that there may be but one heart and one soul among us He that does not now put his Hand and Heart to support the King Lord C. S. to Si. Job harleton then chosen Speaker to the House of Com. Feb. 5. 1672. p. 23. in the Common cause of this Kingdom can hardly ever hope for such another Opportunity or find a time to make satisfaction for the Omission of this Let us tryby our means to raise up the hearts and hopes of all those whom ill men have wrought upon to such a degree as to cast them into a sadness end into a despondency which is most unreasonable Lord Ch. Sp. Ap. 13. 75. p. 22. What the Romans Scorned to do after the Battle of Cannae what the Venetians never did when they had lost all their Terra firma that men are now taught to think a vertue and the sign of a Wise and Good man desperare de Republica And let us try what we can to confirm the faith of those that p. 23. are made weak and give to the King the present of all our hearts and the full assurance of all our Lives and Fortunes to preserve him in his just Prerogatives that he may with the Greater confidence and chearfulness still secure and further promote the true protestant Religion and all due Liberties and Properties to these Kingdoms Then will the King esteem himself a Richer Prince then if he were possest of all the treasures of the East And if any man should question or suspect His Majesties affection towards the Protestant Religion and his firm resolution still to maintain it together with all our Civil Rights let him be pleased to hear him give his own Royal word for 't and as Solomon saith where the word of a King is there is Power And first to begin with Religion CHAP. I. Of the Protestant Religion FOR as his Majesty very wisely hath observed to us in his Declaration to all his Loving Subjects of his Kingdom 1. Of Religion of England and Dominion of Wales concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs in the very year of His Happy Restauration 25th day of Oct. 1660. pag. 3. There is so close a Connexion between the Peace of the Church and the Peace of the State That the One cannot be disturbed without the Other These are his words how much sayth he the Peace of the State is concern'd in the Peace of the Church and how difficult a thing it is to preserve Order and Government in Civil whilst there is no Order or Government in Ecclesiastical Affairs is evident to the world and this little Part of the World our own Dominions hath had so late experience of it that we may very well acquiesce in the conclusion without enlarging our self in discourse upon it it being a Subject we have had frequent occasion to contemplate upon and to lament abroad as well as at home TRUE Religion has an enlightning Influence 2. What Religion is over the minds of men It works upon Lord Keep Speech April 13. 1675. pag. 11. the Conscience is an inward Principle of the divine Life by which good men do govern all their actions And if rightly followed and obeyed how great 3. How sweet and peaceable where it is right would the harmony of affection be amongst us The Impressions which the Law of Religion makes in the hearts of good men are all healing and Sanatory There is no divide Impera within her Districts no furious Heats and hostile Clashings to be heard where she has uncontrolled Power and Sovereignty That unruly and unmanly Passion which no question the Divine Nature exceedingly abhors sometimes and I fear too frequently Transports those who are in the right as well as those who are in the wrong and leaves Lord Chan. Speech Thursday Sept. 13. 1660. p. 20. 21 22. the latter more excusable than the former when men who find their manners and dispositions very conformable in all the necessary obligations of humane Nature avoid one anothers conversation and grow first unsociable and then uncharitable to each other because one cannot think as the other doth And from this Separation we Entitle God to the Patronage of and concernment in our Fancies and Distinction and purely for his sake hate 4. An Eminent Instance of Christian Love and Charity one another heartily It was not so of Old when one of the most Ancient Fathers of the Church tells us that Love and Charity was so signal and eminent in the Primitive Christians that it even drew admiration and envy from their Adversaries Vide inquiunt ut invicem se diligunt Their Adversaries in that in which they most agreed in their very prosecution of them had their Passions and Animosities amongst themselves They were only Christians that loved and cherished and comforted and were ready to dye for one another Quid nunc illi dicerent Christiani si nostra viderunt tempora Says the Incomparable GROTIUS how would they look upon our sharp and virulent Contentions in the Debates of Christian Religion and the bloudy Wars that had proceeded from those Contentions whilst every one pretended to all the Marks which are to attend upon the True Church except only that which is inseparable from it Charity to one another How did These in the Late Distracted Times who would 5. How different Christians are from the temper and spirit of Christ needs be call'd Christians differ from Christ the True and Only Head of the Church How calm and quiet how sedate and peaceable was he throughout the whole Conduct of his Life though he walked in the midst of a stubborn and perverse Generation that despised his Doctrine reproached him for his Miracles in saying That he cast out Devils through Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils he came to his own and his own received him not yet he was sweet and affable in all his Conversation 6. Christ was meek and Curteous gentle and affable to all continually doing good to those who were his Enemies and the worst of them too Though he was reviled yet he reviled not again and though he was oppressed and afflicted yet he opened not his mouth when he was wounded for our Transgressions and bruised for our Iniquities and the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him and by his Stripes we are healed yet he went as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep before the shearers he was dumb and opened not his mouth but just before his expiration upon the Cross he mercifully poured out this prayer for those his Enemies that could not forbear breaking forth into this curse of his Blood be upon us and our Children that God would freely pardon them in this their sin Father says he forgive them they know not what they do But how did these make it their business to rend 7. We are sowre and morose fierce and bitter one against another and divide the Church by tying it up
yet makes 3. His Majesty's Care of them hath been so much that we are obliged to all Acknowledgments so loud a noise in the World GOD knows these are as the great Diana of the Ephesians to us of these we are fond even to Superstition and you shall find the King as affectionate to you and as desirous to preserve them all in their just Measures as you can possibly with any Conscience wish he should be 4. The Annals of our most happy times scarce have one Year in them but what is more severe than a whole Reign hath yet produced NAY The Care of your Civil Rights and Liberties hath been so much His Majesty's that the more The Lord Keepers Speech on the 13th of October 1675. pag. 6 7. you reslect upon these Concerns the more you will find your selves obliged to acknowledge His Majesty's Tenderness of you and Indulgence to you SEARCH your own Annals the Annals of those Times you account most happy you will scarce find one Year without an Example of something more severe and more extraordinary 5. Statues have been erected for those Princes in Foreign Nations that never had half that Moderation which we have lived to enjoy than a whole Reign hath yet produced PERUSE the Histories of Forreign Nations and you shall find Statues and Altars too have been erected to the Memories of those Princes whose best Vertues never arrived to half that Moderation which we let me add for these twenty Years have lived to see and to enjoy AND Let us all evermore remember this unexceptionable A Letter from His Majesty at Breda Apr. 4 14 1660. to the Speaker of the House of Commons pag. 4. Truth which His Sacred Majesty was pleas'd 6. This Liberty is best preserved by preserving the King's Honour himself to lay down to us long ago that Our Liberty and Property is best preserved by preserving the Honour of the King FOR the Greatness and Dignity of the King The Lord Keeper's Speech Wednesd Oct. 13. 1675. p. 7. The Lord Chancellor's Speech to Baron Thurland at the taking of his Oath January 24. 1672 3. pag. 3 7. The King's Greatness the Peoples Safety is the Greatness and Safety of his People Therefore LET not the King's Prerogative and the Law be 8. Therefore the King's Prerogative and the Law should not be two things with us two things with you For the King's Prerogative is Law and the principal part of the Law and therefore in maintaining that you maintain the Law The Government of England is so excellently interwoven that every part of the Prerogative hath a broad mixture of the Interest of the Subject the Ease and Safety of the People being inseparable from the Greatness and Security of the Grown THE knowing of our own Interest will secure June 26. 1673. pag. 4. 9. The knowledg of our own Interest secures us to the King 's and Nations us to the King 's and the Nation 's I repeat them thus together saith the Lord Chancellor in his Speech upon the Lord Treasurer 's taking his Oath in the Exchequer because none but Mountebanks in State Matters can think of them asunder 10. Prerogative not extended beyond its due Limits AND if the not extending his Prerogative beyond The Lord Keeper's Speech to both Houses January 7. 1673 4. pag. 9. its due Limits can secure our Liberties then surely we have no need to fear the least Diminution of them For 11. The King only considers his Prerogative in order to preserve the Peace and Security of the Kingdom SAITH The King The Peace and Security The King's Speech April 5. 1664. pag. 3. of the Kingdom and the Welfare of my Subjects I study more than my Prerogative Indeed I consider my Prerogative only in order to preserving the other DO We not see that the King hath made it his The Lord Keeper's Speech Jan. 7. 1673 4. pag. 8. Care and his Business to do all that is possible to 12. The Laws of the Kingdom the Measures of both his Power and Prudence preserve us in our Civil Rights that he makes the Laws of his Kingdom the Measures not only of his Power but his Prudence that he suffers no Man to be wiser than the Law that he thinks he cannot judge of the Health or Sickness of his State by any better Indication than the Current 13. Their Current gives the best Judgment either of the Health or Sickness of the State of his Laws and suffers nothing to remain that may in the least measure hinder Justice from flowing in its due and proper Channels NOW The Administration of Iustice according His Majesty's Declaration for inforcing a late Order made in Council Feb. 12 1674 5. pag. 3. to the setled and known Laws of the Land is certainly the most reasonable and 14. Administration of Justice according to the known Laws of the Land proper Method for attaining and preserving the Peace and Safety both of Church and State FOR Laws are the Strength of a Kingdom the Walls and Bulwarks of a Nation without which Places are but as the Forests 15. What Laws are to a Kingdom of Wild Beasts to dwell in and the Ends of the Law are to bridle Men's wild and loose Exorbitances and to be instructive and to direct to Duty Now you shall hear what His Majesty hath 16. Their end been pleased to say as to this Point And first If you will but look into that Letter which he sent to the Speaker of the Honourable House of Commons you will find there these words SAITH He If you desire that Reverence and Obedience may be paid to the Fundamental April 4 14 1660 pag. 6. 7. 17. Reverence and Obedience to the Fundamental Laws of the Land is that the King desires to be sworn to and all Persons in Authority Laws of the Land and that Iustice may be equally and impartially Administred to all Men it is that which we desire to be sworn to Our Self and that all Persons in Power and Authority shall be so too In a word There is nothing that you can propose that may make the Kingdom happy which we will not contend with you to Compass And upon this Confidence and Assurance we have thought fit to 18. Nothing can be proposed to make the Kingdom happy but he will contend with us to compass send you this Declaration that you may as much as is possible at this Distance see our Heart AND In the Declaration that was inclosed therein His Majesty thus delivers himself Ve do not desire more to enjoy what is Ours than that all Our The Declaration pag. 2. Subjects may enjoy what by Law is theirs 19. The King desires no more to enjoy his own than to have his Subjects enjoy what by Law is theirs by a full and entire Administration of Iustice throughout the Land and
by extending Our Mercy where it is wanted and deserved AND When he granted a Free and General Pardon to all his Subjects of what Degree or Quality soever who would not persevere in their Guilt for the future by opposing the Quiet and Happiness of their Country in the Restoration both of King Peers and People to their Just Ancient and Fundamental Rights but would return to the Loyalty and Obedience of good Subjects Saith His Majesty Let all our Subjects how faulty soever 20. By his General Pardon no Crime shall ever rise in Judgment against any eito endammage their Lives Liberties or Estates who will now become obedient to Laws The same Declaration pag. 2. 3. rely upon the Word of a King solemnly given by this present Declaration that no Crime whatsoever committed against Vs or Our Royal Father before the Publication of this shall ever rise in Iudgment or be brought in question against any of them to the least Endamagement of them either in their Lives LIBERTIES or Estates Nay so tender is the King of their Credit that he goeth on or as far forth as lies in Our Power so much as to the prejudice of their Reputations by any Reproach or 21. Nay their Reputations shall not suffer if he can help it Term of Distinction from the rest of Our best Subjects IN The King's Speech to his Parliament April 5. 1664. p. 4. He thus saith to them I do assure you upon my Word and I 22. He has no other thoughts but to make us happy in our Laws and prays so to be believed pray believe me that I have no other Thoughts or Designs in my Heart but to make you all happy in the Support of the Laws established NAY The Speaker of the House of Commons when he addressed himself to His Sacred Majesty in the Name of the whole House who are the Representative Body of all the Commons of England could say Most Gracious and dread Soveraign 23. When any thing of Right or but Conveniency has happened to be a measuring Cast a disputable Case he hath always cast it against himself if it hath been for his People's Good though the Knights Citizens and Burgesses Saturday Decemb 29. 1660. being the day of their Dissolution p. 25 26. now assembled in Parliament have no cause to complain they cannot but take notice of your Partiality for when any thing in point of Right or but Conveniency hath fallen out to be as we use to say a measuring Cast a disputable Case between your Self and your People without any regard or respect had unto your own Right or the Advantage that might accrue to your Self by asserting the same if the Good of your People hath come in Competition with it you have always cast it against your Self and given it in on your People's side 24. The Restoration of the King and the Restoring us to our Magna Charta Liberties AND then a little before he concludes this his Speech he returns his thankful Acknowledgment to God for his Infinite Goodness and Mercy in restoring His Majesty to his Royal and Imperial Crown Throne and Dignity and for making him the Restorer of our Religion as likewise saith he for restoring us to our Magna Charta Liberties having taken The same Speech pag. 31 32. the Charge and Care of them into your own Heart which is our greatest Security and more than a thousand 25. The good old Rules of the Law our best Security Confirmations THE King saith it himself and it is true beyond all Contradiction That the Good old Rules of the Law are the best Security These shall be ever dear His Speech May 19. 1662. pag. 4. 26. No Man's Property or Liberty shall ever be invaded to him these will he command his Learned Judges to cherish with Upright and Impartial Justice And in his Speech to both his Houses he ends thus I will Wednesday Feb. 5. 1672. pag. 4. conclude with this Assurance to you that no 27. The King steady in maintaining all his Promises to us concerning Property and ready to give fresh Instances of his Zeal for preserving the established Laws Mans Property or Liberty shall ever be Invaded What Expressions can go higher And how can the King more expatiate himself to you Is not this Security a Satisfaction equal to all your Wishes BUT To proceed be pleased to hear the words of the King again to his Parliament Saith he I hope I need not use many words to perswade you that I The King's Speech Monday October 27. 1673. pag 4. am steady in maintaining all the Professions and Promises I have made you concerning Property And I shall be very ready to give you 28. For his Heart is perfectly with his Peoples in it fresh Instances of my Zeal for preserving the Established Laws as often as any Occasion shall require AND The Lord Chancellor tells us in his Speech then I 29. Reverence and Obedience will be given to Laws when they are well understood that they conduce to the Peoples Profit can add nothing to what His Majesty hath said For as to Property his Heart is with your Heart pag. 9. perfectly with your Heart IT Was a right Ground of Considence such a The Lord Chancellor's Speech Monday May 19. 1662. pag. 14. 15. one as seldom deceives Men that the great Law-maker the wise Solon had when he concluded that Reverence and Obedience would be yielded to his Laws because he had taken the pains to make his Citizens know and understand that it was more for their profit to obey Law and Justice than to contemn and break it and indeed the Profit Benefit and Ease is very great which always attends a chearful Obedience to Laws and Government NO Wonder then we stand up so vigorously for our Old Laws since in maintaining them consists our Perfect Freedom our greatest Liberty And herein too is the King chiefly solicitous because it tends so much to our real Good and Happiness Therefore saith he to his Parliament I shall consent to any reasonable Bills you shall offer me for the Good 30. His willingness to consent to any reasonable Bills for the Good of the Nation The King's Speech Thursd May 23. 1678. pag. 6. and Safety of the Nation AND He thus continues MY Lords and Gentlemen I shall say no more but only to assure you whatsoever some ill Men would have believed I never had 31. The King never had any Intentions but of Good to his People and will do all things for their Safety any Intentions but of Good to you and to my People nor ever shall but will do all that I can for your Safety and Ease AND Wherein does our Safety and Ease more consist than in an orderly Government by Law which preserves to every Man his true Rights and Interests And is there any Invasion on us here Are not the
not express our great Joy and thankfulness for his Speak of the House of Commons Speech to the King in the Banquet-House at Whitehal Nov. 9. 1660. p. 3 4. continual and indefatigable labour and pains in repairing and making up our sad breaches and composing our unhappy differences and in particular for this his most gratious declaration concerning Ecclesiastical affairs wherein his Majesty hath provided wholesom food for all clean Stomacks strong meat for such as are able to bear it allowing them the use of our Church Liturgy together with comely vestments Ornaments and Ceremonies in the service and worship of God as likewise Milk for tender Babes dispensing with their Conformity in such matters and things as are not so much of the substance and Essence of Faith and Religion as of Decency and becomingness which giveth abundant 29. Which will abundantly satisfie all reasonable and sober men and such as are truly Religious satisfaction to all peaceable sober minded men and such as are truly Religious for those that are really and truly so will find themselves bound ever in Conscience to the observation and practice of that excellent lesson taught us by the Apostle which is sapâ—re ad temperantiam spartam ornare with a Vade tu fac simile AND this General Thanks of that whole house was not 30. His Majesty very well deserved that thanks of the House of Commons presented rashly and precipitately to the King for if you will please to hear further what he did for the settling of the Church upon firm foundations you will find they had good reason for their so doing For 1. Sayes he He do declare our 31. The Kings Resolution for promoting the power of Godliness in having the Lords day duly observed purpose and Resolution is and shall be to promote the power of Godliness to encourage the exercises of Religion both publick and private and to take care that the Lord's day be applied to holy exercises without unnecessary divertisements and that insufficient negligent and scandalous Ministers be not permitted in the Church 32. In turning insufficient Ministers out of the Church and that as the present Bishops are known to be men of great and Exemplary Piety in their Lives which they have manifested in their notorious and exampled sufferings 33. In providing learned and pious Bishops to govern in the Church during these late distempers so we shall take special care by the assistance of God to prefer no men to that office and charge The King 's Declarat concern Ecclesiast Affairs pag. 10. but men of Learning Virtue and Piety who may be themselves the best Examples to those who are to be governed 34. They shall be frequent Preachers unless sickness or some notable occasion excuse them by them And we shall expect and provide the best we can that the Bishops be frequent Preachers and that they do very often Preach themselves in some Church of their Diocess except they be hindered by sickness or other bodiln infirmities or some other justifiable occasion which shall not be thought justifiable if it be frequent AGAIN it is said in Pag. 12. 13. Fol. 5. We will take care that Confirmation be rightly and solemnly performed by the Information and with the consent of the Minister of the place who shall admit none to the Lords 35. Confirmation rightly performed Supper till they have made a credible profession of their Faith and promised Obedience to the will of God according 36. None to be admitted to the Lords Supper till they have professed their faith c. as is expressed in the considerations of the Rubrick before the Catechism and that all possible diligence be used for the instruction and reformation of scandalous offenders whom the Minister shall not suffer to partake of the Lords Table until they have openly declared them 37. Care taken to instruct and reform all scandalous offenders and not to let such communicate c. selves to have truly repented and amended their former naughty lives as is partly expressed in the Rubrick and more fully in the Canons Moreover the Rural Dean and his Assistants are in their respective divisions to see that the Children and younger sort be carefully instructed by the respective Ministers of every Parish in the grounds 38. Ministers to see that youth be instructed in the grounds of Christian Religion of Christian Religion and be able to give a good account of their Faith and Knowledge and also of their Christian conversation conformable thereunto before they be confirmed by the Bishop or admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 6. NO Bishopsh all exercise any Arbitrary Power or do 39. Bishops only to act according to the law of the Land or impose any thing upon the Clergy or the people but what is according to the known Law of the Land Pag. 14. 7. WE are very glad to find that all with whom we 40. A set form of worship held lawful by all have conferred do in their Iudgments approve their Liturgy or set form of publick Worship to be lawful which in our Iudgment for the preservation of Vnity and Vniformity we conceive to be very necessary and though we do esteem the Liturgy of the Church of England contained in the book of Common Prayer and by Law established to be the best we have seen and We believe that We have seen all that are extant and used in this part of the world and well know what reverence most of the Reformed Churches or at least the most learned men in those Churches have for it yet since we find some exceptions 41. Yet since some things in the Liturgy are excepted against Divines on both sides shall reveiw and alter what is thought most necessary made against several things therein we will appoint an equal Number of learned Divines of both persuasions to review the same and to make such alterations as shall be thought most necessary and some additional forms in the Scripture phrase as near as may be suited unto the nature of the several parts of worship and that it be left to the Minister's choice to use one or other at his discretion In the mean time and till this be done although we do heartily wish and desire that the Ministers in their several Churches because they dislike 42. Tho some clauses be disliked yet let those parts be read against which there can be no exception some clauses and expressions would not totally lay aside the Book of Common Prayer but read those parts against which there can be no exception which would be the best instance of declining those marks of distinction which we so much labour and desire to remove yet in compassion to divers of our good subjects who scruple the use of it as now it is Our will and pleasure is that none be 43. But if not none shall be punished or
and in time some prevalent Sect vvill at last contend for an Establishment vvhich for ought can be foreseen may end in Popery IT is a thing altogether vvithout Precedent and vvill take avvay all means of Convicting Recusants and be inconsistent vvith the Method and Proceedings of the Lavvs of England LASTLY it is humbly conceived that the Indulgence proposed vvill be so far from tending to the Peace of the Kingdom that it is rather likely to occasion great disturbance And on the contrary the asserting of the Lavvs and the Religion Established according to the Act of Uniformity is the most probable means to produce a Setled Peace and Obedience throughout your Kingdom because the variety of Professions in Religion vvhen openly indulged doth directly distinguish Men into Parties and vvithall gives them opportunity to count their Numbers vvhich considering the Animosities that out of a Religious Pride vvill be kept on foot by the several Factions doth tend directly and inevitably to open disturbance nor can your Majesty have any security that the Doctrine or Worship of the several Factions vvhich are all governed by a several Rule shall be consistent vvith the Peace of your Kingdom These Reasons vvere too povverful for his Majesty not to be 65. These Reasons o're-powred the King so that He yielded to them and He hoped that the Truly Religious and Peaceable would soon do so too overcome by them and therefore he yielded to their force and prevalency and doubted not but in a little vvhile The Truly Religious and the Peaceable vvould likevvise be brought over to a submissive Acquiescence and a dutiful compliance with them and that their minds would be better composed and the Peace of the Church Established And though he was verily perswaded That the great Piety and Devotion the Moderation Wisdom Charity and Hospitality of the Bishops would in a short time recover the Weak and the Misled to 66. And that by the Bishops Care and Example the Weak would be brought over to their Primitive Temper of Obedience to Laws and Government their Primitive Temper of a chearful Obedience and Submission to Laws and Government and so to be the best Neighbours and the best Friends and the best Subjects of the World yet was he not also insensible that the forwardness and pride of some might not be yet enough subdued The Humours and Spirits of such Men being too rough and boisterous and therefore was willing that there should be prepared sharper Laws and Penalties to contend with those Refractory Persons and to break that stuborness which would not bend to gentler 67. That those who would not must feel the weight of sharper Laws Applications and it is great reason that they upon whom Clemency cannot prevail should feel that severity they have provoked but still the Execution of those sharp Laws depends upon the Wisdome of the King who is the most discerning 68. But yet the Execution of those Laws depended on the King who was merciful and of a tender conscience himself generous and merciful Prince in the world and of so excellent a Nature and so tender a Conscience himself that he hath the highest compassion for all Errours of that kind as before is said But his constant zeal for the Church hath been visible throughout the whole course of his Reign scarce can he admit a Speech to come from him unless it hath in it some 69. His constant zeal the Church went above all things earnest request that his Parliament would take care of the Protestant Religion That they would see to secure the Church of England and to keep that up in all its just and Antient Rights THIS Zeal of his for the Church after the Dreadful Conflagration of his great City of London made the King so earnest with them soon after to get up some of their Churches Reedified that so the Service of God in the publick Worship might be performed and that we might there mourn for those our grievous sins which was the cause of Gods so heavy a judgment upon us These are his words We do heartily recommend it to the Charity and Magnanimity of all well-disposed Persons 70. How instant the King was to have Churches Rebuilt after the Fire of London that some might have publick places to worship and serve God in and we heartily pray unto Almighty God that he would infuse into the hearts of Men speedily to endeavour by degrees to Reedifie some of those many Churches which in this Lamentable Fire have been burnt down and defaced that so men may have those publick places of God's Worship to resort to to humble themselves together before him upon this his heavy dipsleasure and joyn in their Devotion for his future mercy blessing upon us as soon as we shall be informed 71. The King invites his People to it by the promise not only of his assistance and direction but of his Bounty too any readiness to begin such a good work we shall not only give our assistance and direction for the Model of it and freeing it from Buildings at so near a distance but shall encourage it by our own Bounty and all other ways we shall be desired Is not this sufficiently expressive of his zeal for upholding the True Religion What after this astonishing Judgment of Fire upon the Metropolitan City of this Kingdom was the King's first care ought to have been that of us all to endeavour to have God worshipped in his Sanctuary for this makes up the Beauty of Holyness and declares our great desires for what we all do at least outwardly profess to believe the Communion of Saints NOR did his Majesty rest here his zeal for the Church was his zeal for the service of it and he was resolved that nothing justly belonging to it should be lost Says He Our Care and Endeavours for the Preservation 72. His Majesty hath all along shewâ—d his care to preserve the Rights and Interests of the Church of the Rights and Interests His Majesties Declaration to all his Loving Subjects March 15. 1671. pag. 3. 4. of the Church have been sufficiently manifested to the World by the whole course of our Government since our happy Restauration and by the many and frequent ways of Coercion that we have used for reducing all erring or dissenting persons and for composing the unhappy differences in matters of Religion which we found among our Subjects upon our Return but it being evident by the sad experience of twelve years that there is very little 73. By the way the Supream Power in Ecclesiastical Matters is not only inherent in the King but is Recognised so by divers Acts of Parliament Fruit of all those forcible Courses We think our Self obliged to make use of that Supreme Power in Ecclesiastical Matters which is not only inherent in us but hath been declared and recognized to be so by several Statutes and Acts of Parliaments and
Laws in full force and power and hath not 32. Our Safety most consists in being govern'd by Law Justice been equally and impartially administred to all ever since the happy Restoration of the King LET There be then no Complaining in our Streets no Murmurings 33. And if our Civil Rights can be yet made more firm to us the King's Heart is full of gracious Intentions for our general Satisfaction in our Borders if we have not Laws enough to secure and please us if we think our Liberties and Civil Rights can be yet more firmly established to us then let us lay down our just Necessities before him Who saith God knows Our Heart is full of Gracious Intentions The King's Declaration to all his Loving Subjects Dec. 26. 1662. pag. 13. not only for the Plenty and Prosperity but for the Vniversal Satisfaction of the Nation And no doubt but he will concur with us in all things which may advance our Peace and preserve our Just Rights to us THIS We may stedfastly believe when he assures his Parliament 34. For nothing can be reasonably proposed but he will readily receive That If there be any thing you think wanting to secure Property there is nothing The King's speech Jan. 7. 1671 4. pag. 4. which you shall reasonably propose but I shall be ready to receive it THEREFORE Be but pleased your selves 35. Therefore being pleased our selves he is best pleased and perswade others to be so contrive all the ways â—â—e Lord Chanâ—â—llor's Speech â—eptemb 13. â—â—60 pag. 23. imaginable for your own Happiness and you will make him the best pleased and the most happy Prince in the World NOW nothing recommends the present Age 36. Nothing so much recommends the present Age as the good Laws made in it unto Posterity so much as the Wisdom and the The Lord Keepers Speech Apr. 13. 1675. p. 15. Temper of the Laws that are made in it for all succeeding Ages judge of our Laws as we do of our Ancestors by the true and unerring Rule of Experience IN Making of Laws therefore it will import us to consider that too many Laws are a Snare for Id. ibid. 37. But too many Laws are a Snare Mr. Grivel in 35 Eliz. said in Parliament as Sir Robert Filmer reports it in his Freeholders Grand Inquest he wished not the making of many Laws since the more we make the less Liberty we have our selves Her Majesty not being bound by them 38. Too few a Weakness in the Government pag. 49 50. too few are a weakness in the Government too gentle are seldom obeyed too severe are as seldom executed And Sanguinary Laws are for the most part either the Cause 39. And Sanguinary Laws either the Cause or Effect of a Distemper in the State or the Effect of a Distemper in the State TO establish this State there seems not to need Id. ibid. many new Laws some will always be wanting And therefore saith the King to his Parliament in his Speech before this of my Lord Chancellor's The principal End of my Calling you now is to know what The King's Speech Apr. 13. 1675. pag. 3. 40. Some Laws will always be wanting you think may be yet wanting to the Security of Religion and Property THIS Speech of the King 's as my Lord Chancellor says very 41. Therefore the King calls his Parliament to know what is wanting truly Was in order to unite the Hearts of his The Lord Chancellor's Speech Apr. 13. 1675. pag. 8. Parliament and People to himself by all the Emanations of Grace and Goodness that from a great and generous Prince can be expected And here 42. And this in order to unite the Hearts of both Parliament and People to him The King is pleased to add the Consideration of your Id. ibid. Liberties and Properties And while he does so you may be sure that he who is so careful of your Rights will be mindful of his own too for he that does Justice to all can never be wanting to himself AND Saith the King about two Months after I think I 43. And he that is so careful of our Rights sure ought to mind his own have given sufficient Evidence to the World that I have not been wanting on my part The King's Speech to both Houses Jun. 9. 1675. pag. 3. in my Endeavours to procure the full Satisfaction of all my Subjects in the matters 44. The King not wanting in his endeavours to have all his people satisfied in matters both of Religion and Property both of Religion and Property I have not only invited you to those Considerations at our first Meeting but I have been careful through this whole Session that no Concern of my own should divert you from them RELIGION and Liberty stand secured by The Lord Keepers Speech Jan. 7. 1673 4. p. 19. the most Sacred Ties that are Nay the King 45 45 He invited his Parliament to those Considerations not only at first but all along 46 46 Religion and Liberty secured by the most sacred Ties that are 47 47 The King's Interest to prefer both greater than ours hath a greater Interest in the preservation of both than you your selves for as Religion the Protestant Religion commands your indispensable Obedience so it is a just and lawful Liberty which sweetens that Command and endears it to you DOTH not every man see that the King hath 48. The King hath given new life and motion to Laws given new Life and Motion to such Laws as were The Lord Keeper's Speech Jan. 7. 1673 4. pag. 19. long dead or fast asleep HATH he not commanded a rigorous and severe Prosecution at Law of all the Officers and Soldiers in His 49. All Officers and Soldiers severely to be prosecuted when they misbehave themselves Majesty's ordinary Guards when they mis-behave themselves towards the meanest Subject And doth not this secure your Properties ARE not all the Priviledges from Arrests which were claimed by His Majesty's Servants extraordinary Id. ibid. who are very numerous abrogated And doth not this 50. All Priviledges of Arrests claimed by any of the King's Servants abrogated prevent the Delays and Obstructions of Justice THESE are not single and transient Acts but such Acts as flow from Habits These are not Leaves Id. ibid. and Blossoms but true solid and lasting Fruits Long long may that Royal Tree Live and Flourish upon which these Fruits 51. These not single and transient Acts but such as flow from Habits do grow BUT the King doth not think this yet sufficient but he will go further on and give us new Assurances that nothing can be more welcome to him than the receiving of such Bills from his Parliament as may truly tend to the Happiness and Ease of his 52. The King ready to gratifie his People in further securing
to find all his Subjects at once in his Arms and himself in theirs SAITH this Gracious Majesty in his Declaration to all his 104. The King accounts his Dignity and Greatness more happily founded on his Clemency and his Subjects Loves than in their Fears and his Power Loving Subjects It hath been always a constant Profession of ours that we do and Decemb. 26. pag. 5. shall ever think our Royal Dignity and Greatness more happily and securely founded on our own Clemency and our Subjects Loves than in their Fears and our Power WHICH most sincere Profession of ours goeth he on may suffice also to expose the Id. ibid. Wickedness and Falshood of that Malice concerning 105. What malice is that to talk of his Arbitrary Government the Design of introducing a way of Government by Military Power NO He knows a better way of Ruling than by that of the Sword it is both more easie and more suitable and agreeing with his Nature his Clemency He had rather come to you in Love than in Power 'T is in your Hearts he aims to live for there he finds his Surest Rest THE King of Spain's Mines will sooner deceive him than that Revenue will fail him for his The Speech of the Speaker of the House of Commons to the King Saturd Decemb. 29. 1660. at their Dissolution pag. 31. Mines have Bottoms but the deeper His Majesty sinks himself into the Hearts and Affections of his People the greater he will find his Wealth to be and the more invincible his Strength THEREFORE did the King ingenuously deal 106. Never any King valued himself more on his People's Love than he doth with us all when he said Never King valued himself more upon the Affections of his People The King's Speech Aug. 29. 1660. p. 5. than I do nor do I know a better way to make my self sure of your Affections than by being just and kind to you all and whilst I am so I pray let the World see that I am possessed of your 107. And the best way to have their Loves is by being just to them all Affections AND saith the Lord Chancellor The King thinks himself the happiest and the greatest Prince of the World not from the Scituation of his Dominions and the The Lord Chanceller's Speech Decemb. 29. 1660. p. 17 18. 108. The King thinks himself the happiest Prince of the World from being possessed of his People's Hearts and Affections Power of his great Navy with which he can visit his Neighbours and keep them from visiting him or from the Noble Revenue you have setled upon him which he will improve with all good Husbandry But from being possessed of the Affections and Hearts of such Subjects that ☜ he doth so entirely love them and depend upon them that all his Actions and all his Counsels shall tend to no other end but to make them happy and prosperous that he thinks 109. And all his Actions and Counsels shall tend to no other end but to make them happy and prosperous his Honour and his Interest principally to consist in providing for and advancing the Honour and Interest of the Nation that he is so confident in the multitude of his very good and faithful Subjects that he is very hard to be perswaded that his few ill and unfaithful Subjects can do him much harm that he so much depends upon the Affection of honest Men and their Zeal for his Security that he is not so sollicitous and vigilant for his own Safety as he ought to be amidst so many Combinations of which he is so well informed that his Servants who with Grief and Anguish importune him not to take so little care of his own safety can obtain no other Answer from him than what Caesar heretofore gave to his jealous Friends Mori se male quam timeri or timere He will die any death rather than live in fear of his own Subjects or that they should live in fear of him 110. His Lenity and Mildness is remarkable HIS Lenity and Mildness and his great and wonderful Condescentions to his People do plainly testifie that all his Endeavours have been and his Resolutions are to make his Kingdom a 111. Therefore let other Princes glory in their Subjects Obedience the King only values himself on his People's Affections Kingdom of Loves to them LET other Princes glory in the most refined The Lord Keeper's Speech Jan. 7. 167◠4. pag. 19 20. Obedience of their Vassals His Majesty values himself upon the Hearts and Affections of his People and thinks his Throne when seated there better established than the most exalted Soveraignty of those who tread upon the Necks of them that rise up against them SINCE the World stood never had any King so great a 112. Never had any King such cause to rest on this Security cause to rest upon this Security THEY were your Hearts that mourned in secret for the absence of the King They were your Hearts and Affections to the King which tired out all the late Usurpations by your invincible Patience and Fortitude It was you that taught our English 113. For the People's hearts have been seen all along towards him World to see and know that no Government could be setled here but upon the true Foundations of Honour and Allegiance WHAT may not the King now hope for from you What may not you assure your selves from him Can any thing be 114. Therefore what may not the King hope for from them and what may not they assure themselves of from him difficult to Hearts so united to Interests so twisted and interwoven together as the King 's and yours are BEFORE ever he touched the English Shore of his own free motion how graciously was he pleased to declare that he granted a free and general Pardon to all his Subjects how hainous soever any of their Offences had been to him excepting only some few Persons as should afterwards be excepted by Parliament 115. How readily did he pass the Act of Oblivion so that no Crime should be remembred against them to the prejudice of their Lives Liberties Estates or Reputations and how readily did he pass the Act of Indemnity and Oblivion when it was presented to him To the intent as the Act in the Preamble expresses it that no Crime whatsoever committed against His Majesty or his Royal Father should hereafter rise in Judgment or be brought in question against any of them to the least Endammagement of them either in their LIVES LIBERTIES or ESTATES or to the prejudice of their Reputations by any Reproach or term of distinction and to bury all Seeds of future Discords and remembrance of the former as well in his own Breast as in the Breasts of his Subjects one towards another and that so there should be a firm Resettlement of both his own just Rights and the Rights of his People I say
how readily did he pass that Act And Certainly there can be no greater Evidence The Kings Declaration Dec. 26 1662. pag. 4 5. 116. And there can be no greater Evidence that the passing it proceeded from his Clemency than his care to have it confirmed by a new Act. that the Passing it did proceed from the Clemenly of our Nature as he himself hath said it than that we have been pleased to make it our especial care to have it confirmed by a new Act and whereas saith he we not only consented unto but most earnestly desired the passing that Act at first and confirming it since as being no less conformable to our Nature than conducible to a happy Settlement so we do hereby most solemnly renew unto all 117. And it never shall be in the power of any to make him decline the strict Observance of it our Subjects concerned in it this Engagement on the Word of a King that it shall never be in the power of any Person or Interest whatsoever to make us decline from the Religious Observance of it AND what high and losty things doth he speak of it saith he I shall conclude with this which I cannot say too often nor you too often where The King's Speech Decem. 29 1660. p 4 5 you go for it was at the Dissolution of that Parliament that next to the miraculous Blessing of God Almighty 118. He did impute the Security we were all in to that happy Act. and indeed as an immediate Effect of that Blessing I do impute the good Disposition and Security we are all in to the happy Act of Indemnity and Oblivion that is the principal Corner-Stone which supports this excellent Building that creates kindness 119. That the chief Corner-Stone that supports this excellent Building in us to each other and Confidence is our joynt and common Security You may be sure I will not only observe it Religiously and Inviolably my self but also exact the Observation of it from others And if any 120. Confidence our joynt and common Security Person should ever have the boldness to attempt to perswade me to the contrary he will find such an Acceptation from me as he would have who should perswade me to burn MAGNA CHARTA cancel all the old 121. What Acceptation he should find that would go about to divert him from the Observation of it Laws and to erect a new Government after my own Invention and Appetite WHEN His Majesty came to see his new Parliament what was one and a great part of his Speech to them but this Above all I must repeat what I said when I was last here saith he that next to the miraculous Blessing of God Almighty and indeed as an immediate Effect of that 122. Still he calls this Act the chief Corner-Stone that supports this excellent Building Blessing I do impute the good Disposition and Security we are all in to the happy Act of Indemnity and Oblivion that is the principal Corner-Stone which supports this excellent Building that creates Kindness in us to each other and Confidence is our joynt and common Security 123. That Confidence is our joynt and common Security I am sure I am still of the same Opinion The King's Speech May 8. 1661. at the Opening of the Parliament pag. 2 3. and more if it be possible of that Opinion than I was by the Experience I have of the Benefit of it and from the unreasonableness 124. He is of the same Opinion he was by the experience he had of the benefit of it of what some Men say against it though I assure you not in my hearing In God's Name provide full Remedies for any future Mischiefs be as severe as you will against new Offenders especially if they be so upon old Principles and pull up those 125. Therefore when any clamour against it be as severe as possible against such new Offenders upon old Principles Principles by the Roots But I shall never think him a Wise Man who would endeavour to undermine or shake that Foundation of our Publick Peace by Infringing that Act in the least degree or that he can be my Friend or wish me well who would perswade me ever to consent to the Breach of a Promise I so solemnly made when I was abroad and performed with that 126. He is no wise Man who shall go about to infringe that Act in the least degree or can he be the King's Friend who would make him break such a Promise Solemnity because and after I promised it I cannot suspect any Attempts of that kind by any Men of Merit and Vertue AND now it would be very unseasonable and unreasonable to endeavour to shake that Foundation The Lord Chancellor's Speech to the same p. 10 11. which if you will take the King's Judgment supports the whole Fabrick of our Peace and Securirity He tells you what he shall think of any who goes about 127. This is a Zeal no Prince could be transported with but himself to undermine that Foundation which is a Zeal no Prince could be transported with but himself It might have seemed enough for a King who had received so many Injuries so hardly to be forgotten undergone so many Losses so impossible to be repaired to have been willing to confirm and to re-enact the Act of 128. For him after such Indignities c. to prepare such an Act for us and to conjure his Parliament by all their Friendship to him to dispatch it is a piece of Fatherly tenderness indeed Oblivion and Indemnity when you should present it to him But to prepare such an Act for you to conjure you by all that is precious by your Friendship to him to dispatch those Acts with Expedition is such a piece of Fatherly Tenderness and Piety as could proceed from no Heart but such a one in which God hath treasured up a stock of Mercy and Justice and Wisdom to redeem a Nation And truly My Lords and Gentlemen for our selves if we consider how much we owe to those who with all the Faculties of their Souls contributed to and contrived the blessed Change the restoring the King to his People and his People to the King and then how much we owe to those who gave no Opposition to the Vertuous Activity of the other and God knows a little opposition might have done much 129. For there were but few who did not deserve to be forgiven by him harm whether we look upon the Publick or upon our own private Provocations there will remain so few who do not deserve to be forgiven by us that we may very well submit to the King's Advice and his Example of whom we may very justly say as a very good Historian said of a very great Emperor and 130. The only Instances of the King's Greatness and Power over us have been the giving of us Peace Honour and Security
I am sure it could never be so truly said of any Emperor as of ours Facere recte cives suos Princeps Optimus faciendo docet cumque fit imperio Maximus Exemplo Major est Nor indeed hath he yet given us or have we yet felt any other Instances of his Greatness and Power and Superiority and Dominion over us Nisi as he said out levatione periculi aut accessione dignitatis by giving us Peace Honour and Security which we could not have without him by desiring nothing for himself but what is 131. This made the House of Commons unanimously return him their Thanks for his constant Observance of the Act of Oblivion as good for us as for himself AND certainly the Consideration of this made the Honourable House of Commons Resolve upon the Question Nemine contradicente That the Humble Thanks of their House should be returned to the King's Majesty for his Constancy Feb. 25. 1652. pag 3. Of the House of Comâ—â—â— Votes and Oâ—â—ers then in the Observation of the Act of Indemnity AND also it was then Resolved c. Nemine contradicente That the Humble Thanks of their House 132. As also for his professing against introducing a Government by Military Power should be returned to the King's Majesty for his Profession against Introducing a Government by a Military Power in his Declaration to all his Loving Subjects Decemb. 26. 1662. AND in the Speech which their Speaker delivered in the Name of the whole House Feb. 26. 1662. p. 6 7. he saith thus We your Majesty's most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects c. do for our selves and in the Names of all the Commons of England render to your Sacred Majesty the Tribute of our most hearty Thanks for that infinite Grace and Goodness wherewith Your Majesty hath been pleased to publish your Royal Intentions of adhering to your Act of Indemnity and Oblivion by a constant and Religious Observance of it And our Hearts are farther enlarged in these Returns of Thanksgivings when we consider Your Majesty's most Princely and Heroick Professions of relying upon the Affections of your People and abhorring all sort of Military and Arbitrary Rule AS for the several Sums of Money which have been given to 133. As for his laying out the Moneys that have been given him His Majesty have they not been given him upon the Nation 's Account and for its Good Welfare and Security We have had briefly a By-regard to our own selves and it was the sake of our dear Interest and Safety that made us so full of Generous Liberality to him and how all those great Sums have been laid out to those Ends you shall not take my Word for it but as I have done all along hitherto so I will still continue what must needs be your best and fullest satisfaction to repeat to you the King 's own Words WHEN the House of Commons had passed the Bill entituled An Act for a speedy Provision of Money to pay off and disband all the Forces of this Kingdom both by Sea and Aug. 29. 1660. The Speech of the Speaker of the House of Commons to the King in the House of Lords pag. 7. Land Upon which they hoped such a Sum would be advanced and brought in as might be sufficient fully to discharge and dispatch that Work And humbly prayed His Majesty's Gratious Acceptance of and Royal Assent to it The King was pleased to come and tell them That he thanked them for the many good things they had done for The King's Speech to both Houses Septem 13. 1660 p. 4. him and for the Kingdom And saith he In truth I do thank you more for what you have done for the Publick than what you have done for my own particular and yet I do thank you too 134. He promises which is the best way he can take to gratifie his Parliament and People that not one Penny of it shall be laid out to his own particular Occasions till it is evident the Publick will not need it for that with all my heart But I confess to you I do thank you more for the Provision you have made to prevent Free Quarter during the time the Army shall be Disbanding which I take to be given for my Satisfaction than I do for the other Present you have made me for my own particular Occasions And I do promise you which is the best way I can take to gratifie you I will not apply one Penny of that Money to my own particular Occasions what shift soever I make till it is evident to me that the Publick will not stand in need of it and if it do every Penny of it shall be disbursed that way and I dare say I shall not be the poorer for it WHEN the King came to his Parliament the first day of their Meeting after their Adjournemnt he tells them The Occasion of my coming hither is Extraordinary It is to say something to you on my own behalf The King's Speech to both Houses Wednesd Novemb. 20. 1661. pag. 1 2. to ask somewhat of you for my self 135. And when his Majesty came again to ask them for some more Money he tells them if it did most concern himself and his Straits c. and did not manifestly relate to the publick Peace more than to his own particular he would not ask which is more than I have done of you or of those who met here before you since my coming into England I need not do it now They did and you do upon all Occasions express so great an Affection and Care of all that concerns me that I may very well refer both the matter and the manner of your doing any thing for me to your own Wisdoms and Kindness And indeed if I did think that what I am to say to you now did alone or did most concern my self if the uneasie Condition I am in if the Straits and Necessities I am to struggle with did not manifestly relate to the publick Peace and Safety more than to my own particular otherwise 136. For he can bear his own Necessities patiently enough than as I am concerned in the Publick I should not give you this trouble this day I can bear my Necessities which merely relate to my self with patience enough 137. And then after he had laid open the Obligations of the Crown to provide for the Interest Honour and Security of the Nation and declared to them the pressing Occasions that made him so earnest He desires them to examine throughly whether such Necessities were real or not or whether fallen by his fault upon us and give him accordingly AND having in short given them an Account of the Insupportable Weight that the Publick Necessities laid upon the Crown and the Obligations it lieth under to provide for the Interest Honour and Security of the Nation he says These are the pressing Occasions which I am forced to recommend to you with
Subjects as that We refer it to the same Persons to take Care of Vs who are trusted to provide for them We look upon you as Wise and Dispassionate 8. As being wise and dispassionate Men and good Patriots Men and good Patriots who will raise up those Banks and Fences which have been cast down and who will most reasonably hope the same Prosperity will again spring from those Roots from which it hath heretofore and always grown nor can We apprehend that you will propose any thing to Vs or expect any thing from Vs but what We are as ready to give as you to receive AND towards the latter end of the same Letter saith he We have thought fit to send you this Declaration 9. The King's Heart is in all this Declaration that you may as much as is possibly Id. pag. 7. at this distance see Our Heart which when God shall bring us nearer together as We hope He will do shortly will appear to you very agreeable to what We have professed IT was much al out that time no doubt that the Speaker of 10. England in the late times but a great Prison the House of Commons meant when he said that England was but a great Prison where the worst of Men were our Governors and their vilest Lusts the Laws by The Speaker's Speech to the King Aug. 29. 1660. pag. 3. which they governed THE Great and most Wise God conveyed Divine 11. The King's Restoration was our Deliverance from Sufferings Intelligence into your Patient and Pious Soul and taught you how by suffering for us to deliver us from our Sufferings to knock off our Shackles and set your People at liberty when neither Power nor Policy could effect it So soon as Your Majesty set your Foot upon your English Shore our Prison was turned into a Paradice of Pleasure and the whole Nation filled with Joy and Love and Peace THIS great Blessing is already registred in your 12. And so the People acknowledged in their Joys People's thankful Hearts and they desire that the Pag. ibid. sequen Memory thereof might be perpetuated and therefore they have laid it up amongst their choicest Jewels and annexed it to their MAGNA CHARTA which they are willing to pawn unto Your Majesty upon Condition when they forget this to forfeit that and all THIS was a most true and noble Saying and worthy such a Speaker And now the King being setled in his Throne and that Parliament having accomplished the Ends for which they had met and we all Received the Fruit and Benefit of their Counsels and Conclusions and they being willing to be 13. The Dissolution of that Parliament was at their own Requests relieved from the extraordinary Fatigue to which The Lord Chancellor's Speech Saturd Dec. 29. 1660. pag. 6 7. they had so long submitted and to return to the Consideration of their own particular Affairs which they had so long sacrificed to the Publick it was no wonder that such a reasonable wish and desire should bring the King to comply with them and he made no doubt but all succeeding Parliaments would pay them their Thanks for all they had done and look upon their Actions and their Example with all possible Approbation and Reverence BUT when His Majesty within a few Months after met his new Parliament and upon their Choice of Sir Edward Turner for their Speaker he was pleased to accept of him what high and lofty thoughts had that brave Man of this August Assembly YOU shall hear his own words and they are these and he had both the Houses within his view when he made his second Speech to the King after the Chancellor had declared the King's Approbation of the Choice of the House of Commons Pray let me beg Your Majesty's Patience for a while and 14. The sight of such an August Assembly is transporting from this place to look about me Sir a weak Sir Edward Turnor 's Speech May 10. 1661. two days after the Opening of the Parliament p. 5 6. Head is soon giddy but the strongest Brain may here be turned the Presence of this Glory and the Glory of this Presence do transport me Whilst I contemplate the Incomparable Beauty of this Body Politick and the goodly Order of this High Court of Parliament where at once I behold all the Glory of this Nation I am almost in the Condition of S. Paul when he was taken up into the Third Heavens all he could say upon his Return was he saw things unutterable AS the last Meeting here in Parliament was happy 15. The last Parliament happy in healing our bleeding Wounds in healing the bleeding Wounds of this Nation Id. pag. 9 10. so they were blessed even for their Works sake Your Sacred Majesty did bless them and therefore they shall be blessed to all Posterity BUT Sir we hope you have a Blessing left for us too That 16. This hopes to be so in an Emulation to exceed the Actions of their Predecessors was your Parliament by Adoption but this is yours by Birth-right This Parliament is Free-born I hope this Honour will beget in us an Emulation to exceed the Actions of our Predecessors and not only to meet Your Majesty as our Sovereign with the Duty of Subjects but with the Love of Sons to a most indulgent Father NEXT to the Glory of Your Majesty's Royal 17. The Glory of the House of Peers Throne I cannot but observe the brightness of this Id. ibid. Second Orb meaning the Noble Lords this Firmament is richly decked with Stars of several Magnitudes each Star appears like the Morning Star and yet each Star differs from another in Glory YOU cannot want Commanders either by Sea or Land to manage your Designs whilst all Id. ibid. these Sons of Mars stand Candidate to serve you in the Wars YOU cannot want Counsellors to advise you in the great Affairs of the Nation whilst all these Id. ibid. Senators each fit to be a Consul contend who shall most ease you in the Thorny Cares of the Government AMIDST these Noble English Barons and at Your Majesty's Feet are placed the Reverend Judges Id. ibid. sequent of the Land the Sages of the Law Men so Learned and expert in the Customs and Statutes of this Land that if Wat Tyler or Jack Cade or the new Fanaticks of this latter Age had burned our Books they were able to restore our Laws in Purity and Perfection AND next to these though in a lower Orb 18. Of the House of Commons appear the Worthy Knights the Prudent Citizens Id. pag. 11. and Burgesses of the House of Commons being the third Estate of Parliament WHEN the Fame of Solomon's Wisdom had filled the Neighbour Nations the Queen of Sheba Id. ibid. could not contain her self at home but with many Camels laden with Spices with Gold and Pretious Stones in Abundance
unseasonable Scruple in any Man who should have refused to bear his part in the excellent Transactions of that Parliament because he was not called thither by the King 's Writ And it would be a more unreasonable Scruple now in any man after we have all received the Fruit and Benefit of their Counsels and Conclusions when in truth we owe our Orderly and Regular Meeting at this time to their extraordinary Meeting then to their Wisdom in laying hold upon the King's Promises and to the King's Justice in performing all he promised and to the Kingdom 's Submission and Acquiescence in 31. A Parliament is that Foundation which supports the whole Fabrick of our Peace and Security those Promises I say it would be very unseasonable and unreasonable now to endeavour to shake that Foundation which if you will take the King's Judgment supports the whole Fabrick of our Peace and Security He tells you what he shall think of any who goes about to undermine that Foundation which is a Zeal no Prince could be transported with but himself WE use to say and say truly that the King when seated in Parliament is then in the fulness The Lord Chancellor's Speech March 6. 167â— â— pag. 18. 32. The King in Parliament is in the Fulness of his Majesty and Power of his Majesty and Power and shines forth with the brightest Lustre Let no Exhalations from beneath darken or obscure it FOREIGN Nations say and say truly that the King of England in Conjunction with his Parliament Id. ibid. 33. And as great and dreadful a Prince as any in Europe is as great and as dreadful a Prince as any in Europe IT was no less a Consideration you may be sure that made the King thus speak to both his Houses I need 34. No King so beholding to Parliaments as he hath been not tell you how much I love Parliaments The King's Speech to both Houses March 21. 166â— 4. pag. 6 7. Never King was to much beholding to Parliaments as I have been nor 35. The Crown cannot be happy without frequent Parliaments do I think the Crown can ever be happy without frequent Parliaments WHEN upon the King 's desiring the House of Commons to give the Triennial Bill a Reading in their House and upon their ready Obedience to that Request both the Houses presented His Majesty with a Bill entituled An Act for the Assembling and Holding of Parliaments once in three Years at the least And for the Repeal of an Act entituled An Act for the preventing of Inconveniences happening by the long Intermission of Parliaments His Majesty saith to them You will easily believe that I have come very willingly to give my The King's Speech Apr. 5. 1664. pag. 3 4. Assent to this Bill I do thank you very heartily for your so Vnanimous Concurrence in it and for desiring me speedily to finish it And if I understand any thing that concerns the Peace and Security of the Kingdom and the Welfare of my Subjects all which I study more than my Prerogative Indeed I consider my Prerogative only in order to preserving the other every good English Man will thank you for it For the Act you have repealed could only serve to discredit Parliaments to make the Crown Iealous of Parliaments and parliaments of the Crown and perswade Neighbour Princes that England was not Governed under a Monarch It could never have been the occasion of Frequent Parliaments I do promise you I will not be one Hour the less without a Parliament for this Act of Repeal For They are the Great Physicians of the Kingdom and as such can best search into the Distempers of the State and by their good and wholesome Prescriptions if they cannot absolutely bring it to its perfect Health they can at least preserve it in some very good degrees of CONVALESCENCE THIS made His Majesty to desire their Concurrence with him 36. A Parliament is the Great Physician of the Kingdom in his Just and Necessary Severity towards those that were resolved yet to keep up their Factious and Turbulent Spirits against the Peace of the State And though saith he I do very willingly pardon all that is pardoned by 37. Though Clemency be most agreeable to the King's Nature yet he will be severe to the editions dislikers of the Government the Act of Iudemnity yet for the time to The King's Speech to both Houses Aug. 29. 1660. p. 4 5. come the same Discretion and Conscience which disposed me to the Clemency I have expressed which is most agreeable to my Nature will oblige me to all Rigour and Severity how contrary soever it be to my Nature towards those who shall not now acquiesce but continue to manifest their Sedition and dislike of the Government either in Actions or Words And I must conjure you all my Lords 38. And desires the Parliament to concur with him in that just and necessary severity towards such and Gentlemen to concur with me in this just and necessary Severity and that you will in your several Stations be so jealous of the publick Peace and of my particular Honour that you will cause Exemplary Iustice to be done upon those who are guilty of Seditious Speeches or Writings as well as those who break out into Seditious Actions and that you will 39. The traducers of the King's Person are not well affected to Parliaments and the Publick Peace believe those who delight in reproaching and traducing my Person not to be well affected to You and the Publick Peace AND here as they found it most absolutely necessary for the good of the Weal-publick so to do they most readily and most religiously obey'd the Commands of their Sovereign Lord the King So that upon the day of their Dissolution he could not forbear in his Speech thus to deliver himself MY Lords and Gentlemen I will not entertain The King's Speech Decem. 29. 1660. p. 3. you with a long Discourse the sum of all I have to say to you being but to give you thanks very hearty thanks And I assure you I find it a very difficult Work to satisfie my self in my own Expressions of those Thanks Perfunctory Thanks Ordinary Thanks for Ordinary Civilities are easily given but when the Heart is as full as mine is it is a Labour to thank you You have taken great pains to oblige me and therefore it cannot be easie for me to express the sense I have of it THERE cannot be a greater manifestation of The Lord Chancellor's Speech to the same p. 6. 40. The greatest Evidence of the harmony of Affections throughout the Nation is when the King and his Parliament meet with the same alacrity at the Dissolution as at the first Convention an excellent Temper and harmony of Affections throughout the Nation than that the King and his two Houses of Parliament meet with the same Affections and Chearfulness the same Alacrity
had for each other which will restore Parliaments to the veneration they ought to have WHEN there is visible such a harmony of affections and a unity in resolutions to advance the publick service then they who look for troubles at home may despair of their wishes and our Neighbours abroad by seeing all is well at home 104. This will make our Enemies at home to despair and those abroad to have a just honour and esteem for us may have that esteem and value of us as may secure King's Speech to the House of Commons Mar 1. 1661. pag. 5. 7. the Interest and Honour of the Nation and make the happiness of this Kingdom and of this City once more the admiration and envy of the World WELL may the King therefore be solicitous to have this maintained since that the peace and security the honour and the happiness of these Nations is concerned in it This was a consideration 105. And this made the King to desire and conjure his Parliament again to keep a good correspondence together prevailing enough with him to desire and conjure both his Houses to keep a very good correspondence King's Speech to both Houses Mond 21 Mar. 1663 4. p. 8. together that it may not be in the power of any seditious or factious Spirits to make you jealous of each other or either of you jealous of Me till you see me pretend one thing and do another which 106. And not to be jealous of him till they see he pretends one thing and does another which shall never be I am sure you have never yet done trust me it shall be in no bodies power to make me jealous of you AND again saith his Majesty My Lords and Gentlemen I did desire and conjure you at the opening of this Session that you would keep a very good correspondence together that it might not be in the power of any seditious or factious Spirits to make you jealous of each other or either of you jealous of me I must confess to you you have 107. And they have done as his Majesty desired viz kept a very good correspondence towards each other and respect towards him King's Speech to both Houses Tuesd May 17. 1664. p. 3 4 complied very fully with me for which I can never thank you enough You have performed those good respects towards me and kept so very good correspondence towards each other that you have exceedingly disappointed those ill men who both at home and abroad had raised great hopes and expectation of neâ— troubles and confusions This harmony will with God's blessing make us all esteem'd abroad and secure at home ABOUT six years afterwards he comes to them and says One thing I must earnestly recommend to the prudence of hath Houses that you will not suffer any 108. Unity of Minds and Counsels brings happiness both to King and Nation King's Speech Mond 14 Feb. 1669 70. p. 4 5. occasion of difference between your selves to be revived since nothing but the unity of your Minds and Counsels can make this meeting happy either to Me or to the Nation AND on Monday the 11th of April 1670. upon the Adjournment of the Parliament the Speaker thus says to his Majesty By the blessing of God all differences are buried in 109. And they follow'd his Majesties wholsome advice oblivion your Majestie 's happy expedient hath Sir Edw. Turnor's Speech pag. 2. like a strong gale of Wind blown up the Rolling-Sands and filled up all Impressions Vestigia nulla Retrorsum and as your People will universally enjoy the fruit of this happy Union so our united prayers to God shall be that your Majesty may be crowned with the promised blessing Beati pacifici AND when about three years and a half after this the King had heard of some differences in Parliament which his Majesty thought fit to come and put a stop to by an immediate Prorogation how kindly and affectionately did he speak to both his Houses and say My Lords and Gentlemen I need not tell you how unwillingly I call you hither at this time being 110. How unwilling the King was to Prorogue his Parliament though it was to put a stop to some differences then risen enough sensible what advantages my Enemies King's Speech Nov. 4. 1673. p. 3. 4. both abroad and at home will reap by the least appearance of a difference nay being assured they expect more success from such a breach could they procure it than from their Arms. This I say shall whilst I live be my chief endeavour to 111. But it was but a short one that good men should recollect themselves prevent and for that reason I think it necessary to make a short Recess that all good men may recollect themselves against the next meeting AND the January following he tells them most affectionately 112. And therefore Enemies could not hope for a breach between the King and his Parliament from that short Recess When I parted with you last it was but for a little time and with a resolution of meeting suddenly again That alone was enough to satisfie my Friends that they need not fear and my Enemies that they could not hope for King's Speech Jan. 7. 1673 4. pag. 3 4. a Breach between us I then told you that the time of this short Recess should be employed in doing such things as might add to your satisfaction I hope I have 113. For in the mean time the King would do that which should be to their satisfaction done my part towards it and I do now expect you should do your parts too for our Enemies chief hopes are to dis-unite us at home 't is their common discourse and they reckon upon it as their best relief 114. All our Enemies aims are to disunite us My Lords and Gentlemen It is not possible for me to doubt your Affections at any time much less at such a time as this when the evidences of your 115. The King can never doubt the affections of his Parliament Affections are become so necessary to us all THE King hath spoken so fully so excellently well and so like himself that it is almost impossible to shew greater demonstrations of an earnest and tender affection and Lord Chanc. Sp. 5 Febr. 72 3. pag. 5. there is not a word in his Speech that hath not its full weight AND saith he in another The principal end of my calling you now 116. The Kings utmost endeavours to settle a right understanding is to give my self the satisfaction of having used the utmost of my endeavours to procure and settle a right and lasting understanding between us for I must tell you I find the contrary so much laboured and that the pernicious King's Speech Apr. 13. 1675. p. 3 4 designs of ill men have taken so much place under 117. For the contrary is much laboured
need of If you can weather this Storm and steer the Vessel into Harbour If you can find a way to quiet the Apprehensions of those who mean well without being carried away by the passions of others who mean ill If you can prevent the designs of those without doors who study nothing else but how to distract your Councels and to disturb all your Proceedings Then you will have performed as great and as seasonable a piece of Service to the King as ever yet he stood in need of AND when the World shall see that nothing hath been able to disappoint the King of the Assistance he had reason to hope from this Session but that there is a right understanding between the King and his Parliament and that again strengthned and increased by new Evidences of your Duty and Affection and raised above all possibility of being interrupted THEN shall the King be possessed of that true glory which 185. And he will be possest of the true glory which others vainly pursue others vainly pursue the glory of reigning in the hearts of his People Then shall the People be possessed of as much felicity as this World is capable of And you shall have the perpetual Honour and Satisfaction of having been the means to procure to 186. The People of the greatest felicity so much solid and lasting good to your Country as the Establishment of the Peace and Tranquillity of this Kingdom and 187. And themselves of perpetual Honour consequently of all his Majesties Dominions AND now what remains but that the Parliament when e're they sit again should have these most profitable words of the King continually in their Memories which he was pleased to deliver to both his Houses on Thursday 6th March 1678 9. p. 4. and 188. Parliaments to be imployed on the great concerns of the Nation 5. and carefully see that they Imploy their time upon the great concerns of the Nation and be not drawn to promote private Animosities under pretences of the publick So will their proceedings be Calm and Peaceable in order to those good ends the King hath at all times and to be sure will recommend to his 189. And to curbthemotions of unruly Spirits Parliament and that they curb the motions of any unruly Spirits which would endeavour to disturb them For there can be no man that must not see how fatal differences amongst 190. The considerations to be laid before them as urgent and weighty as ever any Parliament had our selves are like to be at this time both at home and abroad FOR the considerations which are now to be laid before them are as urgent and as weighty as were ever yet offered to any Parliament or indeed ever can be so great and so 191. From our dangers at home and a broad surprising have been our dangers at home so formidable Lord Chanc. Speech to the same p. 10. are the appearances of danger from abroad that the most united Councels the most Sedate and 192 Therefore all need of united Councels Calmest temper and zealous Affections the Calmest temper together with the most dutiful and zealous Affections that a Parliament can shew are all become absolutely and indispensably necessary for our preservation AND therefore the King hopes the good understanding 193. And a good understanding between the King and his People between him and his People shall be for ever maintain'd by a perpetual Reciprocation of Grace and Favour on his part and duty and affection on yours Id. pag. 16. YOU will have now an opportunity of doing great things for 194. They have opportunity to do great things both for the King and Kingdom the King and Kingdom and it deserves your utmost care to make a right use of it For it is not in the power of a Parliament to recover a lost opportunity or to restore themselves again to the same Circumstances or the same condition which they had once a power to have improved Id. pag. 17. WOULD you secure Religion at home and strengthen it 195. This is the time to secure Religion at home and to strenghten it from abroad from abroad by uniting the Interests of all the Protestants in Europe This is the time Id. ibid. WOULD you let the Christian World see the King in a condition 196. To put the King in a condition to protect all his Adherents able to protect those who shall adhere to him or depend upon him This is the time Id. ibid. WOULD you extinguish all our Fears and Jealousies Would you lay aside all private Animosities and give them up to the 197. To extinguish all Fears and Jealousies quiet and Repose of the Publick This is the time Id. ibid. WOULD you lay the foundations of a lasting Peace and 198. And to lay the foundations of a lasting Peace secure the Church and State against all the future Machinations of our Enemies This is the time Id. ibid. My Lords and Gentlemen THE present face of things and the State wherein we now are is so well known and understood abroad that the whole 199. All the World in great expectation of the Resolutions of the Parliament World is in great expectation of those Resolutions which shall be taken here the results of this Counsel seem to be decisive of the fate of these Kingdoms for many Ages and are like to determine us either to happiness or misery of a very long duration Id. pag. 18. MAY then your Wisdom and Moderation be such that the King may never deny you any thing AND when ever you meet may you make it your business to 200. May our Parliament make it their business to repair the Hedge about our Vineyard repair the Hedge about our Vineyard and make it a fence indeed against all those who are Enemies to the Planting of it who would be glad to see it trodden Lord Keepers Speech 7. Ja. 73 4. pag. 8. down or rooted up and study how to sap and under-mine our very Foundations THE Heathens were wont to observe and envy the Christians for their Unity and Love of one Sir Ed. Turnor's Sp. to the King May 17. 1664. pag. 12. 201. May a happy Correspondence be kept between the King and both Houses another Ecce ut invicem se diligunt Christiani May this happy Correspondency between his Royal Majesty and the two Houses of Parliament increase and grow to be the Envy of the World till all his Majesties Enemies are forced to cry Ecce ut invicem se diligunt Anglicani THERE wants nothing more to the improvement 202. May their wisdoms use their advantages with a due moderation of our happiness but the wisdom of the Parliament Lord Keepers Speech Jan. 7. 71 4. pag. 10. to use their advantages with a due moderation AND if upon enquiry you shall think it needful to apply any 203. Few