Selected quad for the lemma: love_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
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A61044
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A speech without doors made by a plebean to his noble friends.
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Plebean.
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1681
(1681)
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Wing S4874; ESTC R37582
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6,233
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4
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A SPEECH WITHOUT DOORS Made by a PLEBEAN TO HIS Noble Friends PARLIAMENTS have been wont to take up some space at the first Meetings to settle the House and to determine of Vnlawful Elections and in this point they never had greater cause to be Circumspect than at this time For by an Abuse lately crept in there is introduced a Custome which if it be not seen and prevented will be a great derrogation of the Honour and a weakning of the power of your House where the Law giveth a freedom to Corporations to Elect Burgesses and forbiddeth any indirect course to be taken in their Elections many of the Corporations are so base minded and timerous that they will not hazard the Indignation of a Lord Lieutenants Letter who underhand sticks not to Threaten them if he hath not the Election of the Burgesses and not they themselves And commonly those that the Lords recommend are such as desire it for Protection or are so ignorant of the place they serve for as that there being occasion to speak of the Corporation for which they are chosen they have asked their Neighbours sitting by whether it were a Sea or a Land Town The next thing that is required is Liberty of Speech without which Parliaments have little force or power Speech begets doubts and Resolves them and doubts in Speeches beget understanding He that doubts much asketh often and learns much and he that fears the worst soonest prevents a mischief This priviledge of Speech is antiently granted by the Testimony of Phillip Cominus a stranger who preferrs our Parliaments and the Freedom of the Subject in them above all other Assemblies which Freedom if it be broken or diminished is negligently lost since the Days of Cominus If Freedom of Speech should be prohibited when Men with modesty make repetition of the Grievances and Enormities of the Kingdom when Men shall desire Reformation of the wrongs and injuries committed and have no relation of evil thoughts to His Majesty but with open heart and zeal express their dutiful and reverent respect to him and his Service I say if this kind of Liberty of Speech be not allowed in time of Parliaments they will extend no fartther than to Quarter-Sessions and their Meetings and Assemblies will be unnecessary for all means of disorder new crept in and all Remedies and Redresses will be quite taken away As it is no manners to contest with the King in his Election of his Councellors and Servants for Kings obey no Men but their Laws so were it a great Negligence and part of Treason for a Subject not to be free in Speech against the Abuses Wrongs and Offences that may be occasioned by persons in Authority What Remedy can be expected from a Prince to a Subject if the Enormities in his Kingdom be concealed from him Or what King so Religious and just in his own Nature that may not hazard the loss of the Hearts of his Subjects without this Liberty of Speech in Parliament For such is the misfortune of most Princes and such is the unhappiness of Subjects where Kings Affections are setled and their Loves so far transported to promote Servants as they only trust and credit what they shall inform In this Case what Subject dares Complain or what Subject dares contradict the words or Actions of such a Servant if it be not Warranted by Freedom of a Parliament they speaking with Humility for nothing obtaineth Favour with a King so much as diligent Obedience The surest and safest way betwixt the King and his people which hath least scandal of partiality is with Indifference and Integrity and sincerity to examine the Grievances of the Kingdom without touching the person of any Man further than the Cause giveth the Occasion For otherwise you shall Contest with him that hath the Princes Ears open to hearken to his inchanting Tongue he informs secretly when you shall not be admitted to Excuses he will cast your deserved Malice against him to your Contempt against the King and so will make the Prince the shield of his Revenge These are the sinister practises of such Servants to deceive their Soveraigns when our Grievances shall be Authentically proved and made manifest to the World by your pains to Examine and Freedom to Speak No Prince can be so affectionate to a Servant or such an Enemy to himself as not to admit of this indifferent proceeding If his services be allowable and good they will appear with Glory if bad your Labour shall deserve thanks both of Prince and Country When Justice shall thus shine people will be animated to serve their King with Integrity for they are naturally inclined to imitate Princes in good and bad The Words of Cicero will then appear That Malicious and evil Men make Princes poor and one perfect good Man is able to make a Realm rich There is no Remedy left for mis-reports but a freedom of Speech in Parliament For there is no Wise Man that speaks but knows what and when to speak and how to hold his peace Whilst Subjects Tongues are tyed for fear they may reach him a rap whose Conscience crys Guilty the King and his people are kept from understanding one another the Enemy is heartned abroad and the malignant humour of Discontentment nourished at home and all for one who is like a Dragon that bites the Ear of the Elephant because he knows the Elephant cannot reach him with his Trunk and Princes are abused by false Reports whispered in their Ears by Sycophants and Flatterers Diogenes being asked what Beast bit sorest answered Of Wild Beasts the Back-biter of Tame the Flatterer Now to descend to Grievances which are of two kinds some concerning the Kingdom in general some in particular which have relation to the general Grievances in general are so many in number as will serve for every Member of the House to present two a piece to your Views and I will presume so far to rank my self with you as to tender the number of Two unto your Consideration My first Complaint is of Titles of Honour and in Two Kinds First In respect of the parties themselves their Estates and Parentage Secondly In respect of the manner of their attaining thereunto which is Mercenary Base and Corrupt which in Reason should not hold for by Law the Consideration is unlawful Trajanus commended Plutarch for his Precepts in School when he Taught that Men should Labour to deserve Honour but avoid the getting of it basely for if it were Reputation to have it by Desert it were Infamy to buy it for Money In that Age where Rich Men were Honoured Good Men were Despised Honour is not to be valued according to the vulgar opinion of Men but prized and esteemed as the Sir-name of Virtue ingendred in the mind and fuch Honour no King can give or Money can purchase He that will strive to be more Honourable than others must abandon Passion Pride and Arrogancy so that his Virtue may