Selected quad for the lemma: majesty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
majesty_n	house_n	parliament_n	speaker_n	3,357	5	10.8139	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

of the two Houses of Parliament And hereupon we think our selves bound to let Your Majestie know That seeing the continuance of this Parliament is setled by a Law which as all other Laws of Your Kingdoms Your Majestie hath sworn to maintain as we are sworn to our Allegiance to Your Majestie those obligations being reciprocall we must in duty and accordingly are resolved with our Lives and Fortunes to defend and preserve the Just Rights and full Power of this Parliament And do beseech Your Majestie to be assured That your Majesties Royall and hearty Concurrence with us herein will he the most effectuall and ready means of procuring a firm and lasting Peace in all Your Majesties Dominions and of begetting a perfect understanding between Your Majesty and Your People without which Your Majesties most earnest Professions and our most reall Intentions concerning the same must necessarily be frustrated And in case Your Majesties three Kingdoms should by reason thereof remain in this sad and bleeding Condition tending by the continuance of this unnaturall War to their Ruine Your Majesty cannot be the least nor the last sufferer God in his goodness incline Your Royall breast out of Pity and Compassion to those deep sufferings of Your Innocent People to put a speedy and happy issue to these desperate Evils by the joynt advice of both Your Kingdoms now happily united in this Cause by their late solemn League and Covenant Which as it will prove the surest remedy so is it the earnest prayer of your Majesties Loyall Subjects the Lords and Commons Assembled in the Parliament of England Grey of Wark Speaker of the House of Peers in Parliament pro tempore William Lenthall Speaker of the commons-Commons-House in Parliament Westminster the 9. of of March 1643. The Kings Parties Apprehension and Comment on the Letter in these words Whosoever considers that this should be a Letter from Subjects might well think it very unbeseeming Language in them to call His Majestie 's earnest endeavours for Peace but Professions and their own feigned pretences most reall Intentions but much more wonder at that menacing Language that His Majestie cannot be the least or last sufferer which expressions from Subjects in Arms to their Soveraign what dangerous construction they may admit We are unwilling to mention Thus much for the King's Parties Comment on the Letter One other intercourse of Messages between both Parties of a latter time * See the King's Letter March 23. 1644. and the Answer to the Committees Summons in April fellowing The Summons sent by the Committee of both Kingdoms to the Governour of Newark for surrendring that Town and Fort. The Summons expressing perswasive and valid reasons to surrender it the Governour rather his Secretaries Answer full of good Language courage and strength of wit wherein mentioning the King's Parties Letter sent the 23. of March 1644. unto both Houses of Parliament he urges the King's granting gracious Conditions and proves it in that He would Disband His Forces Dismantle His Garrisons c. He who penned the Answer recites not all the King's Proposals as that He would have His Friends Pardoned the Sequestration taken from off their Estates and the like either he saw not the King 's whole Letter being he recites one part only or else he smiles in his sleeve thinking by his reserved and short Comment on His Letter to satisfie the Committee there and the whole Kingdom besides of the King 's gratious inclination in that Letter whereof the Answerer reciteth but one part The Letter was full and easie to be understood taking it collectively and altogether not apart as of Disbanding Dismantling c. had not He expected to have his Friends pardoned and their Sequestrations wholy taken off Such manner of collective speaking is conditional the one to be done on the one side if the rest be performed on the other The Answerer's mentioning so much of the Letter as may serve the turn in reciting the King 's gracious promise leaves out on what Condition the Promise is made the condition annexed to the Promise frustrates the vertue of the Promise for that which the Answerer cals gracious in the King's Letter of Disbanding His Forces if nothing else were to be expected are in every mans judgment as in the Answerer's gracious indeed but that the King expects to have His Friends His party pardoned the Sequestrations wholly taken off from their Estates were by giving way to the revoking their own Judgements to accuse themselves of injustice-doing to put them whom the Parliament accounted offenders and their Enemies into as good or better condition then their own friends the Answerer if knowing the King 's whole Letter and would contract it into parts reciting only that which serves his turn the Committee being presumed solid and understanding Gentlemen would questionless follow the Dictates of their own Judgment without replying to the Answerer For Oratory and strength of wit which haply may delight some Readers but cures not the Distempers and Calamities of a Civill War nor satisfies the serious expectation of unbyassed Spectators or Actors in these Tragedies it is confess'd that the Assembly at Oxford their Party in their Quarters there having the more facete and nimble wits with the help and influence of the Youth and Schollars there may seem to exceed the Parliament and those whom the Parliament imploys in their Empressions But let the Books on either side be examined by the Test of Reason Prudence the Reader will soon discern the Difference And these four remarkable Messages instanced in may decide the Contest none other of all their Conflicts of that kinde being more opposite each to other nor any of their Messages reciprocally sent more disdainfully rejected on either side as far as I have traced their Writings then these four above-mentioned But to the Reasons of your deserting your first judgment if so you have I rather judg it to be a fencing and tryal of wits in an Argumentative way of discoursing only then any settled revolting from your first Opinion you are well read in the good man's Character who will not be afraid for any evill tydings His heart standeth fast and will not shrink c. The Arguments you have lately taken up against the residing part of the Parliament and the Army the maintainer of your Power next under God the preserver of our Peace are none of yours nor like to yours The House of Parliament being grown thin By your and other Gentlemen of your Eminency deserting it is become more thin the more weak it is through your Defections the more need it hath of being supported by your Return As for the Force which you and your subdivided party urge to be offered to ye by the Army your Servants an high affront and breach of Parliament Priviledges Both your parties Presbyterian and Independent seem to be forced alike not in an equall degree of Strength and Number but in a strict and closer

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

press their fellow Subjects necks not by an easie or ordinary course to be taken off The Contention indeed betwixt those two Presbyterian Independent growing as before observed through the pride of conquering or cunningly contrived by their common enemy on purpose by dividing to overcome them both The difference in dispute is not in Opinion but in Fact as amongst other things unto whose charge the deluge of Blood spilt in this war is to be laid Ye have declared That it is to be laid at the King His Parties doors particularly the bloodguilty and horrid act of hindring the relief of Ireland whereby thousands of his Protestant Subjects have been slain which holdes the three heretofore united Kingdoms in a languishing and mournful Estate even at this day the one divided against the other and the People of all three despairing to enjoy their former Peace ye instancing First In His sparingly and too late proclaiming their enemies Rebels when the Rebellion first broke out by signing Commissions to the chief Actors in the Rebellion The Parliaments Commissioners at the a See the Objections and Answers at large in the relation of the passages at the meeting at Vxbridg 1644. printed then at Oxford Treaty of Vxbridg urging besides His disapproving the subscriptions of the Adventurers and Officers of the Army employed for the relief of his Protestant Subjects there by means whereof the course intended was then diverted His making a Cessation with the Rebels which had it not been made in the time of their greatest wants and the Forces employed against them not drawn off they might in probability have been ere this subdued and the war even finished in stead thereof it is protracted That Kingdom having been by the prowess and wisdom of His a Hen. 2. Q Eliz. Predecessors kept entire united unto and a b The Law Book cases give the reason why the bringing counterfeit mony into England out of Ireland is but Misprision of Treason although the bringers know and utter it Quia Hibernia est membrum Angliae Dalton Justice of Peace in cap. de High Treason Member of this State of England is by His and His Party's strength abetting it put into a Condition and even invited to invade and conquer This. That the Commissioners sent by the two Houses of Parliament for the better supply and encouragement of the Army in that Kingdom were discountenanced and commanded from the Councel there where the prosecution of the war was to be managed and By whose Authority and Command was all this done The House of Lords and Commons in the debate with the King about the affaires of Ireland sent His Majesty word that His message then sent to Them wherein He chargeth Them with false pretences and a purpose in Them to divert large summes of money collected from the English from the proper use to which it was intended was an high breach of the Priviledge of Parliament and upon that occasion They declare many particulars of their care for the relief of Ireland and the King 's hindring it Those particulars there expressed are as followeth They declare That this bloudy Rebellion was first vaised by the same Councells that had before brought two Armies within the bowels of this Kingdom and two protestant Nations ready to welter in each others bloud which were both defrayed a long time at the charge of the poor Commons of England and quietly at last disbanded by God's blessing on the Parliaments endeavours That this designe failing the same wicked Councels who had caused that impious war raised this barbarous Rebellion in Ireland and recommended the suppressing thereof for the better colour to the Parliaments care who out of a fellow-feeling of the unspeakable miseries of their Protestant Brethren there not suspecting this horrid Plot now too apparent did cheerfully undertake that great work and do really intend and endeavour to settle the Protestant Religion and a permanent Peace in that Realm to the Glory of God the honor and profit of His Majesty and security of His three Kingdoms But how they have been discouraged retarded and diverted in and from this pious and glorious work by those trayterous Councels about his Majesty will appear by these particulars They there mention the sending over at first of twenty thousand pounds by the Parliament and that good way found out to reduce Ireland by the Adventure of private men without charging the Subject in general which would probably have brought in a million of money had the King continued in or neer London and not by leaving His Parliament and making war upon it so intimidated and discouraged the adventurers and others who would have adventured that that good Bill is rendred in a manner ineffectuall They mention that when at the sole charge of the Adventurers five thousand foot and five hundred horse were designed for the relief of Munster under the Command of an English Lord and nothing was wanting but a Commission to inable him for the service such was the power of wicked Councel that no Commission could be obtained from the King by reason whereof Lymrick was wholy lost and the Province of Munster since in very great distress That when wel-affected persons at their own charge by way of Adventure had prepared twelve Ships and Pinaces with a thousand Land Forces for the service of Ireland desiring nothing but a Commission from His Majesty that Commission after twice sending to York for it and the ships lying ready to set sail three weeks together at the charge of neer three hundred pounds a day was likewise denied and those Adventurers rather then to lose their Expedition were constrained to go by vertue of an Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament That although the Lords lustices of Ireland earnestly desired to have two Pieces of Battery sent over as necessary for that service yet such commands were given to the Officers of the Tower That none of the King's Ordnance must be sent to save His Kingdom That a prime Engineer and Quartermaster-General of the Army in Ireland and in actual employment there against the Rebels was called away from that important service by express command from the King That a Captain Controller of the Artillery a man in pay and principally employed and trusted here by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for providing and ordering the Trayn of Artillery which was to be sent to Dublin and who had received great summes of money for that purpose was commanded from that employment and trust to serve the King in this unnatural war against His Parliament and when the Parliament had provided six hundred suits of Clothes for present relief of the poor Souldiers in Ireland and sent them towards Chester the Waggoners that undertook the carriage of them were assaulted by the King's Souldiers lying about Coventry who took away the Clothes That three hundred suits of Clothes sent likewise by the Parliament for Ireland with a Chirurgion's chest of Medicaments towards

that Book as unjustly and improbably delivered viz. The excuse and plausible reasons given of the King 's going to the House of Commons attended with so many armed Gentlemen as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Treatise concerning the King's going to the House of Commons to surprize the five Members Author sayes was no unwonted thing for the Majesty of a King to be so attended especially in discontented times The times were not then so discontented as that unheard of and horrid act did afterwards make them and might have made them at that time had but the hand of one desperate Caitiffe given fire to his Pistols ready cockt the House of Commons being near full and equall in number to the Forces prepared against them no man knows how disastrous and fatall the event had been neither could the King justly fear to be assaulted or affronted by any in the House as the Author intimates None in the House within being armed answerable to that the King's Guard without The Author thinks that he hath handsomly palliated that attempt under colour of the King 's standing in need of a Guard rendring those His Attendants there short of His ordinary Guard but whether he means short in number or in forcible array he declares not Many other passages as improbable as these are the discourses of the Book too tedious to recite the examining and search whereof is besides my purpose It seems to have little of it of the King it hath Elegancy of wit enough and affectation of expressions to be applauded inconsistent with a sound and Christian wisdom whereunto His present Condition was to be fitted and Charity enjoynes not to think it His when full of so many uncharitable expressions although clothed in pious ejaculations The Author is too blame to father upon Him such intermixtures of Scorn and Piety in some parts of it Devotion and Penitencie in other Censurings and Detractings compiled probably by several Authors the off-spring too unlike it self to be truly and unviocally begot by one and the self-same Parent The words of Scorn are where the Author speaking of the King 's impeaching six Members of both Houses of High Treason terms them in a disdainful way * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 11. Half a dozen which number is all one as six but the manner of the slighting Phrase Half a dozen unbecoming the grave and serious Majesty of a King especially He being in sorrow and affliction as the Author presents Him Not to be applyed to Gentlemen of quality rather to things of cheap and mean accompt vendible in Tradesmens Shops The whole Book indeed if throughly scanned is but a fine-dressed Invective against the one an Apology for the other Party fitly penned to keep up the affections of His friends to win and move compassion even from His enemies for whilest the Author presents him innocent and injured compassion begets affections towards the Person injured throws disgrace and calumny on the Persons injuring The best most acceptable and likelyest to be believed Tract had been if the Author in His Book had observed and declared that the King peradventure in the time of His greatest troubles and when the Victory stood doubtful did intend as He did then profess in many excellent and winning speeches delivered at York Shrewsbury Nottingham and else where to preserve the Laws and Liberties of His People to maintain the Protestant Religion the Power and Priviledg of Parliament which He could not but foresee take it either in the upright heart of a pious Prince intending it that His real and sincere intentions to maintain the same were His best brest plate and safest guard or take it in the politick part of a cunning Enemy meaning nothing less That such Professions were His next way to Conquer by but when He had thereby conquered what safety or security was there to be expected that He should not return unto and be governed by the advice of those evil Counsellors who had at the first drawn Him away and by degrees might have wrought upon His affections to the curbing if not to the suppressing those Laws and Liberties to the punishing those whom He had adjudged and called Travtors Rebels The High Treason charged on the Parliament by the Author in the Person of the King softly and mildely instilled into the Readers ears in that Book down-rightly and roughly by the divided Members sitting at Oxford in their Declaration printed there must be understood either le Crime de Majestie or le Crime de Fausonnerie The Crime against His Majesty is either against His Person or His Honor against His Person as to conspire or intend His death or to leavie War against Him against His Honour as to deflour the Queen His wife His daughter or the wife of His Heir to kill those His principal Officers of State specified within the Statute of 25. Edw. 3. comprising all Crimes adjudged Treason Flattery and a temporary conformity to the present and Arbitrary will of a Prince are but shadows only the true substance and highest degree of honouring Him is when men in Place and Authority deputed thereunto shall endeavour as the Parliament Protested and were credibly believed to have punished all Indignities Affronts and Crimes which had or might have been committed against the Peace His Crown and Dignity The other sort of High Treason is Le Crime de Fausonnerie two ways committed either by counterfeiting the Coyne or the Great Seal Now with which sort of High Treason doth the King's Party charge the Parliaments either with the first a purpose to destroy His Person c. as above recited or the latter the counterfeiting the Great Seal not against His Person The observing this Discourse throughout setting forth the Maner and Original of the Contention betwixt the King and His People the Parliament only is as it were the Judg between both doth manifest how improbable and untrue it doth appear that the Parliament when five or six years since accused of Treason by the divided Members sitting at Oxford did then or at any time before intend to levy and offensive War to imagine or conspire the Kings Death It is one thing originally to intend out of malice prepensed and fore-thought to devise or contrive a purpose another thing through an inevitable necessity to act against and contrary to the intention of the Actors If by the way any exquisite or choice ☞ Wits of a more sublimate reach then their Fellow-Subjects did know or could have discovered any dark or secret contrivances of such intendment or conspiracy against His Person deeming all others of a narrow and lower capacity ignorant and dull-spirited they were too blame to conceal the Plot the manner and means of effecting it They had Power Confidence and Liberty enough when the divided Members being of their Party sate at Oxford and there accused the Parliament sitting at Westminster of many treasonable Designs present which the quality of