Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	history_n	king_n	time_n	2,563	5	3.4716	3	true

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

Chester were all taken away by the King s Troopers under command of a Captain together with the Carrier's horses and Waggon for the King's service As likewise that a great number of draught-horses prepared by the Parliament for the Artillery and baggage of the Irish Army and sent to Chester for that purpose being there attending a passage were then required by the King for His present service in England whose Forces were so quartered about the Roads to Ireland that no Provision could pass thither by Land with any Safety That two other Captains the Admiral and vice Admiral of the Ships appointed to lie upon the Coast of Ireland to annoy the Rebels and to prevent the bringing Ammunition and relief from Forreign Parts were both called away from that Imployment by the King's Command and by reason of their departure from the Coast of Munster to which they were designed the Rebels there have received Powder Ammunition and other relief from Forreign Parts * See these Charges mentioned by the Houses of Parliament against the King in Mr. May his History lib. 2. cap. 6. pag. 118. By which particulars say they it may seem that those Rebels were countenanced there upon design to assist the Enemies of the Parliament here especially considering that those confident Rebels have presumed very lately to send a Petition to the King intituling themselves His Majesties Catholick Subjects of IRELAND and complaining of the Puritan Parliament of England and defiring that since His Majestie comes not thither according to their expectation they may come into England to His Majestie So the Question by way of Argument between the King and Parliament as between the Commissioners on either side is laid aside and now to be decided by no other Umpire then the Sword and what the two opposite Parties on either side have a long time strove for the one defending their Cause in their Books and Writings by vehemency and height of Wit the other theirs by solid and substantiall Prudence is left to the Conquerour to determine What the odds is betwixt their Writings because controverted by either side which Party doth declare and argue the more Prudentially the reasons of their severall undertakings in this quarrell as which Party the Kings or the Parliaments have writ more solidly and substantially concerning the Subject of this War which more genuinely and sincerely without expatiating or rayling Jests have argued let the impartiall Reader judg So because there may not want fuell for Contention 't is debated concerning the Actions of Cruelty on either part the Kings the Parliaments which did act with more cruelty by putting to the Sword spayling by consuming with Fire laying waste Towns Villages Houses I believe our Neighbour a BERKSHIRE and other places neer us County as far as you and I have observed gives Testimony against the One in a sad Record As to the Writings on either side for Instance sake take three or four here following for the rest First the Letter to the Governour and Councell of War at BRISTOL that City being then a Garrison for the Parliament from the Lord Generall of the King's Forces b See Mr. May his History of the Parliament of England mentioning the Demand and the Answer requiring the Governour and Councell there to forbear the putting to death the two Citizens threatning withall to retaliate the like Judgment and Execution upon some Gentlemen of the Parliaments Party kept Prisoners by the King 's with the Resolution and sober Answer of the Governour and Councell to such Message The quality of which Answer is fore-judged already and Replyed unto in Print To be an insolent c In a Book of an unknown Author called the States Martyr Pamphlet with other words of scorn when other men well seen in Morals and the Martiall affairs of War deem it to be a stout apposite and well penn'd Answer Secondly That from the Marquesse of Argyle and Sir William Armyne Commissioners from both Kingdoms of England Scotland fully d See the Message and the Answer and in few words delivering their Intentions and Reasons for the Summons sent to the Governour of Carlisle a Garrison for the King with his Answer unto them full of words pregnancy of wit and jealousie rejecting their Summons And some of His Party derogating elswhere from the worth of a See the History of the King's affairs in Scotland c. Where the Historian speaking of Montrosse and the Marquesse of Argyle the Generals of the two opposite Armies in the Kingdom of Scotland he highly extols Montrosse and as much reviles and derogates from Argyle rendring him in many passages of that Book a poor-spirited Souldier and a Knave when as in other mens judgments he hath proved himself a valiant and expert Commander a Religious and wise Gentleman one of the Commissioners b See this mentioned in the Declaration of the Lords and Commons assembled at Oxford March 1643. and Printed there A third Which because 't is short You have here recited in the very words sent from both Houses of Parliament to the King with His Parties descant and scornful Comment on the same The Message sent from both Houses of Parliament to the King May it please your Majestie WE the Lords and Commons Assembled in the Parliament of England taking into our Consideration a Letter sent from Your Majestie dated the third of March instant and directed to the Lords and Commons of Parliament Assembled at Westminster Which by the Contents of a Letter from the Earl of Forth unto the Lord General the Earl of Essex we conceive was intended to our Selves Have resolved with the concurrent advice and consent of the Commissioners of the Kingdom of Scotland to represent to your Majestie in all humility and plainnesse as followeth That as we have used all means for a just and a safe Peace so will we never be wanting to do our utmost for the procuring thereof But when we consider the expressions in that Letter of Your Majesties We have more sad and despairing thoughts of attaining the same then ever because thereby those Persons now Assembled at Oxford who contrary to their duty have deserted Your Parliament are put into an equall Condition with it and this Parliament Convened according to the known and Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom the continuance whereof is established by a Law consented unto by Your Majesty is in effect denied to be a Parliament The Scope and intention of that Letter being to make provision how all the Members as is pretended of both Houses may securely meet in a full and free Convention of Parliament whereof no other conclusion can be made but that this present Parliament is not a full nor free Convention And that to make it a full and free Convention of Parliament the presence of those is Necessary who notwithstanding that they have deserted that great Trust and do Levy War against the Parliament are pretended to be Members

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

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