they assail me in my Strength and shall find my Deeds as ready and confident Justifications as my Words But it is not my Faith or Aspiring they here would bring in doubt they have a further Strain For as before they made my Name a Fume to disquiet the Head now they make it a Poyson to carry Infection into the Body For What is the Parliament but the Body of the Kingdom And why do they stain it with the hateful Name of Puritan but to make it odious to the King Indeed such Names help the Jesuits in Disputes of Religion when they are driven from all real Defences and would they practice this deploâ—able Art in the Matters of State if they were not in his Case that called Christ Galilean when he was vanquished by his Power For who knoweth not the Upper House of Parliament consisteth of all the Preâ—ates and Peers and the Nether House of near 500 Knights and Burgesses Elected and sent out of all Parts of â—he Kingdom And are all these Puâ—itans Do my Plots receive better Enâ—ertainment amongst them than with â—he Council of State And doth this reâ—roachful Comparison honour or disâ—onour those Able and Wise Men who are here presented to be well â—ffected to their Cause but their end â—as no Man's Honour It was to break â—he Parliament by setting Faction aâ—ongst the Members of both Houâ—es as well as with the Head and their â—and is most evident in misrepresenting the Case For where they say that almost every one of the Council both liked and allowed of the Propositions of the Catholick King and found therein no Cause to dissolve the Treaty They conceal that the Proposition was then made for the Palatinate alone supposing the Treaty of the Marriage should proceed And in that Case it mighâ— seem reasonable to very Wise Menâ— that the other Treaty should not bâ— broken off But in Parliament where both Parties come in Question together not one of those Able and Wise Men for they were all Memberâ— of the one House or the other dissented from the Council of dissolving them both The Altars of Provocation may then be objected to Worshippers of Saints or to them that appeal to their Idol at Rome and noâ— to Us who acknowledge no Sovereign upon Earth but our King to whom both Council of State and Parliament yield Odedience in all things How then may it be said thaâ— the Parliament is now above the King Or how can they hope that such shameless and impious Suggestions can make a prudent and good King jealous and doubtful of a most obsequious and dutiful People Especially at this time when it may truly be said That the Spirit of Wisdom in the Heart of the King hath wrought the Spirit of Unity in the Hearts of his Subjects which made the Success more happy than former Parliaments have had And this indeed is the matter which the Devil and they storm at For who can doubt that they and their Faction cannot endure without much trouble of Mind as they confess to see the weightiest Affairs and of greatest Moment to be now referred to the Censure of the Parliament when their fair Promises and Pretences can no longer prevail Yet let them tell us what greater and more Honourable Senate they have seen in Spain or elsewhere Besides Do not the very Writs for the Summons of Parliament express That is for the great and weighty Affairs of the Kingdom And have not our greatest and wisest Kings heretofore referred Treaties of Leagues of Marriages of Peace and War and of Religion it self to the Consultations of their Parliaments Those then that take upon them to undervalue this High Court do but expose their own Judgments to Censure and Contempt not knowing that Parliaments as they are the Honour and Support so they are the Hand-maids and Creatures of our Kings inspired formed and governed by their Power And if Charles the Fifth oâ— France by his Parliament of Paris recovered a great part of that Kingdom from this Crown and if Succeeding Kings there by the Assistance of that Court redeemed the Church from the Tyranny of the Pope We have no cause to doubt that our King by the Faithful Advice Assistance and Service of his Parliament shall be able both to recover the Palatinate which they here make so difficult and to protect our Neighbours and Allies and either to settle such a Peace as we really desire or to execute such Vengeance as God's Justice and their Sins shall for their Ambition assuredly draw upon them But they proceed and tell the King that it is said I have propounded many things to the Parliament in his Name without his Advice or Consent nay contrary to his Will And is not this to abuse the Ears and patience of a Prince to tell him many things are said and yet neither specifie the Matters nor the Men Or is not this to dally with my Name by Hear-says when with a harsh and incoherent Transition they suddenly fall upon â—he Prince who is the next true Mark their Malice shooteth at And when Malice it self cannot but acknowledge his Ingenuity and great Gifts and that in all things he shewâ—th himself an obedient and good â—on yet these Attributes they will â—eeds qualifie with a Nevertheless which cannot charge me as with a â—ault that I am confident in his Favour Or that I therefore despise all men to which Vice of all other my Nature is least inclin'd but indeed taxeth the Prince at least with participation of my ill Intentions by suffering me to make those persons subject to my Will which are most conformable to His. Whom they mean I know not but pray God that those Men they thus recommend to his Highness's neareâ— Trust prove not more dangerous to his Person than I have hitherto been refractory to his Will But having shot this Bolt they come back again to me as to their Stalking-horse to chuse a new Mark. And first for a preparative to the Prince Attention they wish that my Action were directed to his Good Then tâ— give at least some Varnish to theiâ— Work they tell him that good me believe meaning such as believe theâ— with an implicite Faith that I whâ— have imbroiled the Match with Spain will not be less able to break any other his Highness should affect iâ— which Speech if a Man will dive tâ— the Bottom of their Malice he must descend into Hell But for the Match with Spain can any man believe that his Majesty sent his Son that he went in Person that he both trusted Spain so far and did that Kingdom so much Honour and yielded to such Conditions or that I underwent that Hazard and Charge and pressed their King importuned his Favorite and Council and subjected my self to so many Indignities or that so great a Fleet even into their own Ports with Minds to interrupt or embroil or not rather to remove all Impediments to â—asten the Marriage and to bring â—ome
under Gods favour we shall comfortably enjoy the same to us and our posterity for ever Next to Religion and peace with God we will Remember that Universal peace of State both at home and abroade which under your Christian and prudent Government we enjoy whereof we have the less reason to doubt any interruption when we behold the Greatness and reputation of your Majesties power and the goodness and Excellency of your Royal disposition whereof the latter is not like â—o give the cause or occasion and the â—ormer is likely to abate the Courage â—nd forces of any hostile attempts And â—astly we cannot but with unspeakable â—oy of heart consider of that blessing which having respect to later times in â—his state is rare and unwonted which â—s the blessed fruit and Royal Issue of â—ingular towardness and comfort which God hath given your Majesty with â—reat hope of many the like these being â—ndeed as arrows in the hand of the Mighty able to dant your Enemies â—nd to assure your loving subjects and â—o safe-guard your Royal person and to sheild and protect each other and to be a pledge to us and our posterity of future and perdurable felicity The benefits and blessings dread Soveraign amongst many others as we gladly acknowledge to your Majesties great honour and our great comfort So nevertheless having upon mature advice concluded to present to your Majesty a gift in proportion and speed of payment exceeding all former presidents of Parliament and the times of Peace considered we do further think fit to add and express those reasons special and extraordinary which have moved us hereunto lest the same our doing may be drawn into President to the prejudice of the State of our Countrey and our posterity A first and principal reason is thaâ— late and monstrous attempt of that cursed crew of desperate Papists to have destroyed your Excellent Majesty the Queen and your Royal Progeny together with the Reverend Prelates Nobility and Commons of this Land â—ssembled in Parliament to the great confusion if not subversion of this Kingdom the barbarous malice in â—ome unnatural subjects we have â—hought fit to check and encounter with the certain demonstration of the â—niversal and undoubted Love of your Loyal and Faithful Subjects not only for the present to breed in your Maâ—esty a more confident assurance of our uttermost aides in proceeding with a princely resolution to repress them and to furnish your Majesty against hostile attempts both by Sea and Land out also for the future times to give â—heir Patrons and partakers to understand that your Majesty can never want in this Kingdom meanes of defence of your rights revenge of your wrongs and support of your estate A second reason is that memorable benefice wherewith it hath pleased the Divine providence in great grace and favour to bless this Nation in your Majesties person by addition of another Kingdom whereby both ancient hostilities are quite extinguished and all footing and approaches of any For rainer in this Island are excluded and your Majesties other Dominions the more secured which happy event was nevertheless attended with sundry rare and necessary circumstances of charge now at your Majesties first entrance and setling such as the like hath not been in former times nor is like to be in suceeding ages A third and most urgent reason is the great and excessive charge which the unnatural Wars of Ireland newly finished before our late Renowned Queens decease did necessarily impose upon your Majesty by drawing with it a long traine of after expences even in your Majesties time till the peace thereof were throughly setled and assured which Kingdom is now since your Majesties time become in the vastest Province thereof capable of the plantation of Religion Justice Civilty and Population and may in longer time arise to be a most profitable and opulent member of your Imperial Crown A fourth reason ariseth from the great contentment and joye which we have in the remembrance of your Majestiâ— most gracious disposition to the good of your people testified as well at your first entrance into this Kingdom by your Princely care you took out of your own Royal mind to free them by your Proclamation from any burdens of Monopolies and other unlawful things which then remained in use as also of late your comfortable messages sent unto us dureing this Session of Parliament purporting the continuance of like gracious intention towards them where just occasion of grief should appear which joye of ours hath bred a desire in us to express in more then ordinary manner our extraordinary and humble thankes unto your Majesty for the same and to make it appear on our parts that we will at no time omit any Testimonies of Love and Duty toward your Majesty that may procure or deserve the perfecting and accomplishing of so Princely a work so well begun of Grace and favor towards us it being far from our dispositions to entertain any such unthankfulness into our hearts as not chearfully to assist with our goods and substance and all other duties of Subjects such a Soveraign by whom we find our selves so tenderly regarded Thus Gracious Soveraign out of those extraordinary Reasons and considerations as also out of our great Love and affection towards your Majesties person vertues and felicities we do with all humble and chearful affections present to your Majesty three subsidies and six Fifteenths and Tenths and we do most humbly beseech your Majesty that it may be enacted by Authority of this present Parliament in manner and form following Anno. Dom. 1605. An. Reg. Jac. 3. The Declarations of the opinions of the Non-conformists as it was delivered to King James himself on their behalf in the third year of his Reign 1. WE hold and maintain the same Authority and Supremacy in all causes and over all persons Civil or Ecclesiastical granted by Statute to Queen Elizabeth and expressed and declared in the Book of Advertisements and Injunctions and in Mr. Bilson against the Jesuites to be due in full and ample manner without any Limitation or Qualification to the King and his Heirs and Successors for ever neither is there to our knowledge any one of us but is and ever hath been most willing to subcribe and Swear unto the same according to form of Statute And desire that those that shall refuse the same may bear their own iniquitie That 2. We are so far from Judging the said Supremacy to be unlawful that we are perswaded that the King should sin highly against God if he should not assume the same unto himself and that the Churches within his Dominions should sin damnably if they should deny to yield the same unto him yea though the Statutes of the Kingdom should deny it unto him 3. We hold it plain Anti-Christianism for any Church or Church-Officers whatsoever either to arrogate or assume unto themselves any part or parcel thereof and utterly unlawful for the King to give away or
what impeachment is it to the Justice of any Judge although his sentence be revoked and and a contrary sentence given by another Judge when the parties between whome the suite is either cannot or through negligence or collusion will not alleadge or make such proof before him the first Judge as they might but afterwards before the second Judge good and sufficient proof is made a matter which falleth out every day here in England in every Civil and Ecclesiastical Court upon Appeal made from one Court to another and the like falleth out in all other Countries and yet the former Judge whose sentence is reversed thinketh not himself any whit impeached of injustice thereby That the absurdities which would ensue may by example more plainly appear if the Law should not be as we say Put this Case a Widdower in the Confines of England towards Scotland marrieth a Wife in a Parish Church publickly in the presence of a hundred Witnesses and afterwards they live together by the space of a year and have a Child at the years end upon some discontentment they both being disirous to be ridd the one of the other the woman in England sueth her Husband to be divorced from him pretending that at such time as he married her he had another wife living and produceth witnesses which prove that he had married another wife before he married her and peradventure make some probable shew that that wife was living when he married his second wife who in truth was dead before as the man could have plainly proved by twenty witnesses if he had listed Notwithstanding the husband being willing to be ridd of his wife either would not plead that his former wife was dead or else would not make any proof thereof Whereupon the woman obtaineth sentence against the man whereby the Marriage between them two by this Collusion and errour is pronounced void from which sentence there was no Appeal or provocation Now within a Month after this Divorce this man goeth into the Confines of Scotland not Ten Miles from the place where he and his divorced wife formerly dwelt and there he marrieth another woman being ignorant of the former wife and Collusory Divorce and there Cohabiteth and dwelleth with her This woman shortly after understanding of the premises and that she could not be his lawful wife but lived in Adultery with him desireth before the Judge in Scotland under whose Jurisdiction they both dwell to be devorced from him and to be delivered from her Adulterous living with him and offereth to prove all the Premises most manifestly were it not now a most absurd and abominable thing that this woman should have no remedy any where but be inforced to live still in Adultery with this man because the sentence of divorce was given by a Judge in England pronouncing the marriage between the man and his second wife to be void whereas it can be most manifestly and apparently proved that the first wife was dead before his second Marriage and so the sentence was given against the apparent Truth And what impeachment of Justice can this be to the Judge in England before whom it was never proved that the mans first wife was dead to have his sentence reversed upon new proofs made before the Judge in Scotland Now between the Ladies Case and this Case there is no difference in truth of matter and point of Law only by reason of the multitude of the witnesses the nearness of the time and place when and where these things in this Case were done the truth whereof may more easily and readily be proved than in the Ladies Cause it can though with more difficulty the cases are all one If any man shall yet doubt whether this cause can be heard and determined by the Ecclesiastical Courts in England it is desired that Sir John's Councel considering the Marriage was made here in England and the Lady and Sir John do both dwell here and by Law Sir John is not compellable to appear in any other place than in England for this matter I would tell before what Judge this matter should be heard and determined for it is to be presumed that when two persons live in Adultery together and so in continual sin and the one of them seeketh redâ—ess and to be freed from that sinful and Adulterous Life no man will say that he or she shall be compelled to live notoriously in Adultery still and have no Judge at all to separate them and remedy this enormity If further doubts be made how where or in what manner proof shall be made in this Cause It is said that this Question doth not concern the Question what Court or or before what Judges the Cause shall be heard and determined But to this it is answered That the Proofs shall be made in such manner as they be ordinarily in all other Cases that is by the answers of the contrary part upon Oath by such witnesses as they can procure voluntarily to come before the Judges here from whence or out of what Country soever they can procure them If they will not come voluntarily then if they be within the Jurisdiction of the Judge and the Party producent think so good he shall have process to compel them to come before the Judge if they dwell so far off as that it will be too chargeable to bring thâ—m before the Judge then a Commission shall be granted to some Commnsioners to examine them near the places where they dwell and this if they dwell within the Judges Jurisdiction but if the witness dwell out of the Juâ—ges Jurisdiction in any other place Realm or Country then the Judge of the Cause may direct requisitory to the Judges of the places or Countries where the witness dwells to intreat them to examine the witness remaining there by their Authority and to send them depositions to the Judge of the Cause Also by the Records of other Courts or any other Instruments or Writings which may any way further the Cause these being the ordinary and usual courses used for makeing of Proof in every Cause every day and will not be denyed by any acquainted with the proceedings in any Ecclesiastical or Civil Courts Anno Dom. 1611. An. Reg. Jac. 9. The Commission and Warrant for the Condemnation and burning of Bartholomew Legatt who was burnt in Smith-feild in London 1611. for Heretical Opinions JAmes by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and â—reland defender c. To our right Trusty and well beloved Councellor Thomas Lord Elsmere our Chancellor of England Greeting Where the Reverend Father in God John Bishop of London haveing judicially proceeded in a Cause of Heresy against Bartholomew Legatt of the City of London in the Diocess of the Bishop of London concerning divers wâ—cked Erours Heresies and Blasphemous Opinions holden affirmed and published by the said Bartholomew Legatt and châ—ifly in these thirteen Blasphemous Posâ—â—ons following viz. That the Creed called the
Advertisement the Lady received from time to time from the Lieutenant or Weston touching Overbury's State of Body and Health were ever sent nigh to the Court though it were in Progress and that from my Lady such a Thirst and Listening he had to hear that he was dispatched Lastly That there was a continual Negotiation to set Overbury's Head on Work that he should make some to clear the Honour of the Lady and that he should be a good Instrument towards her and her Friends all which was but Entertainment For your Lordships shall see divers of my Lord of Northampton's Letters whose Hand was deep in this Business written I must say in dark words and Clauses that there was one thing pretended and another thing intended that there was a real Charge and somewhat not real a main Drift and Dissimulatien Nay further there be some Passages which the Peers in their Wisdoms will discern to point directly at the Poysonment King James his Pardon to Frances Countess of Somerset for Poysoning of Sir Thomas Overbury James Rex THe King to whom c. Greeting Whereas the Fountains â—s well of Mercy as Justice are wont â—nd ought to flow from the King's Throne of which the former of Juâ—tice in the memorable Case of the Death and Murther of Sir Thomas Oâ—erbury in a constant and right Course â—ath flowed and is derived from us â—nd our Royal Court for the full Saâ—isfaction of our selves and Subjects And whereas divers and manifold Causes of our Clemency occur which â—ay move our Regal Mercy towards Fr. Carre late Countess of Somerset â—hiefly that Murther with so many â—nd such examples of Justice before this â—ime expiated especially two whereof the first respecteth her Father and Friends and Family and Noble Progeny the other hath respect to her self because she freely and willinglâ— confessed her Offence submitting anâ— prostrating her self at the Altar of ouâ— Mercy not only during the time â—â— her Imprisonment but also publicklâ— and in her Trial And forasmuch aâ— Lord Ellesmere our Chancellor â—â— England and being our High Steward of England in that behalf and aâ—â— her Peers by whose Judgment shâ— was Convict at the Humble Petitioâ— of the said Frances publickly made solemnly bound themselves by theiâ— promise to intercede for our Royaâ— Mercy towards her and first weighâ—ing with our selves the Nature of he Offence upon which she was Indicted Arraigned Convicted and Condemned viz. that the Process and Judgment were not as of a Principal but as of an Accessary before the Fact and that she seemed to have begun by the Procurement and wicked Instigation of certain base Persons Know ye that We moved with Pity oâ— our special Grace and of our certain Knowledge and our meer Motion Pardoned Remitted and Remised and by these Presents for us our Heirs and Successors do Pardon Remise and Release to the aforesaid Frances Carre late Countess of Somerset or by whatsoever other Name or Sir-name or Addition of Name or of her Sirname of Dignity Place or Places the same Frances may be known esteemed called or named or lately was known esteemed called or Named the Slaughter Killing Poysoning Bewitching Death Felony and Felonious Murthering of the aforesaid Sir Thomas Oâ—erbury or by whatsoever Name Sir-name or Addition of Name or Sir-name of Place or Places the said Sir Thomas Overbury may be known esteemed called or named or lately was known esteemed called or named by the said Frances by her self alone or with any other Person or Persons whatsoever howsoever in what manner soever whensoever or wheresoever done committed or perpetrated all and all manner of Conspiracies Felonies Abettments Procurements Incitations Partnerships Maintainances Helps Hirings Commands Councils Crimes Transgressions Wrongs Offences and Faults whatsoever the aforesaid Death Slaughter Killing Poysoning Bewitching Felony and Felonious Murthering of the aforesaid Sir Thomas Overbury in any wise touching or concerning and the Accessary of them as before the Fact as after the Fact and Flight and Flights made thereupon although the said Frances of the Premisses or any of the Premisses stand or not stand Indicted Impeached Appellat Vocat Rectat Maneat Convicted Condemned Attainted or Adjudged by the Judgment of her Peers before the aforesaid High Steward of England or otherwise howsoever or thence in time to come shall appear to be Indicted Impeached Appellari Rectari Vocari Waviari Convicted Condemned Attainted or Adjudged and all and singular Indictments Judgments Condemnations Executions Pains of Death Pains of Corporal Punishments and all other Pains and Penalties whatsoever of for or concerning the Death Slaughter Killing Poysoning Bewitching Felonies and Felonious Murthering of the aforesaid Sir Thomas Overbury in upon or against the same Frances had made returned or adjudged or which we against the same Frances may have in time to come Imprisonment at our Royal Pleasure or Restraint confining to a certain place only excepted Moreover we do pardon and by these presents for us our Heirs and Successors remit and remise to the aforesaid Frances all and every Outdowries which against the same Frances by reason or occasion of the Premisses or any of them have been proclaimed or hereafter shall be proclaimed and all and all manner of Suits Complaints Impeachments and Demands whatsoever which we against the same Frances for the Premisses or any of the Premisses have had have or in time to come shall have and the suit of our Peace which appertained to us against the same Frances or may appertain by reason of the Premisses or any of them and by these Presents we do give and grant our firm peace to the same Frances willing that the same Frances by the Justices Sheriffs Escheators Bayliffs or any other our Ministers by the occasions aforesaid or any of them be not molested troubled or in any manner vexed so as nevertheless she stand right in our Court if any towards her should speak concerning the Premisses or any of the Premisses although the said Frances do not find good and sufficient Security according to the Form of a certain Act of Parliament of the Sovereign Lord Edward the Third Late King of England our Progenitor held at Westminster in the Tenth Year of his Reign for her Good Behaviour from henceforth towards us our Heirs and Successors and all our People And farther for us our Heirs and Successors of our more ample special Grace and out of our certain Knowledge and our meer motion we will and grant by these presents that these our Letters Patent of Pardon and all and singular the things contained in the same â—hall stand and be good firm valid sufficient and effectual in the Law and from henceforth shal by no means beâ—ome void and that in time to come â—he said Frances by any means shall not be Indicted Arrested Accused â—exed or troubled of for or concernâ—ng the Death Murther Slaughter Poysoning Bewitching Felony or â—elonious Killing of the aforesaid Sir Thomas Overbury howsoever or by whatsoever means the said
to deliver their Minds to the King if they durst And such only are worthy their Nomination and his Majesties Audience in Matters of this Weight His Majesty therefore to go beyond Craft and Malice hath in his Royal Wisdom and Justice by a new Example permitted even the great men which by their ordinary Access might be subject to this Scandal to be examined upon Oath And what the Accusers gained thereby let them boast and shew reason if they can why the Honour done me in their Answer should not give both his Majesty and the World Satisfaction on my behalf and why they themselves till they produce other Authors should not be reputed the Inventors of these Scandals and Reports And whereas they say in in the end that there wanteth not means to free these honest Men as they call them from Fear and Distrust Indeed the Inquisition of Spain is said to have found the way First to Imprison and keep close and so encourage Accusers if such be not ready found then to force men by Extremities to be Accusers of themselves But howsoever this way hath prevailed to Exterminate from their Country that which they call Heresie and we True Religion Yet considering no other Nation approveth it as Lawful and Just I hope I shall not be the first Example of planting it amongst us But they say further though his Subjects durst not yet the Ambassadors would have informed his Majesty against me if any free Audience could in my Absence have been obtained And why in my Absence Or why should not the Ambassador of so Great a King accuse me to my Face Or how could they without Dishonour to their Master and themselves traduce me behind my Back And why did my Industrious seeking to be present argue my Fear and Diffidence of Conscience and not rather an assured Confidence in my Truth But this say they is not to be done save only where the King is of small Experience or under Age or of no Judgment and the Favorite wise circumspect and of great Judgment and Experience and not in this Case where every thing is contrary Whereunto I answer that I am most willing to lay my Honour at my Master's Feet in the Dust so as the World be sensible with greater Indignation of this Jesuit-school-wit that by the Figure of Opposing my Master to me and him to other Princes seemingly flattereth really staineth the Honour both of our and their Kings For ours the Freedom of Access Discourse Conversation and Entertainment he giveth to all Ambassadors is such a Singular Glory to all his Royal Abilities and Gracious Disposition as no Favourite can Eclipse no Carper can blemish And for theirs whaâ— Power Favourites have had in their Accesses and all Affairs every Maâ— knoweth that knoweth ought oâ— Spain And must we therefore apply the Use and Honour of their Favourites to the disabling of their King As unexperienced and precipitate as they make me I know my Duty better and do well understand that Favourites do then vanish when their Masters Greatness by them becometh less Yet this is not all for they tell us that his Majesty is Most Wise oâ— Great Experience and the best King in the World And this they repeat that with the Sugar of these Epithites they may cover their Bitter Pills For they forbear not withal to say that he suffereth a Precipitate Novice to be too Powerful with him that his Most Faithful Subjects dare not deliver their Minds unto him And that thereby he is brought into Great Extremities and doth many unfit things And are these Figures to be used to Princes Did the Ministers of Great Monarchs thus by Deeds confute Words And am I the Cat they whip to make the King believe I draw him over the Pool This savoureth not of that Modesty which I may challenge to my self if I acknowledge those defects they charge me withal And yet when they have laid me as low as they please they shall find my weak Understanding supported sufficiently with my Master's Wisdom And for my Experience though I may assume somewhat by so many Years Trust and Imployment under him yet somewhat more I have learnt in Spain to be put in practise when my Service shall be commanded in those Parts Notwithstanding I confess ingeniously that what I do amiss proceedeth from my own Precipitation and Error And what I do well is by my Master's Wisdom and Instruction for which I owe him more than for his great Favour and the Fortunes I enjoy But for these Actions which under the Veil of my Name they endeavour to make odious to their Party I profess that as they are really his Majesties or the Princes so they are well approved by the chiefest and best part of Christendom as tending to the Honour of his Wisdom the Good of the Prince the Happiness oâ— the People and the Settling of this State in their Posterity for ever For the better clearing whereof I will proceed to a particular Examination of those Extremities to which they say his Majesty is now brought The First is the Enmity of their most powerful King by my industrious Procurement And why his Enmity Because the Treaties are dissolved And is this a necessary Consequence that either we must suffer them by Treaties to undermine and compass all their ends or else undergo their Enmity and as they afterwards interpret it a most cruel War And is not this a Proclamation to all the World that they aspire to such an absolute Monarchy as so many Books Stories Discourses and the general Complaints of all Princes and States have long charged them with And indeed as the true Character of their Religion is Persecution and Blood so the true mark of their Empire is Oppression and War Yet connot these Threatnings amuse or disturb the Religious and peaceable Resolutions of our King Prince and People They hate War they pray against it they love Peace they prosper by it and therefore endeavour by all means to preserve it But if they be assailed they cannot but remember how God's Mighty Hand by a Late Queen of peace brought down her Enemies greatness and pride to acknowledge the Sovereignty of a despised people which ever since hath resisted and ballanced their power And therefore they cannot but hope that the same Arm by a King of peace shall in the end prevail with them to entertain a safe peace upon more equal Terms and then all men shall have cause to applaud that Wisdom and Resolution which these men are troubled with and therefore speak against The next Extremity they complain of is the calling of a Parliament by my procurement and to my ends wherein the Honour they do me is more than I am capable of And for the Jealousie they would raise of making my self Head of that Council or the Puritan Faction my Master will laugh at it and thereby know they want probable Matter to object against my Faith which when they question