Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	government_n	king_n	monarchy_n	2,757	5	9.5091	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85343	Good English: or, Certain reasons pointing out the safest way of settlement in this kingdom; drawne from the nature of the aims and interests of the severall parties ingaged; and as the case now stands, this second day of May. 1648. A peece of serious observation, wherein the secrets of every party, as they stand in a probability of complyance, or opposition to His Majcsty [sic], are fully discovered.		1648 (1648)	Wing G1043; Thomason E441_10; ESTC R202219; ESTC R204897	24,027	30

with an Army it must needs bee that an Ingaging against them cannot be carried on to a Conquest but through a Sea of Bloud and a generall devastation whereas an union betwixt them and his Majesty contracted upon moderate just and equitable grounds in relation to his Majesties Interests and due Rights and the People's Birthright will bee a meanes not only to prevent the afore-said Mischeife but so quell the Presbyterian Party in England that they shall not bee able to countenance any Scotish designes And so if the Scots do attempt an Invasion upon any Pretence whatsoever the Warr will bee brought home to their owne dores Fifthly seeing there is a necessity of some form it is probable the Complyance will extend so far as to let us have Bishops again And there is so much the more hope in regard the Independents have not yet absolutely agreed to the settling of any one particular way of Church-Government the execution of all Ordinances hitherto in relation to Presbyterie being permitted merely out of policie to pacifie that Faction for a time and not out of any respect to the Government it selfe which they looke upon as far more destructive to liberty and which brings in ten thousand such Inconveniences and Pressures as are not incident in a well-regulated Episcopacy Sixthly if it bee objected that there is little hope of the Independents yielding to Bishops seeing they have been as deeply ingaged in the sale of their Lands as ever Presbyters were it must bee considered that what they have done in this kind of Robbery was only as their elder Brethren the Presbyters gave them example in order to their Designe for alteration of Government which now being forced to quit as anon I shall prove by invincible necessity some other waies may and must bee taken for the satisfaction of the souldiery than by the Goods of the Church And then likewise it will bee no hard matter to make our purchasing Cormorants to vomit up all their sweet Sacrilegious Morsels Lastly though most of the Royall Party are rendred wholly averse to a Close with the Independent Party as Persons not to bee dealt with by reason of their grosse Juglings with his Majesty yet give me leave to say that as their Ambition avarice and over-weening confidence were the causes of their declining those faire Proposals and Pretences of their first Ingagement supposing that then they had an Oportunity to doe what they pleased so now being deceived in their expectations and having found by experience that they are not able to go through with their Designe and it being cleare also as I shall manifest that they have no hope of Safety or continuance in this Kingdom but by a Cordiall Close with his Majesty wee have little or no Cause to feare a second Baffle upon sophisticall Pretences in time to come especially if his Majestie 's wisdom bee laid in the Balance with their Necessity And so for these Reasons I conceive we may boldly affirm that as the royall Party ought by no meanes to admit of an Ingagement with or for Presbyterte though set on foot with the fairest Pretences so their true Interest at present is to seek and imbrace a timely discreet Complyance with that Party Paramount of this Kingdom which they call Independent II. Reasons drawn from the Interest of the ruling Independent Party WHen first his Majesty became a Prisoner to the Independent Party the Kingdom as well as himselfe was filled with great hope of such a mutuall Complyance betwixt him and them as might usher in the long-desired settlement of this distracted Nation Our expectations in this particular were exceedingly heightned by the many specious Declarations Representations and Proposalls sent abroad from the Army which promised much in relation to the just Rights of his Majesty and his Royall Posterity and the true satisfaction of all Interests as well as their owne together with many glorious pretences of moderation toward those of the Royall Party and the easing of all burthens which lay upon the Subject These were indeed most rich and glorious pretences And without controversie this way of Complyance was at that time their true Ineterest and had they prosecuted it according to their Proposalls they had laid a stable foundation of their owne and the Kingdoms future happinesse But they forsaking the true paths which led to Peace immediately fell a wandring from these Principles in such an erroneous course that as the wiser sort of men fore-saw so themselves now begin to feare and feele the fatall consequences of their wretched dissimulation which is like to bring no lesse sorrow upon the Ring-leaders of that Faction than it hath done already upon their Fellow-Subjects and their Soveraigne The Reasons which induced them to deale so perfidiously with his Majesty were no doubt as I mentioned before Ambition and Avarice as hath since appeared by their seizing all places of profit in the hands of themselves and their Kindred and Creatures And also by their grosse and palpable designings for a change of Monarchicall Government Upon a Change for certain they were all resolved but what new form to introduce in the place of it was unknowne and is as yet at this day even to the principall among themselves For as the Cause at first was split into the two Factions of Presbyterian and Independent so this of Independency is sub-divided into that Party which is commonly called Independent and the other Party most rightly called Levellers The Grandees of that Party commonly called Independent are some of the superior Officers of the Army and Members of either House the greatest part of whom are visible in the State-Committee at Derby-house And though when his Majesty was first imprisoned they then pretended and would still seem to be one in designe with the Levellers yet time hath manifested their aim to be at an Aristocraticall Form of Government and in plaine terms to declare themselves and their select Confederates FREE STATES The other Party called Levellers consist onely of some Colonells and Commanders of Inferiour Rank in the Army with whom are joyned some few Members of the Commons House and a confused Rabble of Sectaries in the Army City and Suburbs and some parts of the Country Their aime is at a Democraticall form of Government investing the power wholly in the people So that this wild Faction ex professo are enemies alike both to Monarchy and Optimacy and will be governed neither by Kings nor States Hence it was that as soon as his Majesty was juggled away into the Isle of Wight the superior Officers in order to their State-designe saw there was a necessity of crushing the Levellers Party after that they had served their ends upon them by drawing them into an ingaging upon the same pretended common Principles with themselves And therefore their first work was with all speed to dissipate the Councell of the Army contrary to their first ingagement and surprize them with a new ingagement

to repaire himselfe than assist others The French are his Invaders the Portugalls Revolters and the Neapolitans Rebells The French are busie in maintaining what they have gotten and seeking after more But if they were at leisure little might be expected from them unlesse it were to foment our differences and as they first helped to unsettle us so still to keep us from setling that England which is the ballancing power of Europe and her King Arbiter orbis Christiani the Arbitrator in all differences of Christendome being broken by her owne strength at home might have none to spend abroad to hinder that prodigious design wherein the late successes of the French have heightned them to become Rivalls and Competitors with the Spaniard for an Vniversall Monarchy Denmark hath enough to do in repairing those ruines which were brought on them by the late Swedish Incursions The Hollanders esteem it a safe way to conform themselves ever to the prevailing party in England seeing they have a great part of their livelyhood by Indulgence from the English Nation Moreover though at first they esteemed the Match of the Prince of Orange with the eldest daughter of England as a matter of much honour yet now they look upon it as a businesse that in time may prove of ill consequence fearing so great an alliance might dispose the Prince to aspire and establish a greater Interest of his own than is meet for a Member of a Republike if Monarchy were at its height againe in England And further many among the Dutch supposing that the Grandees here aime at the same forme of Government with themselves doe flatter themselves in conceit that such a neighbourhood would be willing to admit of a nearer friendship and complication of Interests than can be hoped for from a Monarchy though there be farre more reason to suspect the contrary So that wee see how little his Majesty may expect from any of his Neighbors And truly it is no small part of our happinesse in the midst of these distractions that we have had and are like to have so little of their Company The hopes then of his Majesties restitution being wholly founded upon the affections of his People and bounded within his owne Dominions let us take a view of each within their station The Scots seem to bee divided among themselves some pretend absolutely for his Majesty others only upon condition of signing the Covenant c. In Ireland a Cessation will open a way for supplies out of that Kingdome In Wales they are in arms already for his Majesty and all the Royall Party in England wait but for an Oportunity in the same way to free themselves from their present vassalage under the power of the Independent party in the Houses wherein likewise the Presbyterian party are as much concerned as any seeing the other of Brethren are become their bitter enemies and would shew them as little courtesie as others were it not to stop the mouthes of their leading men at home and in hope to work upon the prime Presbyters in Scotland What the Refult of the Scotish resolutions will be is yet not certainly knowne If the pretending royall party there carry an Ingagement simply for the King no doubt but the Royallists here joyning with them they may finish the work by subduing both the Factions But if they bring in a mixt Ingagement for the King and the Covenant which we have great cause to fear I conceive the Royallists ought not to joyne with them but to expect and indeavour a Close with the Independent party who will be forced for their owne safety to wave their high-flowne Resolutions and bethink themselves of a Complyance with his Majesty which ought rather to be sought after and imbraced as lesse dangerous to the royall Prerogative than a close with the Presbyterian Touching the probabilitv and conveniency of a Complyance betwixt his Majesty and the Independent party in case the Scots ingage for Presbyterie I shall endeavour to fortifie my opinion by undeniable Reasons But first give me leave to manifest the great danger of closing with the Presbyterian Party though accompanied with never so many specious pretences That a Scotish Ingaging for the Covenant resolved on as it seems will be clearly destructive to Monarchicall Interest I shall prove in severall particulars First because they aim thereby at the introduction of Presbyterie and the over-turning of Episcopacy the maine pillar of Monarchy as it hath ever been esteemed in this Nation And therefore it was that all the Kings of England from time to time have so willingly sworne to grant and to preserve unto the Bishops and to the Churches commited to their Charge all Canonicall privileges and due Law and Justice and to protect and defend them c. And King JAMES who had long experience of the sad effects of the alteration of that Government in the Church of Scotland was so fully convinced of the neare relation betwixt Episcopacie and Monarchy that hee left this for a sure Aphorism to his Posterity No BISHOP No KING For it having been of so long continuance here and deeply rooted in the Lawes of this Kingdom it must needs be that a change in the one will work an alteration in the other Secondly The Truth hereof was so well knowne to the Master-builders of this Reformation whose Aime appears now to have been ab origine how contrary soever their Pretences were for an alteration of the civill government that they first began their work with pulling downe of Episcopacie that in the ruines thereof they might lay the foundation of their new designe Thirdly It is very apparent of what ill consequence the extirpation of Episcopacie will be to his Majesty seeing it is a meanes to clip the Crowne of a very considerable part of its Revenues which by the Lawes of the Land are annexed thereunto as the collation of Bishopricks and Deaneries the first fruits and profits of their Lands and Revenues during their vacancies the first fruits and yearly Tenths out of all Ecclesiasticall Promotions and sundry other privileges profits and emoluments arising out of the State Ecclesiasticall Fourthly to ingage for Presbytery is to indeavour the introducing of a Democraticall form of Government which is directly incompatible with a Monarchy and as it cannot stand with the power of our government so it withstands the Honour of our Governer debasing the Majesty of Monarchy into a popular parity without respect of his most sacred Person Fifthly by ingaging for Presbyterie they labor to erect a power in the State Ecclesiasticall distinct from that of the Civill for it is a Maxim among all Presbyters and we find it pleaded for at large in the Confession of Faith agreed upon by the Assembly at Westminster which as yet the Houses have been more wise than to confirme that there ought to be a power in the Church distinct from that of the Civill which Tenet of distinction must bee the same in effect

with that of the Church of Rome's supremacy seeing those which now plead for a power without the Civill will not bee long before they arrive to such a height of presumption as to act above it or against it in pursuance of their own designes It will be a hard matter to keep such a Governmeut within its limits in any Common-wealth and therefore with much difficulty will it submit to bee governed by a free Monarchy especially a Democracie of this new Nature which makes the same Persons civill Subjects and ecclesiasticall Superiors Sixthly it is not like that Presbyterie should prove the Mother of Peace considering that shee was born the Daughter of sedition and hath ever since been nursed up by Tumults and Rebellion For Geneva was the Land of her Nativity where M. Calvin was her Father and no doubt considering the state of those Affairs conditions of men among whom hee was conversant it was a commendable invention and very necessary for bridling the tumultuous Humors in a free City And so far we may beleeve hee intended it yeelding to a popular Parity and not as an universall perpetuall form of government for all reformed Churches Seventhly it is observable that this ill weed hath growne in none but popular gardens in some parts of France and Germany till some seditious Planters and Waterers caused it to spring up among the Thistles of Scotland And of what sad consequence it hath proved to Monarchicall government in that Kingdom let the world judge For the Foundation of it was laid in the ruine of our King's Grandmother and the superstructure continued to the perpetuall discontent and vexation of his Father till hee was most happily possessed of the Crown of England Nor could hee have been secure here but that by his great wisedom hee staved it off And now at length the Faction having with great subtilty gotten footing in this Kingdom wee see at this day how faire a stroke it hath given toward the ruine of his Son our most gracious Soveraigne and his whole Posterity For though he languish now under the power of the other Faction yet the first designe of war was laid in and by Presbyterie and his Majesty suffered Restraint first under the Presbyterian power whose audacious carriage toward his Person in hope to tire him out of his noble principles taught others so much impudence as to endeavour to serve their ends upon him by a close imprisonment Eightly seeing His Majesty is resolved to keep so close to his Principles as is well knowne unto all the world that he will never yeeld to the extirpation of Bishops what then may we expect from a Presbyteriall Ingagement but that when they have made use of the King's Name to quell the Independent Faction as the Independent did to quell them they will upon his Majesties refusall of their demands which he hath ever declared to be against his conscience and honor returne againe to their old vomi● and either keep his Majesty in the same condition he now is or worse till they can settle themselves and their pernicious Presbytery past all hope of remedy And then perhaps he shall be called out of prison to be manacled in his Throne as his Father was in Scotland who could never act but when they pleased to let him and then onely according to their Directory of Kirk and State From hence I conceive we may positively and plainely affirme that the Issue of a Presbyterian Ingagement though usher'd in with never so many specious pretences for his Majesty will be utterly destructive to the Royall Interest of this Kingdom And therefore if the Scots come in upon such termes the Royall Party ought not to ingage with them nor to countenance them but to expect and indeavour a Complyance with the Independent as I shall further illustrate by reason First though some may object that it cannot stand with his Majesties Honor to comply with those that have already abused his inclination in that particular yet if they duly consider what urgencie lies at present upon his Majesty and how little hope there is of any better way of restitution they may conceive it far more politique to obey necessity than stand upon nice Punctillo's of honor which I must confesse a Prince in prosperity ought to have regard unto ad conservandam Majestatem Imperii but if once he be trampled under the feet of fortune ceremonious respects must be laid aside to Court the first Oportunity which reason shall point out for a deliverance Secondly if it be objected that the Independent party have a designe for alteration of government I answer so I believe the Presbyters have too onely here is all the difference betwixt them that the Independents would not have a King so much as in Name the Scots Presbyters would have no more but the Name of a King The one aimes downright at an Aristocraticall forme of Government the other pretends to maintain Monarchicall Government yet actually destroyes the very Principles of Monarchy And as for the Independent it is cleare by their imprisoning of the King their declaring against him and to settle the Kingdom without him that they have had and still may continue a designe to change the Kingly Government and in plaine termes declare themselves Free Sates if by any meanes they can allay the Scots But there being little hopes of that we may guesse how unable they are to maintaine their Station having over-strained the sinews of the City and the heart-strings of the Country and so it is probable they will scarce be so hardy as to venture to stand upon their single leggs against the streame of a generall dis-affection at home and an invasion by their opposite Faction from abroad but may when there is no hope of carrying on their designe any longer that way retreat with moderation toward His Majesty Thirdly seeing it is dangerous in case the Scots come in for Presbytery that the Royall party should ingage with them it is all the reason in the world they should with speed indeavour an Agreement with the Independent For if Presbytery receive a foile from the Independents then they will undoubtedly be heightned with confidence to prosecute their designe against Monarchy and perhaps in time attaine so much power as to establish themselves And on the other side if Independency receive a foile from the Presbyters then Presbyteriall Government will usurp over Monarchy both which inconveniencies will be prevented by a timely close with the Independent For there is no other way to re-establish his Majesty unlesse we suppose his Party able to carry it by force of Armes against both the Factions which if it were possible cannot be effected without length of time extreme difficulty and the sad consequences of a Second War Fourthly an Agreement with the Independent is the only way to hinder a Second war For They being Possessed of all or most of the places of strength in this Kingdom and back't besides