Selected quad for the lemma: peace_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A40749
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A Further inquiry for truth, for the better satisfaction of scruplous [sic] consciences ...
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1642
(1642)
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Wing F2558; ESTC R17987
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6,177
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10
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deluded by the fained flattering and crafty counsell of those about him who look with a sinister eye upon our State Now this seems to me to be all that is aimed at in this present Military and Martiall design for the Parliament do not purposely and in their first intentions intend by their souldiers to cut off any for if any be slain by them it is by accident but to preserve and keep the peace of the Kingdom to maintain the priviledges of Parliament the Laws of the Land the free course of justice the Protestant Religion the Kings authority and person in his royall dignity and to attach arrest and bring such as are accused or imagined to be the disturbers and fire-brands of the Kingdom unto a fair just equall and legall triall which no man can think unlawfull in our Law-makers And therefore both Senators and Subjects in the prosecution of this design stand for the safety of their Princes person And 3. They stand for his State Wealth honor and reputation for I conjoyn all these together Kings acquire and accumulate more honour respect wealth and power by their meeknesse towards tender love of and vigilant care for their Subjects and their safety as we see in Queen Elizabeth and Tiberius so long as he was such then by tyrannizing over and cruelly oppressing and handling of them as we see in Caligula If our gracious Soveraign would be but pleased to consider the honour and prosperity which his Predecessors have enjoyed by following the advice of their Parliaments and the dishonor our Nation hath in divers designs received abroad and the grievous troubles vexation and discord we have had at home since Parliaments have bin disused and layd asleepe he would then certainly see that they seek his wealth honor reputation welfare who desire to reconcile and conjoyn him unto his Parliament and advise him to govern his people by Parliaments and endeavour to free him from the power and hands of those who being in themselves desire likewise to make him an enemy unto Parliaments And 4. They stand for his Posterity For as evill gotten goods slip and wast away and seldome continue to the third generation so Kings cannot be sure that their posterity shall peaceably and successively enjoy their Crowns except themselves rule and govern according to Law righteousnesse only establishing the Crowne and Throne both upon Princes and their posterity And therefore they who assist not the King in those things wayeâ— and courses which are illegall grievous yea distructive to the Common-wealth are his Childrens and posterities best friends I conclude this Question with this Argument Argu. Those who labour with their lives and estates to defend and maintain the Kings Soul Honour Reputation Wealth person and posterity obey and stand for Him Quest But the Parliament and all those who side with them in this present design labour with their lives and estates to maintaine and defend the Kings Soul Honour Reputation Wealth Person and posterity Therefore the Parliament and all those who side with them in this present design in so doing obey and stand for Him It should seem by what hath been spoken That neither the Parliament nor People doth intend the least indignity dishonour or disloyalty to the King and it is most perspicuously and clearly to be seen in all the Kings gracious Messages and Declarations That he hath no design upon his people or Parliament neither inteuds any harm opposition of oppression unto them but professeth to rule them according to Law and equity How then comes it to passe that either the Parliament will not or dare not confide in the King Answ 1. First it is because they see that some about the King are potent with Him who affect not the Parliament nor their proceedings have that inflnence in his Counsels and are so predominant and prevalent with Him that they have often varyed and altered him from his words and promises It is a Maxime in Law The King can do no wrong for if any evill act be committed in matter of State his Counsell if in matters of Justice his Judges must answer for it and therefore I will not lay any fault upon the King but rather impute the faults which have been of late obvious to many unto some about him or in great favour with him Great discouragements I grant the Parliament in their proceedings have had from the King but I dare not imagine that they came originally and primarily from Him but from some about him in regard of that vast diffeâ—ence which is between his words spoken to his Parliament with his own mouth when he was with them and the Messages sent unto and the heavy charges layd upon them in his Letters and Declarations now when he is absent from them He said once That in the word of a King and as He was a Gentleman he would redresse the grievances of his People as well out of the Parliament as in it Againe That He was resolved to put Himself freely and clearly upon the Love and affection of his English Subjects Againe We do engage unto you solemnly the word of a King that the security of all and every one of you from violence is and ever shall be as much our care as the preservation of us and our children And yet what actions and passages have of late fallen out quite contrary to all those expressions the Parliament and all who side with it assist it or obey it in any of the commissions or Orders thereof being assaulted opposed yea now at last proclaimed Traitors Againe His Majâ—sty doth professe the detestation of a civill war and abhorres as he saith the very apprehension of it But this mind seem'd neither to be in them who came with his Majâ—sty to the House of Commons nor who accompanied him to Hampton-court and appeared in a warlike manner at Kingston nor in divers of those who have been with him and employed by him at Yorke Hull Liecester-shire Lancashire Sommerset-shire Northamptonshire and other places And therefore we must needs conceive that the King is put upon these courses and wayes by his evill counsellors and consequently that the Parliament cannot confide in his words and promises untill those counsellors be put from him or forsaken by him And Answ 2. Secondly because of that trust which is reposed in them I dare boldly say That if the King should take or make those protestations which he makes in his messages and Declarations unto any one of the Parliament House for the performance of any promise either unto them or theirs which did simply and soly concern themselves they would believe and obey him and without any further question confide in him but they cannot do this in the case and place wherein they are The trust reposed by the people in the Parliament is as well to preserve the kingdom by making of new Laws when and where there shal be need as byobserving and putting the Laws already made in
execution And therefore in regard of this trust they dare not hazard the safety preservation and sole mannaging of the Land to his Majesty alone upon his bare word because if after such confiding of theirs in the King upon his faithfull promise unto them he should be over-swayed and seduced by some wicked counsellors to lay some illegall impositions taxations and burdens upon his people as he did soon after the granting of the Petition of Right unto the Subject the kingdom then would and might justly blame them as the authors of their grievances that had so lightly given away their liberties and freedom by subjecting them to an arbitrary power And indeed if we will but consider it without passion and partiality the case is no other but this if the Parliament should wholy confide in the Kings words and promises then there were no more requisite in them then this to make a Declaration unto his Majest of the grievances burdens annoyances and illegall proceedings in all or such and such courts or persons to the great oppression and heart-break of the Subject and having so done to obtain some serious promise and protestation from the King to take off all those pressures and to be carefull for the future that no such shall be imposed upon them and then to confide in the King and to breake up the Parliament and repaire every one to his owne house Now if Sence Reason Experience and knowledge will tell us that this is far from or comes far short of the true nature and duty of a Parliament then let us think that it is reason as the case now stands that the Parliament should not confide in the King And Answ 3. Thirdly because it were very dangerous for the time to come Admitting our present Soveraign were as prudent as Solomon yea as pious as David yea like him a man after Gods own heart yet it were dangerous for the Parliament so to confide in him that they should trust the mannaging of all the great and weighty affairs of this kingdom wholy and solely unto him and consequently granting him an arbitrary power to rule us according to the dictates of his own conscience or as the Lord should move and perswade his heart This I say is not safe because if they grant give or settle this power upon him as King of England then all other succeeding Kings will challenge and claim it as due or think they are not respected as their predecessours whence if any of them prove Tyrants or tyrannous oppressours we shall be most miserable and wretched slaves Ob. Some perhaps may here object that although Princes should not use their absolute power by doing alwayes what they list yet they ought not to be circumscribed limited or restrained in their government by any tie or obligation of Law Answ 1. First it is much better considering the corruption of our nature to be with-held by some restraints of Law and covenant from that which is evill and which we cannot justisie before God in the court of conscience then to be boundlesse law lesse and left to live as we list and to do whatsoever seems good in our own eyes Answ 2. Secondly this also is better for others for as the Crane had better to keep his head out of the Wolves mouth then to put it into his mouth and then stand at his mercy whether he will bite off his neck or not so it is better for every wise man rather to keep and preserve those immunities freedoms prerogatives and priviledges which God and nature hath given unto him for the preservation prosperity and peace of his posterity person and estate then to disenfranchize himselfe and to relinquish and resign all into the hands of another to give him power either to impoverish or enrich either to kill him or keep him alive FINIS