Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	duke_n	king_n	york_n	1,205	5	9.9855	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55017	The loyal speech of George Plaxtone, M.A., minister of Sheriff-Hales in Shropshire spoken at Shifnal in the same county upon the proclamation of His Sacred Majesty, King James the Second, &c.	Plaxton, George, 1647 or 8-1720.	1685 (1685)	Wing P2416; ESTC R8312	2,423	2

THE LOYAL SPEECH OF GEORGE PLAXTONE M. A. Minister of Sheriff-Hales in Shropshire Spoken at Shifnal in the same County upon the Proclamation of his Sacred Majesty King JAMES the Second c. Gentlemen YOU have laid the greatest Task upon me that I ever under-went in all my Days You have obliged me to speak of the most important Matters of our Nation and allowed me scarce one Minute for Thought or Premeditation But may that Almighty Power by whom Kings reign instruct me and may an Heart and Soul full of Loyalty furnish my Tongue with Argument and Elocution My Undertaking is great and difficult Who can speak of Kings without Awe and Reverence Or Who can be an Orator when those Two contrary Passions of Grief and Joy at once struggle in his Breast I cannot look back to the Peaceful Days of Charles the Second I cannot remember the lasting Happinesses of his Reign but I must drop a Tear upon his Hearse Nor can I look forwards towards the present Glories of James the Second but I am overwhelm'd with Joy and a Loyal Transport seizes me We have lost One of the Best of Princes which ever sway'd these British Scepters Charles the Gracious a Prince who was the Care of Heaven the Darling of his Subjects whose Life was a Miracle and his whole Reign one continued Blessing Mercy and Justice were the Supporters of his Throne and Peace and Good Wishes the Legacy he has left us I cannot relate the last Words of that Incomparable Prince without a Sigh I dare not name them without Tears for our general Loss Thus he remembred us in his dying Words if such a Prince may be said to die Brother I am now going to resign up my Self to God and my Crown and Government to You Grant me these few Requests I. In all Your Vndertakings set the Fear of God before Your Eyes and let that direct you II. Remember to maintain the Church of England as now by Law Established III. Govern Your Subjects with Mercy Ease and Peace IV. Be good to my Queen and Children This was the Royal Legacy which he left us a Legacy truly becoming such a Prince as Charles the Second But this is not all though a great deal more than we deserved the greatest Blessing is still behind He has Jest us his Royal Brother JAMES the Second to Succeed him in his Throne and Vertues This must wipe away all our Griefs this must make our Joys Perfect and Crown our Lives with a lasting Happiness The Sun is set with us but no Night follows Charles the Gracious is only exchang'd for JAMES the Just And though our King be dead yet the Monarch lives We are blest again with a Gracious Prince A Prince whose Vertues need no Panegyrick and to Praise him according to his most Excellent Greatness is above the feeble Power of Oratory and Eloquence What Vertues can we wish for in a Prince which our present Soveraign brings not to his Throne What Joyes are wanting to make us Happy which he will not bestow Would we have our Religion secured We have the Laws on our side and the Royal Word of a King for 't The King has declared That he will maintain our Religion as now by Law Established and do what in him lies to make the Church of England flourish Gentlemen Where the Word of a King is there is Power And what the King hath declared he will make good for no Prince is juster to his Word than he is Would we have our Rights and Liberties preserved We have a Prince of the greatest Justice upon Earth Whil'st he was a Subject he was the most Faithful Friend and the Best of Masters to his Servants and I hope a good Master will never make an ill King But more We have his Royal Promise That he will walk in the Steps of his dearest Brother Would we have the Glories of our Kingdom maintain'd would we see the Old English Bravery once again Flourish We have now the most Victorious and Warlike Prince in Christendom a King who dares attempt any thing but an ill Act a King who has been a Souldier almost from his Cradle I need not tell you how he signalized his Valour under the Protestant Mareschal Turenne in France I need not speak of his Magnanimity under Don Juan of Austria against the French King then in League with the English Rebels I need not remember you of the Extraordinary Hazards of his Royal Person in the Dutch Engagements fighting for the Rights and Honour of our Nation and exposing himself in a Shower of Fire and Bullets Bullets which distinguish not the greatest Prince from the meanest Souldier Gentlemen He was then the Joy and Treasure of our Nation and our Representatives in Parliament did not only gratefully acknowledge his Services but did almost Loyally chide him for hazarding his Royal Person in War in whom all our Hopes and Expectations were center'd He is still the same JAMES the Just the Valiant and the Brave though we I wish I were not to name it for the Honour of my Nation ingratefully revolted from him Away then with all Phanatick Fears and Jealousies Can the Grand-Child of James the Peaceful can the Son of Charles the Martyr can the Brother of Charles the Gracious can the Victorious and Just James Duke of York and Albany prove an ill King It cannot be Can he who has been an Obedient Subject for Fifty two Years together can the justest Master and the firmest Friend and the most Faithful Brother prove an ill King It cannot be and God forbid that any one should think it Gentlemen Let us remember our Duties and endeavour all we can to be Loyal and then we need not doubt but God will bless us with a Merciful and a Gracious King Our Submission to his Rule our Content and Chearful Obedience under his Government will return to us in Showers of Mercy Kindness and Justice Good Subjects do generally make good Kings and if our King should prove otherwise it will be our own Faults What shall I say more Charles the Gracious still lives in JAMES the Just We have only chang'd the Name not alter'd the Sovereign Away then with those odious Names of Whigg and Tory let 'em be forgotten and buried Let us remember that we are Christians and English-Men the former will teach us Loyalty and Allegiance to our King Love Unity and Good Wishes towards one another the latter will engage us to maintain the Glories and Peace of our Church and Nation and to preserve the Best of Kings and the Happiest of Governments Let us all with one Heart and Mind Bless God for these Mercies and say God save King JAMES the Second LONDON Printed by J. Leake for Richard Grosvenor Bookseller in Wolverhampton and are to be sold by A. Jones at the Flying-Horse in Fleet-street 16