Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	king_n	part_n	scot_n	2,597	5	9.3078	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96074	The constant man's character. Intended to be sent first as a letter from a gentleman in the country, to a gentlemen his esteemed friend and countryman, a Member of the House of Commons. Since inlarged into a discourse by way of humble advice to keep him from revolting, either directly or collaterally by the side-winde of being Presbyterially affected, through the mistaken and unhappy conceit, that those who have taken the Covenant, cannot without breach of the same, assent and submit unto the late proceedings of the Parliament, when as the parts of the Covenant seem to be inconsistent within themselves, as the author's observations here discoursed do manifest. The scope whereof is 1 Historically to set down the occasion and beginnings of the war. ... 4 To prove the fitness and necessity (as matters now stand) of complying with, and submitting unto this present government. For the powers that be are ordained of God, Rom. 13. Together with some animadversions incident hereunto on the same book, and on the two declarations, intituled The declarations of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament at Oxford. The one touching a treaty for peace, [the] other concerning their endeavors for peace. Printed there, 1643.	S. W.	1650 (1650)	Wing W105; Thomason E595_7; ESTC R204161	52,955	81

a See the King's Parties Censure of them in the Declaration printed at Oxford 1643. Neutrals too for not offering to defend the King Not to defend or Forbear to Assist is all one as to Offend Whosoever shall look on in a Conflict betwixt two opposite Parties his Affections questionless incline whatsoever his Actions are more to one Party then to the other So Neutrals such as have not acted for the King being already by His Party adjudged Guilty are subject to the Censure and may be brought in within the compass of the Prince his meaning On which account whosoever have not declared themselves to have been some way for the King will hardly avoid His Parties suspition of having been for the other side the Parliament Now where two Parties are extreamly opposite in their Endeavourings the one to maintain what They have got the other to recover what they have lost the judgment and practises on either part moving in a strong opposition each to other whether the Prevailing Power need to enjoyn or not new Tyes and Leagues to conform All to the Obedience of their Power and Government In a doubtfull Conflict where it is not agreed which Party will prevail for it is which we may believe either the Diurnals published by and on the Parliaments behalf or the Pamphletters on the King 's venting much of their Success and hopes to recover what they have lost it is requisite in either case that the vanquished and weaker Party should joyn and unite themselves by Engagements and Leagues to strengthen and keep up the Power they have when a small matter of Dividing as whether they shall Engage or not turns the Scale in weighing what is to be done The cunning and wit practised by many Disswading from a Subscription to such Engagement the maner of their practising of an abstruse and dark operation hardly to be perceived but by it's effects the maintenance of sedition thence a pursuit of the hopes of Conquering by keeping up Divisions even in matters of small weight or Difficulty Sir the scruple which some make disputing the quality the reason of the Engagement which the Parliament hath enjoyned is That it is strange and new which the People are to subscribe unto A * St. Augustine Father of the Church shews what is to be expected in an Innovation in a Common-wealth Ipsa mutatio quae utilitate adjurat etiam novitate perturbat The novity and the not examining the necessity of their enjoyning such Engagement to bring all men into one and the same entire judgment and agreement the Enemy divided now into several parties his aym to keep men from accord and unity under pretence of the Conscience insnared inthralled by such Engagements have raised these doubts to the hopes of a new distraction Besides the Novity of a strange and unheard of Engagement to be imposed other Discontents and heart-burnings are cherished as in the Nobility to be detruded from their Priviledges and Rights of sitting in the House of Parliament as Peers to joyn with the Commons in the debate and handling the weighty affairs of the Common-wealth as that those Lords who have been active and assistant both in their Estates and Countenance to promote the good of it during these Distractions may think themselves neglected and ill-rewarded to be now debarred from their Ancient and Native Liberty of Voting in the House The Reason of the Parliaments enjoyning of the Peoples subscribing to this Engagement rests upon the issue of these Questions Whether there be a Necessity or not of entring into such League or Engagement Whether the Conquest be fully made or there need no Engagement for compleating it Whether the Kingdom of Ireland be reduced and brought into it's former relation and commerce with this of England that there be no danger or fears of breaking out again when it shall be so reduced Whether through and by reason of the continuance of these Distractions which the Parliament would put a period unto were they not so much opposed and inveighed against this of England be not in danger of loosing their ancient Rights and claims their Freedom and Priviledges of Commerce and Traffique which heretofore they have enjoyed a See this Question in part cleared pag. 40. in the Scots part-taking with the King concerning one remarkable Article of the large Treaty agreed upon August 1641. Whether that of Scotland remain in the same condition of Amity and Brotherhood as in their League and Covenant with England they at first united in Whether whilest that is in dispute we may rest secure from an hostile Invasion from them or Forreigners Whether by these unnecessary Disputes and dissentions here at home the Common-wealth be not in danger to loose that in the twinkling of an eye which hath cost so much Treasure Industry and Blood for the Powers that be once shaken becoming weak will soon fall most men being apt to lay hold on the b Noli in caducum parictem inclinare Lipsius Polit. Polititian's advice Not to lean on a weak and tottering wall The Judgment and knowledge of deciding this rests in the Prudence and Experience of the State who after a long time casting and consulting what was fittest to be done what safest course to be taken for the strengthning and support of a firm and present Government have Resolved upon an Universall Engagement in such manner and form as to their Wisdoms seems most expedient and They have accordingly Declared and Ordained that They knowing the justness of their Cause ought in relation to the security and maintenance of their Power to the Preservation of a firme and lasting Peace to use all expedient and lawfull means against the violent and restless Opposition of their Enemies None so safe as by an Engagement and Subscription thereunto Which if throughly weighed crosseth no former Vow or Oath either of Protestation Covenant * See the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacie and why the taking it was enjoyned in this Treatise pag. 51. Oath of Allegiance or Supremacie the Subscriber only promising to be true and faithful to the Common-Wealth as it is now established without King or House of Lords Not that the Nobility are thereby excluded for ever from their Priviledges as to succeeding Parliaments if these continued Divisions beget not an universall ruin taking away the succession of Parliaments to be hereafter had nor from an Envy or Neglect had by the House of Commons to take the Lords away as hath been of late seditiously given out for so the Gentry of which the Parliament themselves consist being in the next Rank to the Nobility may fear their turn is next to be thrown from their station also and all become Levelled but that the Persons and Estates of such of the Lords as have assisted the Court of Parliament in the time of their extremities may hence be preserved from ruine as of others also of the Nobility whom the Enemy reckons since their first

Parliamentary Body remaining at Edenburgh So that as to the Parliament of England it must be confessed that He meant not what He expressed in allowing that Latitude of Power or that His Party hath since prevailed with Him to renounce that judgment which He declared to have had of Them That the contentions at the first sitting of the House were upon the point about matters of Fact what things were done what attempted to be done how the King and His Ministers of Justice had demeaned themselves since the beginning of His Raign how many Oppressions of severall kindes had been offered by them how they had offended against the Known and Fundamentall Laws in an Arbitrary way of Government The Question then tacitely disputed in all mens hearts betwixt Those who would that He should go on to do what He pleased and Those who contended to have Him govern according to the Laws Whether there were any Power in being to emulate and check a King 's except a Parliaments That this Parliament in contending to maintain the one against the other was interrupted and opposed and as the Scots aver b See the Scots Remonstrance 1640. cited by M. Tho. May in his History of the Parliament of England written 1647. For no other reason called then to give the King relief and ayd against their comming into England on which grounds they sent to the Parliament of England a Justification of their proceedings intreating Them to be wary in vindicating their own Laws and Liberties to frustrate the Designs of those Evill Counsellours who had procured this Parliament for no other end then to arm the King with warlike supplyes against His Scottish Subjects and by that War to enslave if not to ruine both Nations That after many violations and dissolutions of Parliaments in England This was not to redress Grievances but to be so over-reached if They were not carefull and couragious that no possibility should be left for the future redressing any That so dangerous Practices might be well suspected when at the same time a Parliament was denyed to Scotland although promised on the word of a King granted to England when not expected and obtruded upon Ireland when not desired The Rise of all which was from the Anger which the Scots knew the King conceived against them for some particular acts of theirs charged with disloyalty as That they refused and declared amongst other matters against His Messages sent them to receive the Service Book obtruded on them for which as for Vindicating themselves from the like charged Disloyalties they were Accused by the King to have wrote a a Cited and complained of by the King in the same Declaration against His Scottish Subjects for inviting Forreign Powers into this Kingdom Pag. 56 57. See the Letter it self in the same Declaration Signed by seven of the principall of the Nobility of Scotland Letter to the King of France imploring His Protection as weary of their Obedience to their own King For which disloyall Letter as it was termed a chief b The Lord Louden See in his Answer his prudent excuse Peer of theirs was imprisoned and condemned to die That the Pacification had and made to take away all differences past and which might ensue betwixt the King the English and the Scots by the prudent and joynt advice of a select Committee of English and Scottish Lords as to remove all jealousies betwixt both Nations was soon after it was made scorned and slighted The Scots then complaining in their Informations made unto the See the same Book English their Friends and Brethren of many injuries they had received since the Pacification made and contrary to that Agreement This the Condition then of the Scots These the very words of their Remonstrance That the Vnion and Brotherly League entered into by both Nations was in the King's Indignation no otherwise construed then an Invitation in the One and Invasion of a See the King's accompt of them how in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He keeps it in memory That they were the first that began His troubles in the Treatise of His leaving Oxford and going to the Scots and elswhere in severall places of that Book Also in the Declaration printed on the King's behalf at Oxford 1643. Page 23. Suggesting an intent in them to confound the Government and alter the Laws of England p. 28. The Marquesse of Montrosse declareth how they began His Troubles viz. by dispersing their Apologeticall Pamphlets as he terms them through great Brittain before the troubles began and before their coming with an Army into England See a Book entituled The History of His Majesty's Affairs under the Conduct of the Marquesse in the yeers 1644 1645 1646. Page 3. Forreigners in the other Nation and howsoever the Charge in the seven Articles exhibited against the six Members of both Houses was laid to those few only yet probably it had reached many other of the English Nation had not the first assault of Violence in the King's Party miscarryed as it did So many sad and direfull notes could not but portend a War against one or both Nations as Time and Opportunity should best serve to manage the Design in hand or else the Parliament knowing themselves to be a free and full Convention in all parts a Parliament both in the Substance and Form Summoned by the King 's Writ to meet c. as in the Circumstance of Time and Place must submit to the Will and Pleasure of an b Amongst other motives to His anger about the E. of Strafford's death which whether He would have avenged on the Party who condemned him may be guessed at in that He or an unknown Author in His name severall times repents the injustice of that act How Himself was forced to yeeld complyance for which sin as He mentions it He and His Kingdoms have felt long great and heavy troubles See the same Book in the Treatise concerning the E. of Strafford and the Marq. of Montrosse his Declaration set forth 1649. aggravating the same to incense the King and His Party against the Scots expressing in it their disloyall practices breach of Duty Covenants calling them Traytors c. incensed King So to be Dissolved or Awed at pleasure or to have Boundaries put upon their Acts and Counsels by such as they knew to be corrupt and would have removed from the King To the end His Throne might be established That in this agony and doubt whether They should Submit Desist or Act according to their Trust they thought it neerly land necessarily concerned them to provide for the publique welfare for their own and the Kingdoms safety some of their Members being impeached and charged two Kingdoms provoked and menaced the a See the King 's gratefull acknowledgment of the affection and loyalty of His Irish Subjects in offering to supply Him with Preparations c. together with their Persons and Estates even to the uttermost of their ability

Chester were all taken away by the King s Troopers under command of a Captain together with the Carrier's horses and Waggon for the King's service As likewise that a great number of draught-horses prepared by the Parliament for the Artillery and baggage of the Irish Army and sent to Chester for that purpose being there attending a passage were then required by the King for His present service in England whose Forces were so quartered about the Roads to Ireland that no Provision could pass thither by Land with any Safety That two other Captains the Admiral and vice Admiral of the Ships appointed to lie upon the Coast of Ireland to annoy the Rebels and to prevent the bringing Ammunition and relief from Forreign Parts were both called away from that Imployment by the King's Command and by reason of their departure from the Coast of Munster to which they were designed the Rebels there have received Powder Ammunition and other relief from Forreign Parts * See these Charges mentioned by the Houses of Parliament against the King in Mr. May his History lib. 2. cap. 6. pag. 118. By which particulars say they it may seem that those Rebels were countenanced there upon design to assist the Enemies of the Parliament here especially considering that those confident Rebels have presumed very lately to send a Petition to the King intituling themselves His Majesties Catholick Subjects of IRELAND and complaining of the Puritan Parliament of England and defiring that since His Majestie comes not thither according to their expectation they may come into England to His Majestie So the Question by way of Argument between the King and Parliament as between the Commissioners on either side is laid aside and now to be decided by no other Umpire then the Sword and what the two opposite Parties on either side have a long time strove for the one defending their Cause in their Books and Writings by vehemency and height of Wit the other theirs by solid and substantiall Prudence is left to the Conquerour to determine What the odds is betwixt their Writings because controverted by either side which Party doth declare and argue the more Prudentially the reasons of their severall undertakings in this quarrell as which Party the Kings or the Parliaments have writ more solidly and substantially concerning the Subject of this War which more genuinely and sincerely without expatiating or rayling Jests have argued let the impartiall Reader judg So because there may not want fuell for Contention 't is debated concerning the Actions of Cruelty on either part the Kings the Parliaments which did act with more cruelty by putting to the Sword spayling by consuming with Fire laying waste Towns Villages Houses I believe our Neighbour a BERKSHIRE and other places neer us County as far as you and I have observed gives Testimony against the One in a sad Record As to the Writings on either side for Instance sake take three or four here following for the rest First the Letter to the Governour and Councell of War at BRISTOL that City being then a Garrison for the Parliament from the Lord Generall of the King's Forces b See Mr. May his History of the Parliament of England mentioning the Demand and the Answer requiring the Governour and Councell there to forbear the putting to death the two Citizens threatning withall to retaliate the like Judgment and Execution upon some Gentlemen of the Parliaments Party kept Prisoners by the King 's with the Resolution and sober Answer of the Governour and Councell to such Message The quality of which Answer is fore-judged already and Replyed unto in Print To be an insolent c In a Book of an unknown Author called the States Martyr Pamphlet with other words of scorn when other men well seen in Morals and the Martiall affairs of War deem it to be a stout apposite and well penn'd Answer Secondly That from the Marquesse of Argyle and Sir William Armyne Commissioners from both Kingdoms of England Scotland fully d See the Message and the Answer and in few words delivering their Intentions and Reasons for the Summons sent to the Governour of Carlisle a Garrison for the King with his Answer unto them full of words pregnancy of wit and jealousie rejecting their Summons And some of His Party derogating elswhere from the worth of a See the History of the King's affairs in Scotland c. Where the Historian speaking of Montrosse and the Marquesse of Argyle the Generals of the two opposite Armies in the Kingdom of Scotland he highly extols Montrosse and as much reviles and derogates from Argyle rendring him in many passages of that Book a poor-spirited Souldier and a Knave when as in other mens judgments he hath proved himself a valiant and expert Commander a Religious and wise Gentleman one of the Commissioners b See this mentioned in the Declaration of the Lords and Commons assembled at Oxford March 1643. and Printed there A third Which because 't is short You have here recited in the very words sent from both Houses of Parliament to the King with His Parties descant and scornful Comment on the same The Message sent from both Houses of Parliament to the King May it please your Majestie WE the Lords and Commons Assembled in the Parliament of England taking into our Consideration a Letter sent from Your Majestie dated the third of March instant and directed to the Lords and Commons of Parliament Assembled at Westminster Which by the Contents of a Letter from the Earl of Forth unto the Lord General the Earl of Essex we conceive was intended to our Selves Have resolved with the concurrent advice and consent of the Commissioners of the Kingdom of Scotland to represent to your Majestie in all humility and plainnesse as followeth That as we have used all means for a just and a safe Peace so will we never be wanting to do our utmost for the procuring thereof But when we consider the expressions in that Letter of Your Majesties We have more sad and despairing thoughts of attaining the same then ever because thereby those Persons now Assembled at Oxford who contrary to their duty have deserted Your Parliament are put into an equall Condition with it and this Parliament Convened according to the known and Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom the continuance whereof is established by a Law consented unto by Your Majesty is in effect denied to be a Parliament The Scope and intention of that Letter being to make provision how all the Members as is pretended of both Houses may securely meet in a full and free Convention of Parliament whereof no other conclusion can be made but that this present Parliament is not a full nor free Convention And that to make it a full and free Convention of Parliament the presence of those is Necessary who notwithstanding that they have deserted that great Trust and do Levy War against the Parliament are pretended to be Members

of the stuff which is offered them Scripture is given to all to learn to teach to interpret only to a few It is the voice of God confessed by all that the sense is Scripture not the words it cannot therefore be avoided but that he that wilfully strives to fasten some sense of his own other then the nature of the place will bear must needs take upon him the Person of God himself and to be an inditer of Scripture No Scripture is of private Interpretation There can be but two certain and infallible Interpreters of it either it Self or the Holy Ghost the Author of it it self doth then expound it self when the words and circumstances do sound unto the Reader the prime naturall and principal sense Besides these two all other Interpretation is private wherefore as the Lords of the Philistines sometimes said of the Kine which drew the Ark unto Bethshemesh If they go of themselves then is this from God but if they go another way then it is not from God it is but some chance that hath happened to us So it may be said of all pretended sense of Scripture If Scripture come unto it of it self then it is from God but if it go another way or violently urged or goaded on then it is but a matter of chance of man's devising and invention As for those marvellous discourses of some framed upon presumption of the Spirit 's help in private in judging and interpreting difficult places in Scripture their boldness cannot be sufficiently wondered at The Spirit is a thing of dark secret operation the maner of it none can descry As underminers are never seen till they have wrought their purposes so the Spirit is never perceiv'd but by its effects The effects of the Spirit as far as they concern knowledg instruction are not particular information for resolution in any doubtful case for this were plainly Revelation but as the Angel which was sent to Cornclius informs him not but sends him to Peter to School so the Spirit teaches not but stirs up in us a desire to learn desire to learn makes us thirst after the means pious sedulity and carefulness makes us watchful in the choice and diligent in the use of the means The promise to the Apostles of the Spirit which should lead them into all Truth was made good unto them by private and secret informing their understandings with the knowledg of high and heavenly Mysteries which as yet had never entred into the conceit of any man the same promise is made unto us but fulfilled after another maner For what was written by Revelation in their hearts for our instruction have they written in their Books to us for information otherwise then out of these Books the Spirit speaketh not When the Spirit regenerates a man it infuseth no knowledg of any point of Faith but sends him to the Church and to the Scriptures when it stirs him up to newness of life it exhibits not unto him an Inventory of his sins but either supposes them known in the Law of Nature of which no man can be ignorant or sends him to learn from the mouth of his Teachers More then this in the ordinary proceeding of the Spirit in matter of instruction no sober man could ever yet determine So that to speak of the help of the Spirit in private either in dijudicating or interpreting of Scripture is to speak they know not what Which is the rather worth the notice because by experience we have learnt how apt men are to call their own conceits the Spirit which because it is an especiall Error charged by a * S. Augustine Father of the Church on this kinde of men to be the more prone to kindle Schism and Contention in the Church by how much the more they seem to themselves to be endued with a more eminent measure of Spirit then their Brethren deserves reproof whilst under pretence of interpreting they rudely and rashly broach their own conceits Sir there may be much spent upon this one effect of this Civil War I have been too long in these digressions the labour of another man but that you may be hereby satisfied how improbable it is that well-bred wise and learned men however Malice hath cast this Contumely on them do wilfully and willingly countenance these unlearned Sectaries and rude Intruders into Moses Chair They are willing for ought it appears to the contrary to promote the means of Learning to give encouragement to the increase thereof by their favour and respect shewn unto the Schools and Nurseries in their Acts and Ordinances exempting them from any Charge or Taxe for raising Monies towards this War by placing painfull and sober Governours in the severall Societies of the Universities to reduce them to their former temper of acquiring Learning and good Manners that what the fury and fierceness of a War was likely to demolish and destroy is yet recoverable by the care and industry of their Governours and whereas there is a disproportion and Antipathy between Science a soft milde and tender habit and a War a privative and destroying judgment there is yet by God's blessing left a possibility and means of a Regress from a War and Garrison of Souldiers in one of them to an acquisition of Sciences and Nursery of Scholars Neither doth the Parliament for ought we see neglect or dis-esteem the Vniversities or other Seminaries of Learning or take away the Endowments of Colledges as their Enemies give out because of able and learned Scholars of the Vniversities and elswhere sequestred for a time and dispossest of part of their Estates by reason of their constant prejudice and ill-will against the Parliament and their Proceedings the Parliament knowing such to be interested engag'd not long since seasoned by the Enemy Garrisoning in one of the Vniversities to contrive their overthrow Delinquents Compounding for their offence or the Sequestring their estates a Punishment inflicted by the Parliament is easier to be born taking withall the justice of the Cause which is here examined then the Confiscating the Parliaments Friends estates for adhering to that side which they could not but expect when Spectators only taking part on neither side are in danger and a Law enforced for their a See the Oxford Declaration p. 27. forbearing to defend the King The unhappiness of this Disease viz. of Heresies abounding of the unlearned their broaching them of the causes and consequences thereof is to be ascribed to the Authors and Occasion of the War before which and b Jewell in his Apolegie of the Church of England many years together the Church was at Peace and Unity within it self it had none of this sort of Adversaries to disturb the same But enough of this To your other Objection That Independency as 't is called denies all Order and Government when as they have Remonstrated and Protested for the contrary Whatsoever they may for a time for reasons best known

affections By their subtile practices to pursue and continue their Designs disguising them under several habits that what a Lions strength cannot the Foxes skin put on may work each one acting his severall part to the best advantage and improvement of the whole some bemoaning their dejected and low condition thereby to draw pity to their suggested wrongfull sufferings not that they think it so but that they may be thereby the less perceived to exercise their Art of gaining their strength and Power again both by nourishing Discontents and Seditions here at home and having Factors and Emissaries to solicite their Cause abroad By traducing and depressing the esteem of the Parliament and their Actions to render their Persons the more odious and contemptible thence the more weak and easie to be subdued By contriving and inventing Falshoods sometimes in the nature of reporting Prophesies in favour to the King and His success as to give out how happy and victorious He or His Posterity shall be Many the like devised Inventions in the nature of Predictions and Divinings some whereof made on purpose others as vainly reported and given out to give hopes unto His Party to try if the reporting such Prophecyings can bring the fruits of their endeavours within the compass of such Prophesies fulfilled By seditious Pamphletings and privily dispersing such by publishing other more weighty no less seditious Books obtruding them on such Authors as they please all to affect the Reader sometimes in the King s name always in His behalf particularly that Posthume one called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by many men given out to be His which if the Parliaments often Declarations Charges and Remonstrances against Him and His Proceedings be true those applauded Tracts and Meditations in that Book are but a reinforced dissembling put upon Him and the Greek words might be rather translated into the Image and Pourtraicture of a Counterfeit For the Author counterfeiting the King makes the Falshoods and Impostures obtruded upon the King to be his own then into the Image of a Prince Whosoever shall read the Parliaments often Declarations and Charges against the King set forth since the beginning of this War not denyed or answered by any of His Party saving in a recriminatory and scoffing way calling the Parliament and their Adherents Rebels Or who shall read the a Written by Mr. Tho. May 1647. beginning at Pag 6. unto pag. 46. Moreover how Corruption and Oppressions irremediably grew through the Discontinuance and defect of Parliaments not called through the often Dissolving them in the time of His Reign and His Declarations published against the Members of some of them which the Historian reports the dejected People were forced to read with patience and to allow against their own Reason Wherein many things are there observed concerning the maner of the Scots proceedings before and even at the first beginnings of these Troubles Their sufferings how by their humble applying themselves unto the King for redress they could have none In fine the aversness of the English People from a War with Scotland pag. 46. History of the Parliament of England summarily reciting the Kings aversness from Parliaments cannot but acknowledg that b See the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on that Tract Book whatsoever the fair and plausible flourishes in it pretend of the King 's inclining to and desiring Parliaments to be falsly and injuriously Charged on him Falsely because They cannot but know how unwillingly and seldom He called any how oft he did dissolve or attempt to dissolve them when they were called whence the Answer meets the Objection That the Parliament's Party did begin the preparations for a War before the King 's The King's c Mr. May his History aversness to call Parliaments His d Mr. Hollis his Speech awing and dissolving them at pleasure often and long before any preparations could be thought of for a War may satisfie the objection when as moreover divers of his Friends and Party have long before fortified and furnished their houses in many parts of the Kingdom with Arms and Ammunition no other notice taken till of late then of adorning such for strength and splendor which w th some smal addition became strong Garisons for him The Parliaments friends had none or not so many Holds so soon or suddenly to be fortified for their defence The Author to have made his own Impostures and Dissembling the King's desires of Peace and Justice the more compleat and full might without blushing aswell have added one Treatise more to the twenty eight to have rendered the King free and innocent from that great offence of the Massacres committed in the Irish Troubles and declared Him guiltless of so much of his Subjects Blood as the Rebellion there hath cost A Treatise added to that Book with such an Apology on the King's behalf might have passed under the same belief and credit as other well penned passages in the Book when as the contrary is well known as the two Houses of Parliament have in their Charges and Remonstrances set forth to the publike view such Transactions of the King 's betwixt Him and the Irish concerning His conniving at and favoring the Rebels there under colour of raising freinds and Assistance thence to serve Him in the War against the Parliament here as to finde Him guilty of the Blood spilt in that Kingdom as in This. Injuriously charged on the King in that the Author and Reader also if a Friend to Him and would have the Book to be reputed His do wound His honor and render the maner of His death the more unchristian then otherwise it would be judged when whilest the Life is mortal they make the vices of Dissembling and uncharitableness to be surviving and immortall motions The reporting it to be the King 's seems besides to blemish the credit of those Penitentiall Expressions therein derogating from the serious retired and solid parts wherewith He was endowed then doubtless free from the affectated words whereof the Book is full in defence of the manifold actions of His incident to this War Many of them too weakly excused to be His although in an handsome way of writing to possess the belief of men obtruded on Him by indeed the Author of the Book Namely and more particularly That weakly objected Crime of the Author in the King's name blaming the Parliaments Army for discovering the King's Letters taken at Naseby Fight upbraiding them with an uncivil and inhumane dealing in publishing them Whosoever shall praise the Book and thence draw applause unto the King should for the better glory of it have expunged some improbable and extravagant passages and inserted others more necessary and satisfactory one Tract at least of the King's care and zeal for the security and maintenance of the true Protestant Religion what He hath written or acted to clear those doubts to wipe away those Jealousies had of Him no where to be found in the Book and a