Selected quad for the lemma: england_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A39786
|
Some thoughts concerning the affairs of this session of Parliament. 1700
|
Fletcher, Andrew, 1655-1716.
|
1700
(1700)
|
Wing F1297A; ESTC R222664
|
8,455
|
32
|
SOME THOUGHTS CONCERNING The Affairs of this Session OF PARLIAMENT 1700. Quis eum ruat ardnus Aether Complos tenuisse Manus Printed in the Year M. DCC Some Thoughts concerning the Affairs of this Session of Parliament 1700. OF all Governments Monarchy is the best and least subject to Inconveniences but because the Monarch is a man subject to Errors in Judgment and capable of being byassed in his Affections it was therefore necessary that the Common-Wealth as it gave him great Power over them so it should assigne him also the best Helps for directing both his Will and Judgement The first Help was Law which is the Rule both to King and People The second were certain Councills and Counsellors with whom to consult in matters of most Importance as we see in the Dyets of Germany the Courts of Spain and the Parliament of England without which no matters of moment can be concluded The Romans had their Senat and the Graecians their Ephori As We are happy in a Limited Monarchical Government so it has succeeded well with our Kings when they have had VVise Counsellours and have been advised by their Parliaments in things relating to the Publick Good The Nature of our Parliament is explained in the 8. Par. K. Ja. 6. Act 2. where it 's said That by the court of Parliament under GOD the Kingdom hath been upholden Rebellion and Traiterous Subjects punished the Good and Faithfull Preserved and maintained and the Laws and Acts of Parliament by which all good men are Governed are made and established c. This Act was made whilst our King was yet amongst Our selves but no sooner did We loose Him than We dwindled all of a sudden into old Age and altho' the whole Island has been Christened by the Name of Great Britain the English only have reaped the Honour and Advantage of this Union Henry VII of England said to one of his Counsellours that the Marriage between his Daughter and Our King would make Scotland an Accession to the Crown of England some VVay or other nor could it be otherways when our Kings ever since the Union have lived in England and that the English being made secret to our nearest Concerns have had the Art to Influence Our Counsells for their own Interest Kingdoms are United either when they become the same People in Subjection such is our Union with England or when they are United in Laws and Interest so that they become the same Common-Wealth one Head Rules them and all inferiour Members conspire for the Prosperity of the whole Body The last of these Unions is Good for both Whereas the first is neither lasting nor can all Parties be justly dealt with by the same Master We Knovv Portugall soon Revolted from Spain If We are Stated That as the Poorer Part of this Island VVe are to Enjoy nothing that the English may think of ill Consequence to them The Question is Whether We should prefer their Interest or our own And surely a just King who is Father of both countries must be put to it by Deliberate Reflections upon the Oaths He has taken to both Kingdoms Our Secretaries who have been obliged to attend at Court were the Persons by whom the Advice of the Privy Council concerning the Affairs of this Nation has been communicated to our Kings and by whom their Majesties have signified their Will to the Subject But it may be doubted whether the Advice followed by those Kings has been that of England that of the Secretaries or that of the Council here By the great Trust Our Secretaries have they ought to be Guardians to their Country that by their Vigilant Care and Probity Subjects may find experimentally that they are as much for their Advantage as they have Power and Dignitie No privat Advantage no Self-Ends should move them to Betray their Charge No English Dependence should Dare them but by their Virtue they should raise their Character above the Envy of wicked men They should mind what Tacitus says that tho' the Deliberations of all other men do commonly consist in the Considerations of Utility and Profit yet the state of a Prince is such that He ought principalie to respect Fame and Reputation It should be a great Awe upon them to be Honest that Favorites of Princes have been so often Sacrificed to an oppressed People Plutarch sayeth that the Counsellors of Dionysius Phalaris and Apollodorus were justlie Tormented by the People because he who Seduceth a Prince deserveth no less to be abhor'd of all men than one that should Poyson a publick Fountain whereof all men should Drink Henry VIII in the Beginning of his Reign to satisfie his English Subjects who Importuned Him for Justice against Emson and Dudly for the evill Council they had given to Henry VII in matters of Exactions and Impositions delivered them to be Punished according to Law VVe might be liable to suffer if we had no other to informe His Majesty about our Ease and Riches than Secretaries and Courtiers from whom must depend the Character of every one in Publick Trust here It 's our Parliaments therefore that have taken Notice of our Concerns and it is to this Parliament we have Recourse for our present Affairs seeing His Majestie is for the present so occupied in Managing the Interests of England and Holland that He leaves tacitely to our Honourable Members of Parliament not only to call missinformers to an Account but to inform himself in every thing concerns our Good We would have been very happy to have had the Presence of His Majesty in this Session of Parliament according to His Royal Promise which has been allways necessary for us That He might be informed at one View what is fit to be done in every Juncture of Affairs that He might know what part of His Kingdom Flourishes and what part of it Languishes That He who is above all in Honour and Authority would be likeways Interessed for the Benefit of the Publick and that He might have Occasion to influence His People to their Duty by His Piery Justice Valour Clemency and other Princely Qualities Noble was that Speech of Henry IV. of France and worthy of so good a King when he Assembled the States of his Kingdom at Rouen 1596. which he ends thus I have not called you to this Place as my predecessors have done to oblige you blindly to approve of my Will I have Summoned you to Receive to Believe and to Follow Your Councils In a Word to make You my Guardians How acceptable would such a discourse be to this present Parliament from His Majesty and what might we hope but to be watched over our Good our Ease and Wellfare to be the End of His Undertakings and the Happiness Strength Wealth and Honour of our Country to be His Joy and Satisfaction But it 's You most Honourable Members He makes at present Judges of every thing is for the Benefit of this Nation and in whose hands He Depositates