies betwixt both Nations was soon after it was made scorned and slighted The Scots then complaining in their Informations made unto the See the same Book English their Friends and Brethren of many injuries they had received since the Pacification made and contrary to that Agreement This the Condition then of the Scots These the very words of their Remonstrance That the Vnion and Brotherly League entered into by both Nations was in the King's Indignation no otherwise construed then an Invitation in the One and Invasion of a See the King's accompt of them how in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He keeps it in memory That they were the first that began His troubles in the Treatise of His leaving Oxford and going to the Scots and elswhere in severall places of that Book Also in the Declaration printed on the King's behalf at Oxford 1643. Page 23. Suggesting an intent in them to confound the Government and alter the Laws of England p. 28. The Marquesse of Montrosse declareth how they began His Troubles viz. by dispersing their Apologeticall Pamphlets as he terms them through great Brittain before the troubles began and before their coming with an Army into England See a Book entituled The History of His Majesty's Affairs under the Conduct of the Marquesse in the yeers 1644 1645 1646. Page 3. Forreigners in the other Nation and howsoever the Charge in the seven Articles exhibited against the six Members of both Houses was laid to those few only yet probably it had reached many other of the English Nation had not the first assault of Violence in the King's Party miscarryed as it did So many sad and direfull notes could not but portend a War against one or both Nations as Time and Opportunity should best serve to manage the Design in hand or else the Parliament knowing themselves to be a free and full Convention in all parts a Parliament both in the Substance and Form Summoned by the King 's Writ to meet c. as in the Circumstance of Time and Place must submit to the Will and Pleasure of an b Amongst other motives to His anger about the E. of Strafford's death which whether He would have avenged on the Party who condemned him may be guessed at in that He or an unknown Author in His name severall times repents the injustice of that act How Himself was forced to yeeld complyance for which sin as He mentions it He and His Kingdoms have felt long great and heavy troubles See the same Book in the Treatise concerning the E. of Strafford and the Marq. of Montrosse his Declaration set forth 1649. aggravating the same to incense the King and His Party against the Scots expressing in it their disloyall practices breach of Duty Covenants calling them Traytors c. incensed King So to be Dissolved or Awed at pleasure or to have Boundaries put upon their Acts and Counsels by such as they knew to be corrupt and would have removed from the King To the end His Throne might be established That in this agony and doubt whether They should Submit Desist or Act according to their Trust they thought it neerly land necessarily concerned them to provide for the publique welfare for their own and the Kingdoms safety some of their Members being impeached and charged two Kingdoms provoked and menaced the a See the King 's gratefull acknowledgment of the affection and loyalty of His Irish Subjects in offering to supply Him with Preparations c. together with their Persons and Estates even to the uttermost of their ability

affections By their subtile practices to pursue and continue their Designs disguising them under several habits that what a Lions strength cannot the Foxes skin put on may work each one acting his severall part to the best advantage and improvement of the whole some bemoaning their dejected and low condition thereby to draw pity to their suggested wrongfull sufferings not that they think it so but that they may be thereby the less perceived to exercise their Art of gaining their strength and Power again both by nourishing Discontents and Seditions here at home and having Factors and Emissaries to solicite their Cause abroad By traducing and depressing the esteem of the Parliament and their Actions to render their Persons the more odious and contemptible thence the more weak and easie to be subdued By contriving and inventing Falshoods sometimes in the nature of reporting Prophesies in favour to the King and His success as to give out how happy and victorious He or His Posterity shall be Many the like devised Inventions in the nature of Predictions and Divinings some whereof made on purpose others as vainly reported and given out to give hopes unto His Party to try if the reporting such Prophecyings can bring the fruits of their endeavours within the compass of such Prophesies fulfilled By seditious Pamphletings and privily dispersing such by publishing other more weighty no less seditious Books obtruding them on such Authors as they please all to affect the Reader sometimes in the King s name always in His behalf particularly that Posthume one called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by many men given out to be His which if the Parliaments often Declarations Charges and Remonstrances against Him and His Proceedings be true those applauded Tracts and Meditations in that Book are but a reinforced dissembling put upon Him and the Greek words might be rather translated into the Image and Pourtraicture of a Counterfeit For the Author counterfeiting the King makes the Falshoods and Impostures obtruded upon the King to be his own then into the Image of a Prince Whosoever shall read the Parliaments often Declarations and Charges against the King set forth since the beginning of this War not denyed or answered by any of His Party saving in a recriminatory and scoffing way calling the Parliament and their Adherents Rebels Or who shall read the a Written by Mr. Tho. May 1647. beginning at Pag 6. unto pag. 46. Moreover how Corruption and Oppressions irremediably grew through the Discontinuance and defect of Parliaments not called through the often Dissolving them in the time of His Reign and His Declarations published against the Members of some of them which the Historian reports the dejected People were forced to read with patience and to allow against their own Reason Wherein many things are there observed concerning the maner of the Scots proceedings before and even at the first beginnings of these Troubles Their sufferings how by their humble applying themselves unto the King for redress they could have none In fine the aversness of the English People from a War with Scotland pag. 46. History of the Parliament of England summarily reciting the Kings aversness from Parliaments cannot but acknowledg that b See the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on that Tract Book whatsoever the fair and plausible flourishes in it pretend of the King 's inclining to and desiring Parliaments to be falsly and injuriously Charged on him Falsely because They cannot but know how unwillingly and seldom He called any how oft he did dissolve or attempt to dissolve them when they were called whence the Answer meets the Objection That the Parliament's Party did begin the preparations for a War before the King 's The King's c Mr. May his History aversness to call Parliaments His d Mr. Hollis his Speech awing and dissolving them at pleasure often and long before any preparations could be thought of for a War may satisfie the objection when as moreover divers of his Friends and Party have long before fortified and furnished their houses in many parts of the Kingdom with Arms and Ammunition no other notice taken till of late then of adorning such for strength and splendor which w th some smal addition became strong Garisons for him The Parliaments friends had none or not so many Holds so soon or suddenly to be fortified for their defence The Author to have made his own Impostures and Dissembling the King's desires of Peace and Justice the more compleat and full might without blushing aswell have added one Treatise more to the twenty eight to have rendered the King free and innocent from that great offence of the Massacres committed in the Irish Troubles and declared Him guiltless of so much of his Subjects Blood as the Rebellion there hath cost A Treatise added to that Book with such an Apology on the King's behalf might have passed under the same belief and credit as other well penned passages in the Book when as the contrary is well known as the two Houses of Parliament have in their Charges and Remonstrances set forth to the publike view such Transactions of the King 's betwixt Him and the Irish concerning His conniving at and favoring the Rebels there under colour of raising freinds and Assistance thence to serve Him in the War against the Parliament here as to finde Him guilty of the Blood spilt in that Kingdom as in This. Injuriously charged on the King in that the Author and Reader also if a Friend to Him and would have the Book to be reputed His do wound His honor and render the maner of His death the more unchristian then otherwise it would be judged when whilest the Life is mortal they make the vices of Dissembling and uncharitableness to be surviving and immortall motions The reporting it to be the King 's seems besides to blemish the credit of those Penitentiall Expressions therein derogating from the serious retired and solid parts wherewith He was endowed then doubtless free from the affectated words whereof the Book is full in defence of the manifold actions of His incident to this War Many of them too weakly excused to be His although in an handsome way of writing to possess the belief of men obtruded on Him by indeed the Author of the Book Namely and more particularly That weakly objected Crime of the Author in the King's name blaming the Parliaments Army for discovering the King's Letters taken at Naseby Fight upbraiding them with an uncivil and inhumane dealing in publishing them Whosoever shall praise the Book and thence draw applause unto the King should for the better glory of it have expunged some improbable and extravagant passages and inserted others more necessary and satisfactory one Tract at least of the King's care and zeal for the security and maintenance of the true Protestant Religion what He hath written or acted to clear those doubts to wipe away those Jealousies had of Him no where to be found in the Book and a

The Constant Man's Character Intended to be sent first as a LETTER FROM A Gentleman in the Country to a Gentleman his esteemed Friend and Countryman a Member of the House of Commons Since inlarged into a DISCOURSE by way of humble ADVICE to keep him from Revolting either directly or collaterally by the side-winde of being Presbyterially affected through the mistaken and unhappy conceit That those who have taken the Covenant cannot without breach of the same assent and submit unto the late proceedings of the Parliament when as the parts of the Covenant seem to be inconsistent within themselves as the Author's Observations here discoursed do manifest The Scope whereof is 1 Historically to set down the Occasion and Beginnings of the War 2 To shew That the Parliament had no intention to leavy a War 3 That the Book called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is probably none of the King 's 4 To prove the fitness and necessity as matters now stand of complying with and submitting unto this present Government For the Powers that be are Ordained of God Rom. 13. Together With some Animadversions incident hereunto on the same Book and on the two Declarations intituled The Declarations of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament at OXFORD The One touching a Treaty for Peace Printed there 1643. Other concerning their Endeavors for Peace Printed at London for Giles Calvert at the Black Spread-Eagle neer the West End of Pauls 1649. Reader THis Letter rather this Narration is founded on a Discourse had betwixt two Gentlemen the one unto whom it was written having the abler parts of Wit and Speech the other the Writer having the juster cause or at least he judged it so the weakness of whose judgment may indeed be an Objection against the credit of the Work there being three means onely whereby to discern and report a Truth Judgment Knowledg Conscience the two first Judgment Knowledg in State-affairs the Author may be defective in the strength thereof notwithstanding in that he is neither engaged against the one nor obliged to the other Party other wise then by a common duty his judgment may seem the more right and clear by reason his Obligations are the less wherefore that which may be said in his behalf is That the Conscience and upright Truth by which he hath measured what he hath written is free from Faction or Partiality The danger whereunto a Writer in Divided and Seditious Times exposeth himself is known unto all men when whatsoever is received with Applause or Liking by the one is therefore rejected with Despight and Scorn by the other side The Promise and * See the Protestation taken May 1641. where the Protestors Vow by all good wayes and means to bring to condigne Punishment all such as shal by Force Practice Councels Plots and Conspiracies or otherwise do any thing to the contrary in this Protestation and further that he shall in all iust ways endeavour to preserve the Vnion and Peace betwixt the three Kingdoms c. Protestation made to Endeavour by all just ways out-weighs the Danger In this Discourse he arrogates nothing to himself but an even and true delivery of what he hath observed and is well known much less doth he think his strength or skill enough to help either side to Victory but according to his weak and spent abilities to endeavour the restoring the three Nations to their former Peace their mutual Interests and Rights unto which the only and next way is to deliver and uprightly to set down the truth A more able Pen-man may shew it more excellently None can shew a more excellent way The Constant Man's Character SIR I Know not how this Discourse may relish assure your self sent from the hand and heart of him who loves and honours you howbeit wise men leaning on their own wisdoms and sacrificing too much peradventure to their own Net commonly neither need nor care for the affections of their weaker friends What I am in relation unto you or in the rank of them is known to those who know us both what in my self I am conscious of wanting Experience and Learning to derive any knowledg from antiquated Times or Histories for the fashioning this into an elegant and polite work but in a downright way to fall on familiarly and plainly to set down the beginnings and first entrance into this present War which when it first broke out that the Gentlemen of this County did declare themselves unto what Party they would adhere Two eminent Leaders on the Parliaments side Sir R. C. and your self out-weighing as we judged so many more of the opposite Party did seem to joyn and go one way for the Priviledges of that Court and the Subject's Liberties The infringing which added to some late Jealousies was the first Ascent to these Divisions how and by what degrees it went higher follows in this Discourse In your resenting which He as a Member of the House You as a Patriot of the Country We could not think Ye did it in a light Factious or Seditious way but as having seriously weighed and by your Readings even before and since the beginning of this War known That the Institution of Parliaments was had and made by an Ancient Necessary and wholsome Law That the Power Priviledges and Authority thereof were to be kept inviolable and entire That as to this present Parliament the King Himself in a See His Answer to a Declaration from both Houses in May 1642. His Answer to a Declaration sent Him from both Houses of Lords and Commons doth confess and allow Them a full and juridicall power to judg and determine the most doubtfull high and weightiest Crimes and Causes although He seems to limit it by particular Cases regularly brought before them acknowledging withall together with the b See the Declaration of the Lords Commons assembled in Parliament as they called it at Oxford 1643. Pa. 12. Lords and Commons assembled at Oxford The Priviledg of Parliament to be so substantiall and entire a Right that the Invasion of the Liberties of either House is an Injury to the other and to the whole Kingdom In severall His Messages returned unto their Propositions He repeats and confirms the same judgment of their full and ample Power being legally summoned and By a Law consented unto by Him in full Parliament not to be dissolved unless by their own consent Notwithstanding which several attempts of force and violence were offered as far as His Party's Power could extend it self to the dissolving it by contending to divide and scatter Them accusing the remaining part of the Members sitting in the House of being Rebels so being divided to account no other of the Parliament at Westminster then He doth of the Parliament in Scotland a In His Declaration concerning His Proceedings with His Subjects of Scotland since the Pacification in the Camp neer Berwick printed 1640. pa. 38. The divided Members of that distracted

that Book as unjustly and improbably delivered viz. The excuse and plausible reasons given of the King 's going to the House of Commons attended with so many armed Gentlemen as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Treatise concerning the King's going to the House of Commons to surprize the five Members Author sayes was no unwonted thing for the Majesty of a King to be so attended especially in discontented times The times were not then so discontented as that unheard of and horrid act did afterwards make them and might have made them at that time had but the hand of one desperate Caitiffe given fire to his Pistols ready cockt the House of Commons being near full and equall in number to the Forces prepared against them no man knows how disastrous and fatall the event had been neither could the King justly fear to be assaulted or affronted by any in the House as the Author intimates None in the House within being armed answerable to that the King's Guard without The Author thinks that he hath handsomly palliated that attempt under colour of the King 's standing in need of a Guard rendring those His Attendants there short of His ordinary Guard but whether he means short in number or in forcible array he declares not Many other passages as improbable as these are the discourses of the Book too tedious to recite the examining and search whereof is besides my purpose It seems to have little of it of the King it hath Elegancy of wit enough and affectation of expressions to be applauded inconsistent with a sound and Christian wisdom whereunto His present Condition was to be fitted and Charity enjoynes not to think it His when full of so many uncharitable expressions although clothed in pious ejaculations The Author is too blame to father upon Him such intermixtures of Scorn and Piety in some parts of it Devotion and Penitencie in other Censurings and Detractings compiled probably by several Authors the off-spring too unlike it self to be truly and unviocally begot by one and the self-same Parent The words of Scorn are where the Author speaking of the King 's impeaching six Members of both Houses of High Treason terms them in a disdainful way * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 11. Half a dozen which number is all one as six but the manner of the slighting Phrase Half a dozen unbecoming the grave and serious Majesty of a King especially He being in sorrow and affliction as the Author presents Him Not to be applyed to Gentlemen of quality rather to things of cheap and mean accompt vendible in Tradesmens Shops The whole Book indeed if throughly scanned is but a fine-dressed Invective against the one an Apology for the other Party fitly penned to keep up the affections of His friends to win and move compassion even from His enemies for whilest the Author presents him innocent and injured compassion begets affections towards the Person injured throws disgrace and calumny on the Persons injuring The best most acceptable and likelyest to be believed Tract had been if the Author in His Book had observed and declared that the King peradventure in the time of His greatest troubles and when the Victory stood doubtful did intend as He did then profess in many excellent and winning speeches delivered at York Shrewsbury Nottingham and else where to preserve the Laws and Liberties of His People to maintain the Protestant Religion the Power and Priviledg of Parliament which He could not but foresee take it either in the upright heart of a pious Prince intending it that His real and sincere intentions to maintain the same were His best brest plate and safest guard or take it in the politick part of a cunning Enemy meaning nothing less That such Professions were His next way to Conquer by but when He had thereby conquered what safety or security was there to be expected that He should not return unto and be governed by the advice of those evil Counsellors who had at the first drawn Him away and by degrees might have wrought upon His affections to the curbing if not to the suppressing those Laws and Liberties to the punishing those whom He had adjudged and called Travtors Rebels The High Treason charged on the Parliament by the Author in the Person of the King softly and mildely instilled into the Readers ears in that Book down-rightly and roughly by the divided Members sitting at Oxford in their Declaration printed there must be understood either le Crime de Majestie or le Crime de Fausonnerie The Crime against His Majesty is either against His Person or His Honor against His Person as to conspire or intend His death or to leavie War against Him against His Honour as to deflour the Queen His wife His daughter or the wife of His Heir to kill those His principal Officers of State specified within the Statute of 25. Edw. 3. comprising all Crimes adjudged Treason Flattery and a temporary conformity to the present and Arbitrary will of a Prince are but shadows only the true substance and highest degree of honouring Him is when men in Place and Authority deputed thereunto shall endeavour as the Parliament Protested and were credibly believed to have punished all Indignities Affronts and Crimes which had or might have been committed against the Peace His Crown and Dignity The other sort of High Treason is Le Crime de Fausonnerie two ways committed either by counterfeiting the Coyne or the Great Seal Now with which sort of High Treason doth the King's Party charge the Parliaments either with the first a purpose to destroy His Person c. as above recited or the latter the counterfeiting the Great Seal not against His Person The observing this Discourse throughout setting forth the Maner and Original of the Contention betwixt the King and His People the Parliament only is as it were the Judg between both doth manifest how improbable and untrue it doth appear that the Parliament when five or six years since accused of Treason by the divided Members sitting at Oxford did then or at any time before intend to levy and offensive War to imagine or conspire the Kings Death It is one thing originally to intend out of malice prepensed and fore-thought to devise or contrive a purpose another thing through an inevitable necessity to act against and contrary to the intention of the Actors If by the way any exquisite or choice ☞ Wits of a more sublimate reach then their Fellow-Subjects did know or could have discovered any dark or secret contrivances of such intendment or conspiracy against His Person deeming all others of a narrow and lower capacity ignorant and dull-spirited they were too blame to conceal the Plot the manner and means of effecting it They had Power Confidence and Liberty enough when the divided Members being of their Party sate at Oxford and there accused the Parliament sitting at Westminster of many treasonable Designs present which the quality of