of his Conscience then I hope many other men doe in the same Cause For he was never thought to be of that superstitious sowrenesse which some men pretend to in matters of Religion which so darkens their judgment that they cannot see any thing of Sinne and Rebellion in those meanes they use with intents to reforme to their Models of what they call Religion who think all is gold of piety which doth but glister with a shew of Zeale and fervency Sir Iohn Hotham was I think a man of another temper and so most liable to those downright temptations of ambition which have no cloake or cheat of Religion to impose upon themselves or others That which makes me more pity him is that after he began to have some inclinations towards a repentance for his sinne and reparation of his duty to Me He should be so unhappy as to fall into the hands of their Justice and not My Mercy who could as willingly have forgiven him as he could have asked that favour of Me. For I think clemency a debt which we ought to pay to those that crave it when we have cause to believe they would not after abuse it since God himself suffer us not to pay any thing for his mercy but onely prayers and praises Poor Gentleman he is now become a noteable monument of unprosperous disloyalty teaching the world by so sad and unfortunate a spectacle that the rude carriage of a Subject towards his Soveraigne carries alwaies its own vengeance as an unseperable shadow with it and those oft prove the most fatall and implacable Executioners of it who were the first Imployers in the service After-times will dispute it whether Hotham were more infamous at Hull or at Tower-hill though 't is certain that no punishment so stains a mans Honour as wilfull preparations of unworthy actions which besides the conscience of the sinne brands with most indelible characters of infamy the name and memory to posterity who not engaged in the Factions of the times have the most impartiall reflections on the actions But thou O Lord who hast in so remarkable a way avenged thy Servant suffer me not to take any secret pleasure in it for his death hath satisfied the injury he did to me so let me not by it gratifie any passion in me lest I make thy vengeance to be mine and consider the affront against me more than the sin against thee Thou indeed without any desire or endeavour of mine hast made his mischief to returne on his owne head and his violent dealing to come down on his owne pate Thou hast pleaded my cause even before the sonnes of men and taken the matter into thine own hands that men may know it was thy work and see that thou Lord hast done it I do not I dare not say so let mine enemies perish O Lord yea Lord rather give them repentance pardon and impunity if it be thy blessed will Let not thy justice prevent the objects and opportunities of my mercy yea let them live and amend who have most offended me in so high a nature that I may have those to forgive who beare most proportion in their offences to those trespasses against thy majesty which I hope thy mercy hath forgiven me Lord lay not their sins who yet live to their charge for condemnation but to their consciences for amendment Let the lighting of this thunderbolt which hath been so severe a punishment to one be a terrour to all Discover to them their sinne who know not they have done amisse and scare theâ— from their sinne that sinne of malicious wickednesse That preventing thy judgments by their true repentance they may escape the strokes of â—â—â—ne eternall vengeance And doe thou O Lord establish the Throâ—e of thy servant in mercy and truth meeting â—â—â—â—â—gether let my Crowne ever flourish in rigâ—â—â—â—ousnesse and peace kissing each other Heare my prayer O Lord who hast taught us to pray for to doe good to and to love our enemies for thy sake who hast prevented us with offertures of thy love even when we were thine enemies and hast sent thy Sonne Iesus Christ to die for us when we were disposed to crucifie him 9. Vpon the listing and raising Armies against the KING I Find that I am at the same point and posture I was when they forced Me to leave White-hall what Tumults could not doe an Army must which is but Tumults lifted and enrolled to a better order but as bad an end My recesse hath given them confidence that I may be conquered And so I easily may as to any outward strength which God knowes is little or none at all But I have a Soule invincible through Gods grace enabling Me here I am sure to be Conquerour if God will give Me such a measure of Constancy as to feare him more than man and to love the inward peace of My Conscience before any outward tranquillity And must I be opposed with force because they have not reason wherewith to convince me O my Soule be of good courage they confesse their knowne weaknesse as to truth and Justice who chose rather to contend by Armies than by Arguments Is this the reward and thanks that I am to receive for those many Acts of Grace I have lately passed and for those many Indignities I have endured Is there no way left to make Me a glorious KING but by My sufferings It is a hard and disputable choice for a King that loves his People and desires their love either to kill his owne Subjects or to be killed by them Are the hazards and miseries of Civil War in the bowels of My most flourishing Kingdome the fruits I must now reap after 17 years living and reigning among them with such a measuâ—e of Justice Peace Plenty and Religion as all Nations about either admired or envied notwithstanding some miscarriages in Government which might escape rather through ill counsell of some men driving on their private ends or the peevishnesse of others envying the publique should be managed without them or the hidden and insuperable necessities of State then any propensity I hope of my self either to injuriousness or oppression Whose innocent bloud during My Reigne have I shed to satisfie My lust anger or covetousnesse what Widowes or Orphans tears can witnesse against me the just cry of which must now be avenged with My owne bloud For the hazards of Warre are equall nor doth the Cannon know any respect of Persons In vaine is My Person excepted by a Parenthesis of words when so many hands are armed against Me with Swords God knowes how much I have studied to see what Ground of Justice is alledged for this Warre against Me that so I might by giving just satisfaction either prevent or soone end so unnaturall a motion which to many men seemes rather the productions of a surfeit of peace and wantonnesse of mindes or of private discontents Ambition and Faction which easily find or make causes of
attend the cry and hollow of those Men who hunt after Factious and private Designes to the ruine of Church and State Did My judgment tell Me that the Propositions sent to Me were the Results of the Major part of their Votes who exercise their freedome as well as they have a right to sit in Parliament I should then suspect My own judgment for not speedily and fully concurring with every one of them For I have charity enough to think there are wise men among them and humility to think that as in some things I may want so 't is fit I should use their advise which is the end for which I called them to a Parliament But yet I cannot allow their wisdome such a compleatnesse and inerrability as to exclude My self since none of them hath that part to Act that Trust to discharge nor that Estate and Honour to preserve as My selfe without whose Reason concurrent with theirs as the Suns influence is necessary in all natures productions they cannot beget or bring forth any one compleat and authoritative Act of publique wisdome which makes the Lawes But the nnreasonablenesse of some Propositions is not more evident to Me than this is That they are not the joynt and free desires of those in their Major number who are of right to Sit and Vote in Parliament For many of them savour very strong of that old leaven of Innovations masked under the name of Reformation which in My two last famous Predecessours daies heaved at and sometime threatned both Prince and Parliaments But I am sure was never wont so far to infect the whole masse of the Nobility and Gentry of this Kingdome however it dispersed among the Vulgar Nor was it likely so suddenly to taynt the Major part of both Houses as that they should unanimously desire and affect so enormous and dangerous innovations in Church and State contrary to their former education practise and judgement Not that I am ignorant how the choice of many Members was carried by much faction in the Countries some thirsting after nothing more than a passionate revenge of what ever displeasure they had conceived against me my Court or the Clergy But all Reason bids me impute these sudden and vast desires of change to those few who armed themselves with the many-headed and many-handed Tumults No lesse doth Reason Honour and Safety both of Church and State command me to chew such morsels before I let them downe If the straitnesse of my Conscience will not give me leave to swallow down such Camels as others doe of Sacriledge and injustice both to God and man they have no more cause to quarrell with me than for this that my throat is not so wide as theirs Yet by Gods help I am resolved That nothing of passion or peevishnesse or list to contradict or vanity to shew my negative power shall have any byas upon my judgment to make me gratifie my will by denying any thing which my Reason and Conscience commands me not Nor on the other side will I consent to more than Reason Justice Honour and Religion perswade me to be for Gods glory the Churches good my Peoples welfare and my owne peace I will study to satisfie my Parliament and my People but I will never for feare or flattery gratifie any Faction how potent soever for this were to nourish the disease oppresse the body Although many mens loyalty and prudence are terrified from giving me that free and faithfull counsell which they are able and willing to impart and I may want yet none can hinder me from craving of the counsell of that mighty Counsellour who can both suggest what is best and incline my heart stedfastly to follow it O thou first and eternall Reason whose wisdome is fortified with omnipotency furnish thy Servant first with cleare discoveries of Truth Reason and Iustice in My Understanding then so confirme My will and resolution to adhere to them that no terrours injuries or oppressions of my Enemies may ever inforce me against those rules which thou by them hast planted in My Conscience Thou never madest me a King that I should be lesse than a Man and not dare to say Yea or Nay as I see cause which freedome is not denied to the meanest creature that hath the use of Reason and liberty of speech Shall that be blameable in Me which is commendable veracity and constancy in othersâ— Thou seest O Lord with what partiality and injustice they deny that freedome to Me their KING which Thou hast given to all â—en and which Themselves pertinaciously challenge to themselves while they are so tender of the least breach of their priviledges To Thee I make my supplication who canst guide us by an unerring rule through thy perplexed Labyrinths of our owne thoughts and other mens proposalls which I have some cause to suspect are purposely cast as snares that by My granting or denying them I might be more entangled in those difficulties wherewith they lie in wait to afflict Me. O Lord make thy way plaine before Me. Let not My owne sinfull passions cloud or divert thy sacred suggestions Let thy glory be my end thy word my rule and then thy will be done I cannot please all I care not to please some men If I may be happy to please thee I need not feare whom I displease Thou that makest the wisdome of the world foolishnesse and takest in their owne devices such as are wise in their owne conceits make me wise by thy Truth for thy honour my Kingdoms generall good and my owne soules salvation and I shall not much regard the worlds opinion or diminution of me The lesse wisdome they are willing to impute to me the more they shall be convinced of thy wisdome directing me while I deny nothing fit to be granted out of crosnesse or humour nor grant any thing which is to be denied out of any feare or flattery of men Suffer me not to be guilty or unhappy by willing or inconsiderate advancing any mens designes which are injurious to the publique good while I confirme them by my consent Nor let me be any occasion to hinder or defraud the publique of what is best by any morose or perverse dâ—ssentings Make me so humbly charitable as to follow their advise when it appeares to be for the publâ—que good of whose affections to me I have yet but few evidences to assure Me. Thou canst as well blesse honest errours as blast fraudulent counsells Since we must give an account of every evill and idle word in private at thy Tribunall Lord make me carefull of those solemne Declarations of my mind which are like to have the greatest influence upon the Publique either for woe or weale The lesse others conâ—ider what they aske make me the more solicitous what I answer Though Mine owne and My Peoples pressures are grievous and peace would be very pleasing yet Lord never suffer Me to avoid the one or purchase the other
some mens ambitious Covetousnesse and sacrilegious Cruelty torturing with Me both Church and State in Civill distentions till I shall be forced to consent and declare that I doe approve what God knowes I utterly dislike and in My Soul abhor as many wayes highly against Reason Justice and Religion and whereto if I should shamefully and diâ—honourably give My consent yet should I not by so doing satisfie the dâ—vided Interests and Opinions of those Parties which contend with each other as well as both against Me and Epiâ—copacy Nor can My late condescending to the Scots in point of Church-government be rightly objected against Me as an inducement for Me to consent to the like in My other Kingdoms For it should be considered that Episcopacy was not so rooted and setled there as 't is here nor I in that respect so strictly bound to continue it in that Kingdom as in this for what I think in My judgment best I may not think so absolutely necessary for all places at all times If any shall impute My yeilding to them as My failing and sin I can easily acknowledge it but that is no argument to do so again or much worse I being now more convinced in that point nor indeed hath My yeilding to them been so happy and successefull as to incourage Me to grant the like to others Did I see any thing more of Christ as to Meeknesse Justice Orâ—er Charity and Loyalty in those that pretend to other modes of Government I might suspect My judgment to be biassed or foreâ—stalled with some prejudice and wontednesse of opinion but I have hitherto so much cause to suspect the contrary in the manners of many of those men that I cannot from them gain the least reputation for their new wayes of Government Nor can I find that in any Reformed Churches whose paternes are so cryed up and obtruded upon the Churches under My Dominion that eâ—ther Learning or Religion workes of Pâ—ety or Charity have so flourished beyond what they have done in My Kingdomes by Gods blessing which might make Me believe either Presbytery or Independency have a more benigne influence upon the Church and mens hearts and lives than Episcopacy in its right constitution The abuses of which deserve to be extirpated as much as the use retained for I think it farre better to hold to primitive and uniforme Antiquity than to comply with divided novelty A right Episcopacy would at once satisfie all just desires and interests of good Bishops humble Presbyters and sober People so as Church affaires should be managed neither with tyrannie parity nor popularity neither Bishops ejected nor Presbyters despised nor People oppressed And in this integrity both of My Judgment and Conscience I hope God will preserve Me. For Thou O Lord knowest my uprightnesse and tendernesse as thou hast set me to be a Defender of the Faith and a Protectour of thy Church so suffer me not by any violence to be overborne against my Conscience Arise O Lord maintaine thine owne Cause let not thy Church be deformed as to that Government which derived from thy Apostles hath been retained in purest and primitive times till the Revenues of the Church became the object of secular envy which seeks to rob it of all the incouragements of Learning and Religion Make me as the good Samaritan compassionate and helpfull to thy afflicted Church which some men have wounded and robbed others passe by without regard either to pity or relieve As my power is from thee so give me grace to use it for thee And though I am not suffered to be Master of my other Rights as a KING yet preserve me in that liberty of Reason love of Religion and thy Churches welfare which are fixed in my Conscience as a Christian. Preserve from Sacrilegious invasions those temporall blessings which thy providence hath bestowed on thy Church for thy glory Forgive their sinnes and errours who have deserved thy just permission thus to let in the wild Boare and subtill Foxes to wast and deform thy Vineyard which thy right hand hath planted and the dew of Heaven so long watered to a happy and flourishing estate O let me not beare the infamous brand to all Posterity of being the first Christian KING in this Kingdome who should consent to the oppression of thy Church and the Fathers of it whose errours I would rather with Constantine cover with silence and reforme with meeknesse than expose their persons and sacred Functions to vulgar contempt Thou O Lord seest how much I have suffered with and for thy Church make no long tarrying O my God to deliver both me and it from unreasonable men whose counsels have brought forth and continue such violent confusions by a precipitant destroying the ancient boundaries of thy Churches peace thereby letting in all manner of errours schismes and disorders O thou God of order and of truth in thy good â—ime abate the malice aswage the rage and confound all the mischievous devices of thine mine and thy Churches enemies That I and all that love thy Church may sing praises to thee and ever magnifie thâ— salvation even beâ—ore the sons of men 18. Vpon Vxbridge-Treaty and other Offers made by the KING I Look upon the way of Treaties as a retiring from fighting like Beasts to arguing like Men whose strength should be more in their understandings than in their limbs And though I could seldome get opportunities to Treat yet I never wanted either desire or disposition to it having greater confidence of My Reason than My Sword I was so wholly resolved to yeild to the first that I thought neither My selfe nor others should need to use the second if once we rightly understood each other Nor did I ever think it a diminution of Me to prevent them with Expresses of My desires and even importunities to Treat It being an office not onely of humanity rather to use Reason than Force but also of Christianity to seek peace and ensue it As I am very unwillingly compelled to defend My self with Armes so I very willingly embraced any thing tending to Peace The events of all Warre by the Sword being very dubious and of a Civill Warre uncomfortable the end hardly recompencing and late repairing the mischief of the means Nor did any successe I had ever enhaunce with Me the price of Peace as earnestly desired by Me as any man though I was like to pay dearer for it than any man All that I sought to reserve was Mine Honour and My Conscience the one I could not part with as a KING the other as a Christian. The Treaty at Uxbridge gave the fairest hopes of an happy composure had others applied themselves to it with the same moderation as I did I am confident the War had then ended I was willing to condescend as farre as Reason Honour and Conscience would gâ—ve Me leave nor were the remaining differences so essentiall to My Peoples happinesse or of such consequence as in the
any man gain My consent to that wherein My Heart gives My tongue or hand the Lie nor will I be brought to affirme that to Men which in My Conscience I denied before God I will rather chuse to wear a Crown of Thornes with My Saviour then to exchange that of Gold which is due to Me for one of lead whose embased flexiblenesse shall be forced to bend and comply to the various and oft contrary dictates of any Factions when instead of Reason and Publick concernments they obtrude nothing but what makes for the interest of parties and flowes from the partialities of private wills and passions I know no resolutions more worthy a Christian King then to prefer His Conscience before His Kingdomes O my God preserve thy servant in this Native Rationall and Religious freedome For this I believe is thy will that we should maintaine who though thou dost justly require us to submit our understandings and wills to thine whose wisdom and goodnesse can neither erre nor misguide us and so farre to deny our carnall reason in order to thy sacred Mysteries and commands that we should believe and obey rather then dispute them yet dost thou expect from us only such a reasonable service of thee as not to doe any thing for thee against our consciences and as to the desires of men enjoynest us to try all things by the touch-stone of Reason and Lawes which are the rules of Civill Iustice and to declare our consents to that only which our Iudgements approve Thou knowest ô Lord how unwilling I was to desert that place in which thou hast set me and whereto the affaires of My Kingdoms at present did call me My People can witnesse how far I have been content for their good to deny My self in what thou hast subjected to My disposall O Let not the unthankfull importunities tumultuary violence of some mens Immoderate demands ever betray Me to that degenerous unmanly slavery which should make Me strengthen them by My consent in those things which I think in My Conscience to be against thy glory the good of My subjects and the discharge of My own duty to Reason and Iustice. Make Me willing to suffer the greatest indignities and injuries they presse upon Me rather then commit the least sinne against My Conscience Let the just liberties of My people be as well they may preserved in faire and equall wayesâ— without the slavery of My soul. Thou that hast invested Me by thy favours in the power of a Christian King suffer Me not to subject My Reason to other mens passions and designes which to Me seeme unreasonable unjust and irreligious So shall I serve thee in the truth and uprightnesse of My heart though I cannot satisfie these men Though I be driven from among them yet give Me grace to walk alwayes uprightly before thee Lead Me in the way of Truth and Iustice for these I know will bring Me at last to peace and happinesse with thee though for these I have much trouble among men This I beg of thee for My Saviours sake 7. Vpon the Queenes departure and absence out of England ALthough I have much cause to be troubled at My Wifes departure from Me and out of My Dominions yet not Her absence so much as the scandall of that necessity which drives her away doth afflict Me. That She should be compelled by My owne Subjects and those pretending to be Protestants to withdraw for Her safety This being the first example of any Protestant Subjects that have taken up Arms against their King a Protestant For I look upon this now done in England as another Act of the same Tragedie which was lately begun in Scotland the brands of that fire being ill quenched have kindled the like flames here I fear such motions so little to the adorning of the Protestant profession may occasion a farther alienation of mind and divorce of affections in Her from that Religion which is the only thing wherein me differ Which yet God can and I pray he would in time take away and not suffer these practises to be any obstruction to Her judgementâ— since it is the motion of those men for the most part who are yet to seek and settle their Religion for Doctrine Government and good manners and so not to be imputed to the true English Protestants who continue firme to their former setled Principles and Lawes I am sorry My relation to so deserving a Lady should be any occasion of her danger and affliction whose merits would have served her for a protection among the savage Indians while their rudenesse and barbarity knowes not so perfectly to hate all Vertues as some mens subtilty doth among whom I yet thinke few are so malicious as to hate Her for Her selfe The fault is that she is My wife All justice then as well as affection commands Me to study her Security who is only in danger for My sake I am content to be tossed weather-beaten and shipwrackt so as she may be in safe Harbour This comfort I shall enjoy by her safety in the midst of My Personall dangers that I can perish but halfe if she be preserved In whose memory and hopefull Posterity I may yet survive the malice of My enemies although they should be satiated with My bloud I must leave her and them to the Love and Loyalty of My good Subjects and to his protection who is able to punish the faults of Princes and no lesse severely to revenge the injuries done to Them by those who in all duty and Allegiance ought to have made good that safety which the Lawes chiefly provide for Princes But common civility is in vaine expected from those that dispute their Loyalty Nor can it be safe for any relation to a King to tarry among them who are shaking hands with their Allegiance under pretence of laying faster hold on their Religion T is pitty so noble and peacefull a soule should see much more suffer the rudenesse of those who must make up their want of justice with inhumanity and impudence Her sympathy with Me in My afflictions will make her vertues shine with greater lustre as stars in the darkest nights and assure the envious world that she loves Me not My fortunes Neither of us but can easily forgive since We do not much blame the unkindnesse of the Generality and Vulgar for we see God is pleased to try both our patience by the most selfe-punishing sin the Ingratitude of those who having eaten of our bread and being enriched with Our bounty have Scornfully lift up themselves against Us and those of Our owne Houshold are become Our enemies I pray God lay not their sin to their charge who thinke to satisfy all obligations to duty by their Corban of Religion and can lesse endure to see then to sin against their benefactours as well as their Soveraignes But even that policy of my enemies is so farre veniall as it was necessary to their deâ—â—gnes
by scandalous articles and all irreverent demeanour to seeke to drive her out of My Kingdomes lest by the influence of her example eminent for love as a Wife and Loyalty as a Subject she should have converted to or retayned in their love and Loyalty all those whom they had a purpose to pervert The lesse I may be blest with her company the more I will retire to God and My owne Heart whence no malice can banish Her My enemies may envy but they can never deprive Me of the enjoyment of her vertues while I enjoy My self Thou O Lord whose Iustice at present sees fit to scatter us let thy mercâ—â— in thy due time reunite us on earth if it be thy will however bring us both at last to thy heavenly Kingdome Preserve us from the hands of our despitefull and deadly enemies and prepare us by our sufferings for thy presence Though we differ in some things as to Religion which is my greatest temporall infelicity yet Lord give and accept the sincerity of our affections which desire to seek to find to embrace every Truth of thine Let both our Hearts agree in the love of thy selfe and Christ crucified for us Teach us both what thou wouldst have us to know in order to thy glory our publique relations and our soules eternall good and make us carefull to doe what good we know Let neither Ignorance of what is necessary to be knowne nor unbelief or disobedience to what we know be our misery or our wilfull default Let not this great Scandall of those my Subjects which professe the same Religion with me be any hindrance to her love of any Truth thou wouldst have her to learne nor any hardning of her in any errour thou wouldst have cleared to her Let mine and other mens constancy be an Antidote against the poyson of their example Let the Truth of that Religion I professe be represented to her Iudgment with all the beauties of Humility Loyaltâ—â— Charity and Peaceablenesse which are the proper fruits and ornaments of it Not in the odious disguises of Levity Schisme Heresie Novelty Cruelty and Disloyalty which some mens practises have lately put upon it Let her see thy sacred and saving Truths as Thine that she may believe love and obey them as Thine cleared from all rust and drosse of humane mixtures That in the glasse of thy Truth she may see thee in those mercies which thou hast offered to us in thy Sonne Iesus Christ our onely Saviour and serve thee in all those Holy duties which most agree with his holy doctrine and most imitable example The experience we have of the vanity and uncertainty of all humane Glory and greatnesse in our scatterings and Eclypses let it make us both so much â—he more ambitious to be invested in those durable honours and perfections which are onely to be found in thy self and obtained through Iesus Christ. 8. Vpon His Majesties repulse at Hull and the fates of the Hothams MY repulse at Hull seemed at the first view an act of so rude disloyalty that My greatest enemies had scarce confidence enough to abeâ—t or owne it It was the first overt Essay to be made how patiently I could beare the Losse of My Kingdomes God knows it affected me more with shame and sorrow for others then with anger for My selfe nor did the affront done to Me trouble Me so much as their sinne which admitted no colour oâ— excuse I was resolved how to beare this and much more with patience But I foresaw they could hardly conteine themselves within the compasse of this one unworthy act who had effrontery enough to commit or countenance it This was but the hand of that cloud which was â—oone after to overspread the whole Kingdome and cast all into disorder and darknesse For t is among the wicked Maximes of bold and disloyall undertakers That bad actions must alwayes be seconded with worse and rather not be begun then not carried on for they think the retreat more dangerous then the assault and hate repentance more then perseverance in a Fault This gave Me to see clearly through all the pious disguises and soft palliations of some men whose words were sometime smoother then oyle but now I saw they would prove very Swords Against which I having as yet no defence but that of a good Conscience thought it My best policy with patience to bear what I could not remedy And in this I thank God I had the better of Hotham that no disdain or emotion of passion transported Me by the indignity of his carriage to doe or say any thing unbeseeming My self or unsutable to that temper which in greatest injuries I think best becomes a Christian as comming nearest to the great example of Christ. And indeed I desire alwaies more to remember I am a Christian then a King for what the Majesty of one might justly abhor the Charity of the other is willing to bear what the height of a King tempteth to revenge the humility of a Christian teacheth to forgive Keeping in compasse all those impotent passions whose excesse injures a man more then his greatest enemies can for these give their malice a full impression on our souls which otherwaies cannot reach very far nor doe us much hurt I cannot but observe how God not long after so pleaded and avenged My cause in the eye of the world that the most wilfully blind cannot avoid the displeasure to see it with some remorse and fear to own it as a notable stroke and prediction of divine vengeance For Sir Iohn Hotham unreproached unthreatned uncursed by any language or secret imprecation of Mine onely blasted with the conscience of his owne wickednesse and falling from one inconstancy to another not long after paies his owne and his eldest Sons heads as forfeitures of their disloyalty to those men from whom surely he might have expected another reward then thus to divide their heads from their bodies whose hearts with them were divided from their KING Nor is it strange that they who imployed them at first in so high a service and so successfull to them should not find mercy enough to forgive Him who had so much premerited of them For Apostacy unto Loyalty some men account the most unpardonable sinne Nor did a solitary vengeance serve the turne the cutting off one head in a Family is not enough to expiate the affront done to the head of the CoÌ„mon-weale The eldest Son must be involved in the punishment as he was infected with the sinne of the Father against the Father of his Country Root and branch God cuts off in one day These observations are obvious to every fancy God knows I was so farre from rejoycing in the Hotham's ruine though it were such as was able to give the greaâ—est thirst for revenge a full drought being executed by them who first employed him against Me that I so farre pitied him as I thought he at first acted more against the light
obtaine neither shall Restraint which though it have as little of safety to a Prince yet it hath not more of danger The feare of men shall never be my snare nor shall the love of any liberty entangle my soule Better others betray me than my self and that the price of my liberty should be my Conscience the greatest injuries my Enemies seek to inflict upon me cannot be without my owne consent While I can deny with Reason I shall defeat the greatest impressions of their malice who neither know how to use worthily what I have already granted nor what to require more of me but this That I would seem willing to help them to destroy My self Mine Although they should destroy me yet they shall have no cause to despise me Neither liberty nor life are so deare to me as the peace of my Conscience the Honour of my Crownes and the welfare of my People which my Word may injure more than any Warre can doe while I gratifie a few to oppresse all The Lawes will by Gods blessing revive with the love and Loyalty of my Subjects if I bury them not by my Consent and cover them in that grave of dishonour and injustice which some mens violence hath digged for them If my Captivity or death must be the price of their redemption I grâ—dge not to pay it No condition can make a King miserable which carries not with it his Souls his Peoples and Posterities thraldome After-times may see what the blindnesse of this Age will not and God may at length shew my Subjects that I chuse rather to suffer for them than with them happily I might redeem my selfe to some shew of liberty if I would consent to enslave them I had rather hazard the ruine of one King than to confirme many Tyrants over them from whom I pray God deliver them whatever becomes of Me whose solitude hath not left Me alone For thou O God infinitely good and great art with Me whose presence is better than life and whose service is perfect freedome Owne Me for thy Servant and I shall never have cause to complaine for want of that liberty which becomes a Man a Christian and a King Blesse Me still with Reason as a Man with Religion as a Christian and with Coâ—stancy in Iustice as a King Though thou sufferest Me to be stript of all outward ornaments yet preserve Me ever in those enjoyments wherein I may enjoy thy selfe and which cannot be taken from Me against my will Let no fire of affliction boyle â—ver My passion to any impatience or sordid feares There be many say of Me There is no help for Me doe thou lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon Me and I shall neither want safety liberty nor Majesty Give Me that measure of patience and Constâ—ncy which my condition now requires My strength is scattered My expectation froâ— Men defeated My Person restrained O be not thou farre from Me lest My Enemies prevaile too much against Me. I am become a wonder and a scorne to many O be thou my Helper and Defender Shew some token upon me for good that they that hate me may be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen and comforted me establish me with thy free Spirit that I may do and suffer thy will as thou wouldst have me Be mercifull to me O Lord for my Soule trusteth in thee yea and in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge untill these calamities be overpast Arise to deliver me make no long â—arrying O my God Though thou killest me yet will I trust in thy mercy and my Saviour merit I know that my Redeemer liveth though thou leadest me through the vayl and shadow of death yet shall I feare none ill 24. Vpon their denying His Majesty the Attendance of His Chaplaines WHen Providence was pleased to deprive Me of all other civill comforts and secular attendants I thought the absence of them all might best be supplyed by the attendance of some of My Chaplaines whom for their Function I reverence and for their Fidelity I have cause to love By their learning piety and prayers I hoped to be either better enabled to sustaine the want of all other enjoyments or better fitted for the recovery and use of them in Gods good time so reaping by their pious help a spirituall harvest of grace amidst the thornes and after the plowings of temporall crosses The truth is I never needed or desired more the service and assistance of men judiciously pious and soberly devout The solitude they have confined Me unto adds the Wildernesse to my temptations For the company they obtrude upon Me is more sad than any solitude can be If I had asked My Revenues My Power of the Militia or any one of My Kingdomes it had been no wonder to have been denyed in those things where the evill policy of men forbids all just restitution lest they should confesse an injurious usurpation But to deny Me the Ghostly comfort of My Chaplaines seemes a greater rigour and barbarity then is ever used by Christians to the meanest Prisoners and greatest Malefactors whom though the Justice of the Law deprive of worldly comforts yet the mercy of Religion allows them the benefit of their Clergy as not ayming at once to destroy their Bodies and to damne their Soules But My Agony must not be relieved with the presence of any one good Angell for such I account a Learâ—ed Godly and discreet Divine and such I would have all Mine to be They that envy My being a King are loath I should be a Christian while they seek to deprive Me of all things else They are afraid I should save my Soul Other sense Charity it self can hardly pick out of those many harsh Repulses I received as to that Request so often made for the attendance of some of My Chaplaines I have sometime thought the Unchristiannesse of those denialls might arise from a displeasure some men had to see me prefer my own Divines before their Ministers whom though I respect for that worth and piety which may be in them yet I cannot thinke them so proper for any present comforters or Physitians Who have some of them at least had so great an influence in occasioning these calamities and inflicting these wounds upon Me. Nor are the soberest of them so apt for that devotionall complyance and juncture of hearts which I desire to bear in those holy Offices to be performed with Me and for Me since their judgements standing at a distance from me or in jealousie of me or in opposition against me their Spirits cannot so harmoniously accord with mine or mine with theirs either in Prayer or other holy duties as is meet and most comfortable whose golden Rule and bond of Perfection consists in that of mutuall Love and Charity Some remedies are worse then the diseasâ— and some comforters more miserable then misery it self when like Iobs friends they seek not to fortifie ones mind
after acting over again that former part of tumultuary motions never questioned punished or repented must now suffer for both and see their former sinne in the glasse of the present terrours and distractions No man is â—o blind as not to see hereâ—n the hand of divine justice they that by Tumults first occaâ—ioned the raising of Armies must now be chastened by their owne Army for new Tumults â—o haâ—dly can men be content with one â—in but adde sin to sin till the latter punish the former such as were content to see Me and many Members of both Houses driven away by the first unsuppressed Tumults are now forced to flie to an Army or defend themselves against them But who can unfold the riddle of some mens justice the Members of both Houses who at first withdrew as My self was forced to doe from the rudenesse of the Tumults were counted Desertors and outed of their Places in Parliament Such as stayed then and enjoyed the benefit of the Tumults were asserted for the onely Parliament-men now the Fliers from and Forsakers of their Places carry the Parliamentary power along with them complaine highly against the Tumults and vindicate themselves by an Army such as remained and kept their stations are looked upon as Abettors of tumultuary insolencies and Betrayers of the freedome and honour of Parliament Thus is Power above all Rule Order and Law where men look more to present Advantages than their Consciences and the unchangeable rules of Justice while they are Judges of others they are forced to condemn themselves Now the plea against Tumults holds good the Authours and Abbettors of them are guilty of prodigious insolencies when as before they were counted as Friends and necessary Aâ—sistants I see Vengeance pursues and overtakes as the Mice and Rats are said to have done a Bishop in Germany them that thought to have escaped and fortified themselves most impregnably against it both by their multitude and compliance Whom the Laws cannot God will punish by their owne crimes and hands I cannot but observe this divine Justice yet with sorrow and pity for I alwaies wished so well to Parliament and City that I was sorry to see them doe or suffer any thing unworthy such great considerable bodies in this Kingdome I was glad to see them onely scared and humbled not broken by that shaking I never had so ill a thought of those Cities as to despaire of their Loyalty to Me which mistakes might eclipse but I never believed malice had quite put out I pray God the storme be yet wholly passed over them upon whom I look as Christ did sometime over Ierusalem as objects of my prayers and teares with compassionate griefe foreseeing those severer â—catterings which will certainly befall such as wantonly refuse to be gathered to their duty fatall blindnesse frequently attending and punishing wilfulnesse so that men shall not be able at last to prevent their sorrows who would not timely repent of their sins nor shall they be suffered to enjoy the comforts who securely neglect the counsels belonging to their peace They will find that Brethren in iniquity are not farre from becomming insolent enemies there being nothing harder then to keep ill men long in one mind Nor is it possible to gaine a faire period for those notions which go rather in a round and circle of fansie than in a right line of reason tending to the Law the onely center of publique consistency whither I pray God at last bring all sides Which will easily be done when we shall fully see how much more happy we are to be subject to the knowne Laws than to the various wils of any men seem they never so plausible at first Vulgar compliance with any illegall and extravagant waies like violent motions in nature soon grows weary of it self and ends in a refractory â—ullennesse Peoples rebounds are oft in their faces who first put them upon those violent strokes For the Army which is so far excusable as they act according to Souldiers principles and interests demanding Pay and Indempnity I think it necessary in order to the publike peace that they should be satisfied as far as is just no man being more prone to consider them than My self though they have fought against Me yet I cannot but so farre esteem that valour gallantry they have sometime shewed as to wish I may never want such men to maintain My selfe My Lawes and My Kingdoms in such a peace as wherein they may enjoy theâ—r share and proportion as much as any men But thou O Lord who art perfect Unity in a sacred Trinity in mercy behold those whom thy Iustice hath divided Deliver Me from the strivings of My People and make Me to see how much they need My prayers and pity who agreed to fight against Me and yet are now ready to fight against one anotherâ— to the continuance of My Kingdomes distractions Discover to all sides the waies of peace from which they have swarved which consists not in the divided wills of Parties but in the poinâ— and due observation of the Lawes Make Me willing to go whither thou wilt lead Me by thy providence and be thou ever with Me that I may see thy constancy in the worlds varâ—ety and changes Make me even such as thou wouldst have Me that I may at last enjoy that safety and tranquillity which thou alone canst give Me. Divert I pray thee O Lord thy heavy wrath justly hanging over those populous Cities whose plenty is prone to adde fewell to their luxury their wealth to make them wanton their multitudes tempting them to security their security exposing them to unexpected miseries Give them eyes to see hearts to consider wils to embrace and courage to act those things which belong to thy glory and the publique peace lest their calamity come upon them as an armed man Teach them That they cannot want enemies who abound in sinne nor shall they be long undisarmed and unâ—destroyed who with a high hand persisting to fight against thee and the cleare convictions of their owne consciences fight more against themselves than ever they did against Me. Their sinnes exposing them to thy Iustice their riches to others injuries their number to Tumults and their Tumults to confusion Though they have with much forwardnesse helped to destroy Me yet let not my fall be their ruineâ— Let Me not so much consider either what they have done or I have suffered chiefly at first by them as to forget to imitate My crucified Redeemer to plead their ignorance for their pardon and in My dying extremities to pray to thee O Father to forgive them for they knew not what they did The teares they have denied Me in My saddest condition give them grace to bestow upon themselves who the lesse they were for Me the more cause they have to weep for themselves O let not My bloud be upon them and their Children whom the fraud and faction of some not the malice
call Justice while they flatter themselves with the fancy of their owne safety by My danger and the security of their lives designes by My Death forgetting that as the greatest temptations to sinne are wrapped up in seeming prosperities so the severest vengeances of God are then most accomplished when men are suffered to compleat their wicked purposes I blesse God I pray not so much that this bitter cup of a violent death may passe from Me as that of his wrath may passe from all those whose hands by deserting Me are sprinkled or by acting and consenting to My death are embrued with My bloud The will of God hath confined and concluded Mine I shall have the pleasure of dying without any pleasure of desired vengeance This I think becomes a Christian toward his Enemies and a King toward his Subjects They cannot deprive Me of more than I am content to lose when God sees fit by their hands to take it from me whose mercy I believe will more then infinitely recompence what ever by mans injustice he is pleased to deprive me of The glory attending my death will farre surpasse all I could enjoy or conceive in life I shall not want the heavy and envied Crownes of this world when my God hath mercifully crowned and consummated his graces with glory and exchanged the shadows of my earthly Kingdomes among men for the substance of that heavenly kingdome with himself For the censures of the world I know the sharp and necessary tyranny of my Destroyers will sufficiently confute the calumnies of tyranny against me I am perswaded I am happy in the judicious love of the ablest and best of my Subjects who doe not onely pity and pray for me but would be content even to die with me or for me These know how to excuse my failings as a man and yet to retaine and pay their duty to me as their King there being no religious necessity binding any Subjects by pretending to punish infinitely to exceed the faults and errours of their Princes especially there where more then sufficient satisfaction hath been made to the publike the enjoyment of which private ambitions have hitherto frustrated Others I believe of sofâ—er tempers and lesse advantaged by my ruine doe already feel sharp convictions and some remoâ—se in their consciences where they cannot but see the proportions of their evill dealings against me in the measure of Gods retaliations upon them who cannot hope long to enjoy their owne thumbs and toes having under pretence of paring others nailes been so cruell as to cut off their chiefest strength The punishment of the more insolent and obstinate may be lâ—ke that of Korah his Complices at once mutining against both Prince Priest in such a method of divine justice as is not ordinary the earth of the lowest and meanest people opening upon them and swallowing them up in a just disdaine of their ill-gotten and worse-used Authority upon whose support and strength they chiefly depended for their building and establishing their designes against Me the Church and State My chiefest comfort in death consists in my peace which I trust is made with God before whose exact Tribunal I shall not feare to appeare as to the Cause so long disputed by the Sword between me and my causlesse Enemies where I doubt not but his righteous judgment will confute their fallacy who from worldly successe rather like Sophisters than sound Christians draw those popular conclusions for Gods approbation of their actions whose wise providence we know oft permits many events which his revealed Word the onely cleare safe and fixed rule of good actions and good consciences in no sort approves I am confident the Justice of my Cause and clearness of My Conscience before God toward my people will carry me as much above them in Gods decision as their successes have lifted them above me in the Vulgar opinion who consider not that many times those undertakings of men are lifted up to Heaven in the prosperity and applause of the world whose rise is from Hell as to the injuriousnesse and oppression of the designe The prosperous winds which oft fill the sayles of Pirats doth not justifie their piracy and rapine I look upon it with infinite more content and quiet of Soule to have been worsted in my enforced contestation for and vindication of the Laws of the Land the freedome and honour of Parliaments the rights of my Crown the just liberty of my Subjects and the true Christian Religion in its Doctrine Government and due encouragements then if I had with the greatest advantages of successe overborne them all as some men have now evidently done whatever designes they at first pretended The prayers and patience of my Friends and loving Subjects will contribute much to the sweetning of this bitter cup which I doubt not but I shall more cheerfully take and drink as from Gods hand if it must be so than they can give it to me whose hands are unjustly and barbarously lifted up agaâ—nst me And as to the last event I may seem to owe more to my Enemies than my Friends while those will put a period to the sinnes and sorrows attending this miserable life wherewith these desire I might still contend I shall be more than Conquerour through Christ enabling me for whom I have hitherto suffered as he is the Authour of Truth Order and Peace for all which I have been forced to contend against Errour Faction and confusion If I must suffer a violent death with my Saviour it is but mortality crowned with martyrdomeâ— where the debt of death which I owe for sinne to nature shall be raised as a gift of faith and patience offered to God Which I humbly beseech him mercifully to accept and although death be the wages of my owne sinne as from God and the effect of others sinnes as men both against God and me yet as I hope my own sinnes are so remitted that they shall be no ingredients to imbitter the cup of my death so I desire God to pardon their sins who are most guilty of my destruction The Trophees of my charity will be more glorious and durable over them than their ill-managed victories over me Though their sin be prosperous yet they had need to be penitent that they may be pardoned Both which I pray God they may obtain that my temporall death unjustly inflicted by them may not be revenged by Gods just inflicting eternall death upon them for I look upon the temporall destruction of the greatest King as far lesse deprecable than the eternall damnation of the meanest Subject Nor do I wish other than the safe bringing of the ship to shore when they have cast me overboard though it be very strange that Mariners can find no other means to appease the storme themselves have raised but by drowning their Pilot. I thank God my Enemies cruelty cannot prevent my preparation whose malice in this I shall defeat that they shall not have