Selected quad for the lemma: england_n
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A82300
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The speech of the Right Honourable Henry Earl of Warrington, upon his being sworn mayor of Chester in Novenber [sic] 1691.
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Warrington, Henry Booth, Earl of, 1652-1694.
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1691
(1691)
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Wing D881A; ESTC R221151
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2,226
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2
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THE SPEECH OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY Earl of VVarrington Upon his being SWORN MAYOR of Chester In NOVENBER 1691. GENTLEMEN I AM much obliged to you for the respect you have done me by putting this trust into my hands and your Kindness is the greater because you did it without any Sollicitation on my part for I did so little expect it that I was extreamly Surprized when I Read my Predecessors Letter which gave me to understand That your Choice of a Mayor for the Year ensuing was fallen upon me it is a great Trust that you repose in me and I hope I shall not Disappoint you in the Confidence you have of me It is with some Inconvenience to my private Affairs That I have taken this Journey yet had my particular occasions suffer'd more I should have made no difficulty in postponing them when an opportunity offers it self of doing any Service to the Publick or to this Corporation neither could I have been excusable if I should have put so great a slight upon the respect and good will of my Friends as to refuse to Serve then in this or any other Capacity By the Oath I have now taken I have obliged my self before God and the World to that to which my own inclinations did zealously dispose me for it was with extream Grief when in the late Reigns I beheld your Liberties and Franchises were Ravish'd from you What in me lies shall not be wanting to repair those Breaches that have been made and to prevent the like Invasions for the Future I hope during this King's Life we are out of such Dangers since the offering up of Charters can be no acceptable Sacrifice to him because he came to the Crown upon English Principles and Governing by such Politicks is that alone which can make him Safe and Glorious But you may remember that lately we had Two Kings to whom nothing was so acceptable as the submitting our Religion and Liberties to their Arbitrary Wills and Pleasure and this Nation was then so unfortunate as to have a Party in it tho much the least who were industrious to comply with those two Kings in their wicked Desires The first step made by that Party was in their fulsome Addresses where they deliver'd up themselves and all they had to be disposed of at the Kings Pleasure Making no other claim to their Liberties and Civil Rights but as concessions from the Crown telling the King withal That every one of his Commands was Stampt with God's Authority and a great deal of such nauseous Stuff much fitter to be offer'd to some Eastern Monarch or the French King than to a King of England governing by the Laws of the Realm Well had it been if their Falshood and Flattery had gone no further but contrary to their Oath and the Trust reposed in them they proceeded to the Surrendring of Charters a thing so contrary to Justice and inconsistent with the Fundamentals of the Government of England that if such Surrenders can be justified I don't see what can be Dishonest or Vnlawful yet such Proceedings became a Test of Loyalty by which they thought to recommend themselves to the Kings Favour whilst those who dissented in this point were accounted disaffected to the Government and were loaded with all manner of Reproaches But Gentlemen till then it never was accounted Liberality to be generous at the expence of others nor the usual way of recommending a mans Fidelity by betraying of a Trust nor to bring a mans word into credit by making Light of an Oath These things I mention not that I desire to keep up divisions amongst us or to discourage any that are sorry for what they have done and are willing to come into the Interest of this Government for I wish from my Soul that we were all of a mind but I mention these things to testify my dislike of such Proceedings and to shew how much I desire to prevent the like for the future For I am sure no man can be hearty for this Government who does not abhor such Proceedings as these were And saying this it puts me in mind of an Observation which I have made for some time which is this That generally those people who refuse to take the Oaths to this King and Queen are such as were active in or consenting to the surrendring of Charters which shews they are men of extraordinary Consciences who think it unlawful to Swear to this Government and yet could think it not only lawful but an act of unshaken Loyalty to break their Oaths and betray their trust If there be any such in this Corporation I hope they are but few and will serve as Examples not of Imitation but Admonition to put others in mind of their Oaths and Duty Gentlemen Let us Preserve our Liberties and Freedoms he is the most Loyal Subject that walks the nearest to the Laws he that preserves his Freedom and Birth-right is better able to Serve his King and Countrey than he that has parted with them Had not our Forefathers observed this Rule we had had no Liberties to boast of and surely we are bound to leave our Posterities in the same Freedoms which we received from our Forefathers Therefore let us bless God and the King for our Wonderful Deliverance and let not the Aversion of some to this Government make us remiss in our Duty But Gentlemen in saying this I don't design to persuade any man to Rigorous Courses or to stretch the Law beyond its Fair and Natural Construction to serve a turn I will never practise it my self nor advise another to it I utterly disliked such Proceedings in the Two late Reigns and I am not now better reconciled to them Let every man have Right according as the Merits of his Cause shall deserve Let no mans Complexion or Opinion weigh at all This Impartial Method will best support the Honour and Peace of the City Such fair Treatment will convince many of the Reasonableness and Justice of this Government at least it will in a great measure stop the mouths of Gainsayers and cannot fail to meet with good effect What I have more to tell you is That I shall ever Pray for and Endeavour the Prosperity of this City LONDON Printed for Richard Baldwin near the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane 1691