Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A88885
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A letter from one of the persons under censure of Parliament, written upon the publishing of his Majesties late speech in the Vpper-House, with an answer thereunto.
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W. L.
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1660
(1660)
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Wing L91; Thomason E765_5; ESTC R207139
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2,785
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7
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A LETTER From one of the PERSONS Under censure of Parliament Written upon the publishing of his Majesties late Speech in the Vpper-House With an Answer thereunto W S LONDON Printed for William Shears 1660. DOCTRINA PARET VIRTVTEM A Letter from one of the Persons under censure of Parliament written upon the publishing of his Majesties late Speech in the Upper-House To his Friend at Oxford SIR HIs Majesties Speech which I send you here enclosed as it is the only theame of our discourse in these parts so it shall ever be the subject of my gratefull remembrance and now the argument of my Letter As the goodnesse of God was manifested in the great Act of our redemption so was his wisdome in the seasonablenesse of the Act which having first shewed us our heavy doom then opened unto us a door of Mercy by whose example his Vicegerent for such he ever was and now appears hath permitted us to be acquainted with our Ruine that by a due sense of our condition under the Law we might be prepared to value his pardon and our deliverance I shall freely in my owne words deliver the sense I hope of thousands his Majesty knows how to conquer for in one peaceable action he hath won many battels by enlarging us he multiplies our captivity and makes us more his prisoners then we could have been in the Tower and if hereafter we forget such a bounden duty may our names be at once recorded in the book of Infamy and blotted out of the book of Life The Parliament in their late Votes procceeded with such freedome justice and moderation that not any the most concerned could or durst appeal but the KING hath alone the glory of 〈◊〉 great sincerity in exceeding his own promises and our hopes modesty in referring his own Interest to the Parliament and above all Clemency in intercepting so deserved a sentence Certainly his Majesty hath an invinceable evidence of his vertue whilst his actions are thus exalted by his enemies and censured of nothing but too much generosity by a few intemperate royalists whose eyes it seemes are evill because his Majesties is good who methinks should be better satisfied if they consider how their Victory is therby compleated his Majesties Throne established and he by Gods blessing better enabled in due time to reward their merits then he could have been by exacting the utmost forfeitures This indeed was the right way for his Majesties cause to prevaile and extinguish even the brands and embers of faction whilst those who sought for Parliaments against him now flee to him from the Parliament the most Fanatick of Common-wealths men being taught to reverence the name of a KING and confesse there might be more and better use of his prerogative then they dreamt of Thus betwixt the loyalty and gratitude of his people he will I am confident need neither guard for his Person nor taster for his Meat but for fashion sake being protected by his Majesty his innocency and his benefits and may expect such security among us as no earthly power could afford him which that he may find answerable to our duties and his deserts shall be the dayly prayer of Sir His Majesties faithfull Beads-man and your humble servant W. L. London Iuly 28. 1660. A Letter from Oxford in answer to the former Letter SIR I Read both his Majesties Speech and your Letter with much satisfaction finding in the one I hope a solid foundation of our future settlement in the other an honourable sense of his Majesties unparaleld Clemency and though I cannot chuse but fancy to my selfe too vast an inequality I reflect how even such as could afford others no justice now themselves find mercy and those who are full of our spoyls march off as it were with bag and baggage the very thought whereof not only raises my spleen but perplexes my mind for that besides the seeming scandall the consequence is really dangerous both in the discouragement of loyalty and emboldning of future insolencies yet since I beleeve the peace of the Nation now requires it I shall cheerfully submit my interest and wishes to so great an end above all since his Majesty who is most concern'd hath declared himselfe so fully and accuratly I think it time for Subjects no longer to debate the Justice or Wisdome of his Counsell especially in an act of Grace which though most proper and seasonable to his enemies is yet in some degree necessary even to his friends whose future security therein included ought to ballance their dis-satisfactions I shall not therefore examine the reasons of this truly Royall Action but conclude that his Majestie being more moderate in his Judgement more charitable in his Censure more generous in his thoughts then we resolves to try an experiment viz. how the amplest of indulgences will work with the greatest of offenders wherin I can only wish him that successe which is due to his vertue or at least a better return then his blessed Father found upon the like not to say the same account And truly if his Clemency make such impressions in others as it appeares to have done in you it is not cast away But I feare his Majesty hath now too many Proselites who follow him more for his Loaves then his Doctrine and will be taught no longer then they are fed Such indeed can promise vastly in the tempest but performe nothing when they are come on shoare like those Leapers whom our Saviour cleansed not one of ten I doubt will make so much as a bare acknowledgement Give me leave Sir therefore to Catechise you a little not in your own person but in the name of those thousands whom you mention Do your Vows proceed from Christian remorse or servile fear are they not a kind of death-bed repentance when judgement is at your doors and do you not retaine the will when you have lost the power of offending Are you changed in your principles and natures or is the change only of your condition Would you not have sate in the seates of violence till doomsday if it had depended only on your own choyce and would you not still wish for the opportunity of new crimes if you could hope for it Do you not lye in waite to disserve his Majesty in all things where you can with safety since you cannot break his head do you not plot and contrive at least to bruise his heale Are you not better satisfied in his Majesties present Declaration then you were in his late Restitution and would not the prosperity of Lambert or a fortunate attempt upon his Majestie at his Landing have been more welcome news to you then either Can you with Mary Magdalene wash his Majesties feet with your teares and wipe them with the haires of your head or do you love in measure as you are forgiven Would you with Zacheus if you had wherewithall restore fourefold for all the goods you have gotten by Extortion and will you now make restitution so far forth as you are able Could you be content to do a weekly pennance for what is past or go a yearly Pilgrimage to Tiburne as long as you live Will you not swallow digest and void your pardon as you did thanksgiving dinners in eight hours that you may be ready for another meale will you not take it for a step to reward Will you think your selves more obliged to his Majesty then your fellow subjects and vye services with the most zealous of the Royallists If you can clearly answer to these and other the like interrogatories I shal rejoyce with you for you Otherwise I must tell you plainly I feare his Majesty hath cast his Pearles to swine who will turn again and rent him Sir I shall recommend this argument to your serious meditation and entreat your favourable construction of my freedome as the truest testimony of my friendship who really am Your affectionate and humble servant R.E. Oxon July 31. 1660. FINIS