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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A26677 Allegiance and prerogative considered in a letter from a gentleman in the country to his friend, upon his being chosen a member of the meeting of states in Scotland. Gentleman in the country. 1689 (1689) Wing A955; ESTC R11003 11,569 18

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occures to me further about the Prerogative into one Article I think it necessary the Convention take to their serious consideration The Kings sole power of Disposal of Trade his power of setting Valuation on current Money his power of the Militia of Peace and Warr and raising the Nation in Arms as they are declared in the respective Acts thereanent As also the Practice of the Kings establishing Instructions of Warr and thereby exempting Souldiers from the ordinary Laws and Judicatures We have seen and felt grievous abuses in the Nation from all these as I could Instance but that I haste to a close and it is enough to my purpose that every thinking Man upon a very little reflection will see such powers may be the Foundation of Arbitrary proceedings in many cases of high Importance to the whole Nation I confess I do not think it adviseable or safe to divest the King wholly of these Powers and reserve them to a Parliament For the exercise of all or most of them may be very necessary much oftner then we can expect or desire parliaments may trvst with the reasonable intervals of parliaments neither do I think it possible to lay down fixed Rules that can continue useful for any time for the Kings managment of these Powers such is the inconstancie and vicissitude of humane Affairs The only Medium I can think on is that the King shall be restricted in the exercise of these Powers to the Advice and Concurrence of a Council or Councils to be named by the Parliament out of the whole States This Council may have their settled Annual Meetings or more frequent if needful and withal be obliged to Conveen when upon any Emergent the King shall call them But as for the Militia since it is palpablie useless to the Crown and Government and very heavy to the People I hope all will be Unanimous to have it totally discharged As for exempting Souldiers from the ordinary Laws and Judges in Causes Civil or Criminal betwixt them and other Sub●ects least at it is of dangerous Consequence and there is no shadow of Law or Justice for it in this Nation wherefore it ought to be discharged and declared Illegal in all time coming I doubt not e're you come this length you will be as wearie in reading this tedious and indigested Letter as I am of writing it So I shall delay at this time the troubling you with what is fit to be done for securing our Crown from falling again into Popish hands what convenient amendm●nts may be made as to the Constitution of and Forms of Procedure in our Parliaments and what is expedient for the Redress of our past Grievanc●s and necessary for the providing wholesome Remedies for preventing the like hereafter The slightest review of all these tho desired in Powers would swell this Letter into the Volume of a Treatise which I have no thoughts of writing I hope you do not expect it and though the stuff is course you have large enough measure already for an Letter B●sides what is here omitted seems to be the prop●r work of a Parliament when the Crown is settled but what is spoke of seems necessary to be dispatched by the Meeting of States before they declare the Crown For though I am fully perswaded that if we give the Crown to the King of England with as Absolute unlimited a Prerogative as ever any Tyrant or Sultan Usurped Yet our Religion and Laws and every Man's Liberty and Property would be as secure to Us under so Brave Generous Pious and Just a Prince as they can be by all the Provisions we can devise for their security But it is uncertain how long God may bless us with him who may come after him And this is certain that if once the Crown be settled and a set of Officers of State and Counsellours established our Nobility and great Ministers have unhappily been so accustomed to carrie things here with so high a hand They will be sure to use all their Interest to frustrate all Projects for such Limitations of the Prerogative foreseeing easily that thereby their hands will be more bound up then was usual and I doubt not if you will be at the pains to observe it you 'l easily perceive that such as have but any faint hopes and a remote prospect of getting any share of the Government into their hands will already be shy on these Points Wherefore it nearly concerns every honest Sincere Scotsman to strike thee Iron while it is hot for it is much better holding then drawing If this is acceptable and gives you any satisfaction you shall by the next have more of the matters now omitted March 6. 1689. I am Yours c. POSTSCRIPT Sir I Have said nothing of the Kings Negative Vote in Parliament and his Power of Adjourning and Dissolving them Tho it is of the greatest Importance for if it stands as it is now Asserted all hopes of Redress of Griveances by a Parliament are cut off under an ill Government when there is greatest need of it Wherefore it much concerns this Meeting to adjust in to an harmless Temper Yet I must confess I can hit upon no overture for this that pleases me But I doubt not The things is so Obvious and of such vast Consequence you will hear of it from better hands FINIS