Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	act_n	king_n	power_n	3,247	5	5.0875	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95952	Brittish lightning or suddaine tumults, in England, Scotland and Ireland; to warne the united Provinces to understand the dangers, and the causes thereof: to defend those amongest us, from being partakers of their plagues. Cujus aures clausæ sunt veritati, ut ab amico verum audire nequeat, hujus salus desperanda est. The safety of that man, is hopelesse, we, may feare, that stopps his eares against his friend, and will the truth not heare. Mors est servitute potior. Grim-death's fierce pangs, are rather to be sought; than that we should to Babels-yoke, be brought. VVritten first in lowe-dutch by G. L. V. and translated for the benefit of Brittaine.; Britannischen blixem. English	G. L. V.	1643 (1643)	Wing V5; Thomason E96_21; ESTC R20598	42,972	73

have had not onely ecclesiasticall but Civill offices also have been also privy-counsellers Treasurers Keepers of the great Seal and I know not what therefore they have been a member of the Parliament in the upper house yea they have spent the most part of their time in politick affairs and had so far ingrossed them that scarce any man without their assistance could attaine a civill office N. I hear you but I thought that the preachers much more the Bishops had so much to do in their own offices that it well required the whole man and therefore that they had no time to trouble themselves with states matters But tell me pray how had the Bishops and Politiks contrived it to bring all goverment into their hands to finish their dessigne E. To this purpose they had conceived strange windings and first they put it in to the kings head that he ought to be an absolute Soveraigne not to be under any according to the example of France and that they would bring him thereunto by means of the Ecclesiastical persons which they had now at hand in all places and sate in the ear of the people When they had made the King to relish this to make him confirm all their design then they made him presently believe that all their doing tended thereunto N. Was the King then no absolute King so that he might do all that he would not having any man above him E. In no wise for Kings are limited by laws so that they can make no new laws nor lay any impositions on their subjects nor go to war with any without the consent of the Parliament els the inhabitants are not bound thereunto yea they are lyable to punishment if they pay any impositions or subsidies to the king upon his particuler order or will and those that counsil the King therunto or assist him therin are guilty of high treason N. What is the Parliament under which the King stands also E. It is the highest assemblie of the Kingdome which consisteth of the King Dukes Earles Barrons Bishops the Commons which is two persons out of every shire and chief citie deputed with absolute power that together they might redresse the enormities of the kingdom according to the lawes and to ordeyne new laws and impositions to the advantage of the King or kingdome without any compulsion of votes which assembly is gathered and dissolved by the King N. That is a stately and powerfull assembly if they understand themselves and of great might to redresse the greatest abuses and to assist the King with great sums of mony It were to be wished that we had sometime also such Parliaments as in former times the assemblie of the states generall used to be before that there was a Parliament companie of states generall set up thereby might great abuses amongst us also be reformed under which now 't is to be feared we shall sinck But have the great ones liked this Parliament E. That you may easilie imagine O no the Arch-Bishop and all Courtiers and those that were in favour with the King have alwayes withstood it many yeares delayed it or when it was assembled and that it began to touch the soars and to search out the bad practises of the great ones then knew they how to order the King that he from time to time hath caused the Parliament to break up and now the last time in May 1640. not withstanding that the King and state was in an exceeding great distraction by reason of great stirs that were in all places of the kingdome N. I hear it well there is much-adoe in all places it goes so with us also that they that know how to make themselves masters in the Provinces they hinder as much as they can that the states may not come together or when they are together they set one city against the other casting many things in amongst the members that so they might not understand one another and so depart a sunder without effecting any thing to the highest discommodity burthen trouble dishonour and spoil of the Provinces and unspeakable disavantage of many that it concerneth that can procure no expedition from the table which in the end if the members be not wise to understand one an other to use their own freedome without depending upon these or any will bring all into confusion as you said it was in your three kingdomes But tel me what were the stirs that were in all places of the kingdomes E. Unmeasureable great and dangerous for Scotland was in arms we had a leager in the field on the frontiers of Scotland the King was set on to fall upon the Scots and they practised daily to set the two Kingdoms together by the ears N. But tel me pray whence proceeded this disunion for the two Kingdomes have one King one Religion and have till this time lived in peace what hath brought forth this disquiet E. This disunion hath been a long time in breeding by the Bishops and Papists whose designe was not onely the changing of Religion in England but also in Scotland yea to thrust in all their superstitions into Scotland first as being the weaker nation and ftom thence into England to which end they have by little and little thrust in Bishops there against the minde of the Kingdome which they first pretended should but serve to keep good order in the Church without having such authoritie over the church and Ecclesiasticall persons as in England but growing by little and little in authoritie power so 't was that they indeavoured alwaies to have as great authoritie in Scotland as in England wherein they were heartened by the Bishop of Canterbury and through his advice by the King also and in the end set on work to thrust in the Service-book that is the Lithurgie of England into the church of Scotland augmented with many additions some openly and some covertly opposing the reformed Religion together with all those former papish Caeremonies that were before in England which first of all began to be set on work when the King was in Scotland to be crowned N. How have the Scots behaved themselves therein for they have been alwayes famoused for great Protestants and lovers of the puritie of worship ful of courage to mainteyn rhe liberties of the Kingdome against all opposers E. The Scots so soon as they were aware of these novelties and that they were propounded by the king himself in their Parliament so to thrust in some beginning thereof into Scotland then have all the gentrie and burgesses cried it down in the presence of the King and persisted therein notwithstanding that the King took it very discourteously and manifested the same by his suddain discontented departure out of the Kingdome commanding his Counsell to thrust in such church orders as he had given them in charge by authority N. Durst the Kings counsell attempt such a thing against the minde of the gentrie and Commons for they

love and all things from their subjects who with great affection are taken up with all those lords which shew themselves good Patriots E. Yea have you also flatterers amongst you I thought that all Netherlanders were free born that the blood of their forefathers was in their veins who did not fear the mighty king of Spain but adventured their lives and estates for their liberty and would not be slaves to these or any Whom hath any man need to fear amongst you you have no Soverreign the cities themselves make the sovereignity amongst you every Lord amongst you is a member of the assembly and each can have in himself great attention and power if they be but wise enough to imploy it N. You speak with understanding concerning our goverment and no man needeth to be a slave if every one were content with his own and were not too ambitious but there are many who for an office or to remain on the Cushion fear not much to damme their souls and to ruine their countrie to give away all to some great ones to make the cities Amen-sayers and the provinces slaves that by their means they may effect that which the time all too soon as is to be feared shal manifest but we digresse from our purpose tell me then how had the Parliament its beginning and how all things went there E. The Parliament by Gods wonderfull direction against the wil of all the great ones are come together after that the Scots had shewen the end of their falling into England that it was not out of any covetous desire either of the goods or bloods of the English nation but only out of an upright desire and love to their own freedom and the freedoms of their loving and affectionate Brethren in the Kingdome of England then have they presently more exactly understood one an other and the Parliament began more narrowly to consider the disorders of their own state N. So was there then presently concluded a brother hood between the English and the Scots O wonderfull work of God! that knew how so suddainly to remove that dispersed jealousie and to use so small a nation but full of courage and religion to open the eyes of the mighty Kingdome of England to affect their own freedomes But how did the Parliament then farther proceede E. That would be too much to relate but we will only point at some principall things They have first inquired what were the inormities of the Kingdom and who were the causes thereof and they found such a masse of corruption that in the whole Kingdom either in the church or common weal there was scarce any thing sound and all occasioned principally by the Bishops and some Espaniolized English about the king as it was manifested to the Parliament daily by an overflood of requests and greevances of the inhabitants out of all quarters of the Kingdom with the subscriptions of many thousands of men exhorting them to remove the evill and Authors thereof N. We may see that the boil was ripe for the launce no sooner came neer it but presently the matter issued out But what were those matters which they found out E. Concerning the church matters and the exorbitances thereof I have noted them before there was a generall crye against them all calling for the deposing of the Bishops and the rooting out of their Hierarchie whereupon presently there arose a great adoe and opposition of the whole Episcopall faction especially in the Higher-house where they about fower and twenty or more are members and also all the Papish lords of the Vpper-house which were also 24. or more which constantly held with the Bishops whence men may easily judge what correspondence the Bishops have had with the Papists who ought by the form of their office to have been so far seperated from them as light and darknesse Christ and Belial so that whatsoever was concluded against them or their popely institutions in the Lower-house was presently opposed in the Vpper-house so that there could be no proceeding till by degrees divers matters were discovered whereby now these Bishops are in the Tower and at last the Arch-Bishop also for divers heavy accusations which the Scots brought in against him by whose absence the good Lords of the Parliament procured now one and then ano●her good resolution to the hinderance of many sorts of newly appointed institutions N. These are great beginnings of Reformation it is wonder that the Bishops have not as it began to be thought of them incited the king with whom they are at all times conversant to dissolve the Parliament as other Nimrods have done in the like case E. That was prevented for the Parliament being desired to graunt the King certain subsidies have graunted the same upon this condition that the King should passe an Act that he should not dissolve them but by consent of both houses which he hath subscribed beside there were many thousands of apprentices stood up in London to defend the Parliament desiring that the Arch-Bishop and other bad instruments might be punished so that the Parliament could not be dissolved especially seeing the Parliament men had bound themselves to each other by oath not to depart till all things were redressed N. Therein hath the King yet manifested an inclination to reformation in that he hath graunted the Parliament such an act E. The King perceived well in what hatred all his servants that were about him were by reason wherof many through an evill conscience fled to France or the Netherlands so that the King without the Parliament could not have quieted the people and therefore he was necessitated to agree to it hoping through his authority those persons which he had in the houses to bring all yet to his own minde but the King was too great a Patron of all the malignants which he sought to save that made the members more and more to strengthen themselves against the King to resist him therein whereupon the King put on the foxes skin dissembling and abandoning many persons yea did passe an Act that the Bishops should sit no more in the Higher house which gave great content and had the king left all his bad servanrs and joyned himself with the Parliament there had never bin a more mighty king in England then this N. I am also of that opinion but do we not see ordinarily that the servants of Kings and Princes abuse their masters with calumnies and lyes against the best to displace them and then alone to abuse the ear of Princes to their own ends not careing whither their masters be beloved or hated if they can but be great with them and by their power work but their own passions against others It goeth alwayes so amongst us also that the servants that are most about our Prince in all places where they have authority bring in drunkards and novices thrusting out the antient honorable beloved grave gentlemen to the great distast and

offence of the Comunalty and that by false reports brought to his Highnesse against them who unwittingly and without his fault is therby ill thought of in all places as if he where a patron of such vile persons which we must notwithstanding judge to be far from his princelike disposition But tell me what is there more fallen out in the Parliament E. Continual Requests of the inhabitants ful of complaints against the Kings Courtiers concerning the great oppression which they have used over the people in Monopolies and unjust impositions whereby they have drawn millions from the comunalty part for the King but most for themselves wherof many that sate in the Parliament are found guilty which were presently put out of their commissions and places as well in the Higher as the Lower house whereby the Parliament was more and more refined which being disanulled and declared to be unlawfull to the great content of the common alty who thereby have gotten more affection to the Parliament and given them the more incouragement to proceed in the Reformation so that they themselves have caused the Earl of Strafford to be apprehended made his proces and proved that he had brought the King to many bad enterprises made him break his covenant with the Scots tyrannized over the Irish as was daily confirmed by a thousand abominable instances out of Ireland held the Dominion for himself compelled the Parliament of Ireland to graunt great summes of money and men to imploy against the Scots and other criminall causes more for which they have with an enforced consent from the king who would willingly have saved him beheaded him and so made him an example whereupon yet more that were also guilty are fled N. This was a great resolution of the Parliament and I wonder exceedingly how they could bring the King to consent unto that seeing I have alwaies understood that he was one of the principallest instruments by whom the King hath brought out his designes having promised to maintein him E. The King hath done much for him taking all his guiltinesses upon himself by practises hath sought to get him out of the Tower but the stream was too great against him as wel of the Parliamēt who manifested unto the King by many learned lawyers that he was worthy of death as also of the people that by force would have him out of the way so that the King must although exceedingly constrained consent thereunto but he did not subscribe the sentence himself but caused it to be done by others N. There cometh to my minde the Marriage of the young Prince tel me once how it went about that for he was in England when the Deputy of Ireland was executed I think I have heard some say that it was thought that the young Prince would have made intercession for him to the Parliament but I understood that he did it not least he should thereby gain the hatred of the people which should be discommodious for him E. Concerning the Marriage of your Prince it was first set on foot by the Queen Mary being in the Hague to make her acceptable but many judged that she meant it not for being in England it was opposed by her faction as also by the Bishops and most of the Courtiers and great ones which are yet by the King but the Parliament did exceedingly presse it forward to hinder her that she should not go to Spain from whence she was solicited by many Ambassadours one after an other but to marry with a Reformed Lord who presently coming into England was gracious and welcome to the inhabitants so that in the end that Marriage was solemnised made sure to the great content of the good inhabitants in England who have judged that it would be a faster bond to maintain rhe true Religion resist the Popish faction and binde the king faster to the Parliament but I hear that many amongst you have bin much troubled about that Match N. I know nothing of that all have accounted it also a good Marriage for our state thereby to make yet a neerer friendship with England which is of one faith with us Onely some are troubled least by this Marriage all the corruption pride vanity and ungodlinesse of the English Court coming over with her should break in upon us seeing that our nation at this time is exceedingly inclined to pompe and novelties to the ruine of many E. No that is not it which I have heard but I have understood that some were jealous of this great Marriage because they thought it might be an alurement to the young Prince to affect the Sovereignty of the Provinces whereunto his Father in law and his Uncle the King of France should help him N. Those are but evill aspersions like those wherwith Prince Maurice was accused by the Arminians for therewith our Prince should win nothing but loose much for he hath now more to say than any Duke of Gelderland or Earle of Holland or Zeeland ever had disposing of all places and offices in the state and Camp by which meanes every one reverenceth him and seeketh to doe him all manner of service without having any burthen of warr to beare or to have his head troubled from whence the money should come to manteyne the warr he lets the States take care for that so that it is not to be thought that there is one hair on the Princes head that thinks therupon Besides his Prince like Excellency hath been brought up in this land and knoweth the nature of our Netherlanders who should not be brought under any Soveraigne every one would rather adventure his life and goods as they have done now these sixty or seventy years than that they should let go their liberty or stand under the absolute goverment of one Sovereigne Should that be ever attempted it would prove the ruine of the land therefore it is not to be thought that the King of France or England would lend any assistance thereunto although the Prince should desire it How dangerous it is to entertain Soveraingty hath bin well to be seen in the King of Bohemia the English nation hath yet too great a feeling thereof than that they should attempt the like again in any of theirs and therefore entertein not such callumnies let us leave this and return again to the English affaires What more hath since that passed there E. After that both the English and Scots leager was cashiered the King went into Scotland where he disburthened the Scots and pronounced them free from rebellion confirmed all the Acts of the Parliament and the resolution of the Synod and declared that they were falsly accused by him whereupon there was made a new covenant betwixt the King and them as also with England to the great joy of both the Nations who therupon have performed solemne thanksgiving in both the Ki●gdoms that GOD the LORD hath brought to shame the evill counsillers about the King who alwayes incensed him thereby