Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
power_n david_n king_n saul_n 2,575 5 9.7545 5 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A89520 An argument or, debate in law: of the great question concerning the militia; as it is now settled by ordinance of both the Houses of Parliament. By which, it is endeavoured, to prove the legalitie of it, and to make it warrantable by the fundamentall laws of the land. In which, answer is also given to all objections that do arise, either directly, or collaterally concerning the same. All which is referred to the judicious reader. by J.M. C.L. Marsh, John, 1612-1657.; Milton, John, 1608-1674, attributed name. 1642 (1642) Wing M575; Thomason E119_13; ESTC R18112 46,929 48

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

faciat universis c. He is created and elected King for this purpose and intent that he may doe justice to all men And what greater act of Justice can there be then for the King to defend his people in peace or what greater act of Justice can there be then for the King at the request of his people represented by the body of Parliament to enact such Lawes which conduce to the maintaining of peace Certainly none And this Bracton seemeth to intimate Bracton fo 10●… Sinon esset qui justitiam faceret pax de facili potest exterminari c. If there were not one who would doe Justice peace might easily be extirminated Here note that he doth not say that our lives Lawes Liberties or Estates for want of Justice might easily be extirminated but our peace by this as it were concentering all Justice in this act of maintaining peace and without question all our happinesse under God consists in the supporting and maintaining of peace for take that away and all things fall to utter ruine and destruction And certainly if it be thus that the greatest act of Justice in the King that can be consists in maintaining of peace and in granting of such Lawes which conduce unto this end without question the denying of this by the King must needs be the greatest act of injustice in the King that can be and by consequence a breach of that trust that is reposed in his Majestie And therefore I doe conceive that at the least in this the King can have no negative voyce and I doe not conceive that the King can have any negative voyce in Parliament in other things for if the King by his Oath and the Law of the Land be obliged to doe Justice as in truth he is and if it be as great an act of Justice in the King as can be not onely justly to dispence the Lawes in esse in being to his people but also to grant such new Lawes unto them as conduce to the well governing of them in peace and happinesse Why then certainly it must of necessitie follow that the King can have no negative voyce but is bound under this heavie sinne of the breach of his Oath and the Lawes of the Land to grant such Lawes as are requested of him by his people But here it may be objected that the King had this Prerogative by the Law that he might have called a Parliament when he pleased and there was no positive Law to the contrary before this Parliament in which the King hath devested himselfe of this power and if before at the request of his people he had not been pleased to grant them a Parliament why this in effect was a denier of Justice for that the King denied the meanes by which it might be obteined and yet this was lawfull for him to doe therefore it will be concluded that by the same reason he may have a negative voyce in Parliament And Cromp. Jur. of Courts saith expressely Cro. Iur. fo 7. b. that when the King doth assent to a Bill then he writes upon the Bill L' Roy veult that is the King will have it so and if he doth not assent then it is indorsed L'Roy advisera that the King will advise here it doth appeare how the King hath a negative voyce allowed him by the Law To this I answer and agree these Prerogatives de facto to be in the King but whether in truth they be such as are compatible and may stand with the Oath and Justice of the King this may be questionable and under favour I conceive that they cannot for that as I have shewed his Oath and the Lawes of the Land ties his Majestie to doe Justice to his people and the granting of new Laws unto them upon their request is an Act of Justice and therefore he cannot denie them without breach of his Oath and the Lawes of the Land and by consequence these prerogatives are not compatible with the Oath and Justice of the King and though peradventure the Law may dispence with it selfe yet it cannot with the Oath of the King Wherefore I conceive notwithstanding this objection that the King can have no negative voyce but of this onely by the way And is it thus that the King hath made a breach of that trust reposed in him by God and his people as in truth I have cleered it unto you then none so proper to supply this defect in his Majestie by the disposing of the Militia for the defence and protection of the King Kingdome as the Parliament who are at this time entrusted under God not onely with our esse with our being but with our bene esse with our well-being also But here it may be objected that the King derives his Crowne and regall power from God and that therefore he is responsible to God alone for his actions and not to man To this I answer that it is a most strange Episcopall and illegall objection for what is this but the attributing of a power to the King above Law and the giving of him such a prerogative that should not be subject to those Constitutions which his predecessors before him had been and though it should be admitted that as all power is derived originally from God so especially this yet it doth not follow that it was therefore conferred by an extraordinary and immediate hand of God as it was upon Saul and David 1 Sam. 9. 24. yet they likewise were confirmed and approved by the people as you may reade in holy Writ Besides Saul and David lived not under any Municipall or positive Constitutions of men which they were bound to maintaine and observe as the King of England doth and therefore it must needs be that their power must be more absolute which was not circumscribed within the bounds and limits of any humane Lawes But now the Kings of England having subjected themselves to the Law of the Land and received their Crownes with that trust and tacite condition of defending of the Lawes lives and liberties of their Subjects the Law were idle and vaine if there should be none that should have this power for the breach of this trust by his Majestie to interpose for the securing of him his Lawes and people And if this divine prerogative which the Bishops doe so buzze into the Kings eares should be admitted I would faine know what difference would be made betwixt an absolute Monarke and the King of England and cleerely this was never reputed for other nor can be the Crowne being subject to the Law as well as the people then a mixt Monarchy but I shall conclude this that they who so much defend and exalt this divine prerogative would in the conclusion if they might have their way upon the same ground advance the Miter above the Crowne God open the Kings eyes that he may see and acknowledge himselfe subject to the Lawes and may rule his