Selected quad for the lemma: state_n
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A27382
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The loyalty of the last Long Parliament, or, A letter to an English gentlemen at Florence shewing that the late Parliements address'd against did not so much intrench on the prerogative as that of XVIII years continuance, of whom His Majesty said \"never any king was so happy in a House of Commons as I in this,\" King's Answer, 20 Febr. 1663.
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T. B.
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1681
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Wing B187; ESTC R5136
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12,054
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22
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THE LOYALTY OF THE LAST Long Parliament OR A LETTER TO AN English Gentleman AT FLORENCE SHEWING That the late Parliaments Address'd against did not so much Intrench on the PREROGATIVE as that of XVIII YEARS Continuance of whom His Majesty said NEVER any KING was so happy in a House of Commons as I in this King's ANSWER 20 Febr. 1663. LONDON Printed for Francis Smith Senior 1681. THE LOYALTY OF THE LAST Long Parliament And their APPROVERS In a LETTER to an English Gentleman at Florence SIR I Received yours of Sept. 1. Stilo Novo wherein you are pleased to discover to me your Sentiments concerning the state of the Parties among us and the division of Minds about publick Affairs whence I readily perceive how obnoxious you that live in Popish Countries are to Mis-informations and False-conceptions of the state of your own Country For whilst you take your Measures either from publick Prints or private Letters written either by the Popish or Yorkian Party and such are all that are brought over and entertain'd by the Men of Intelligence where you are You are altogether as unable to give a right Judgment as he that determines a Cause having heard only one Party Hence it is you imagine that we here are now again divided in our Minds and Actings relating to Government just as we were forty years ago and that they are the same Men or those that succeed in the same Principles that are now prosecuting the same Ends even the alteration of Government both in Church and State and instead of Episcopacy and Monarchy to introduce Presbytery and Democracy Indeed it cannot be wonder'd that you who have liv'd so many years out of your own Country amongst strangers should harbour such conceits when even here where men have such plentiful means of true Information the Popish and Mercenary Agents working upon Prejudice in some Malice Envy and Revenge in others Jealousie in one sort and affectation of Prudence in another Prevail with many to forget Coleman's Letters Sir Edmundbury Godfrey's Murder and the Tryal of my Lord Stafford much more the dreadful Burning of London the the two Armies one of 73 the other of 78. The Declaration of Indulgence the Popish Designs of Clifford the Impeachment of Danby and the Popish Lords by divers Parliaments the many Sham-plots especially that discover'd by Dangerfield or the Meal-tub Plot the Subornation of Witnesses to take away the Life of the Duke of Buckingham and Dr. Oates by odious Accusations the Assassination of Justice Arnold and Attempts to corrupt Bedlow and others not to speak of the Tryal and Judgment given and executed upon Coleman and upon Godfrey's Murderers and upon the Jesuits and many other things which demonstratively prove the Plot of introducing Popery and Slavery into these Nations or in Coleman's own phrase Of utter subduing a pestilent Heresie c. And according to my Lord D. of Governing without a Parliament It cannot be wonder'd at I say that such as you should falsly conceive of the State of these Kingdoms But if you will have the patience to look a little back upon some few things that are past and compare them with things present you will easily perceive that it is not some factious men of Commonwealth Principles nor the Clamours of Non-conformists against Popery and Arbitrariness that forms the discontented and agrieved People among us but it is in truth the old and loyal Friends of the KING RELIGION and GOVERNMENT of England such as assisted His Majesty and his Royal Father in their Wars and Councels and the Successors and Adherents of such who constitute the Bulk of the substantial Men and Protestants in the Nation with whom the Dissenters joyn and fall in These are the men who for these nine or ten years last past have seen and set themselves against the Popish and Arbitrary Designs carried on by Cabal Councels and Parasites Indeed the Discovery of the horrid Popish Plot and Treasons did open the eyes of many who would not see these mischievous Designs till they had a Meridian Light That this is the Naked Truth will appear plainly to you if you consider with what earnest desire joy and applause His Majestry was restored to his Crown was ever any people so transported with Joy and Triumph as the people of England Insomuch that even those who where obnoxious to and suffered Capital Punishments afterwards were lull'd into a hope of Impunity by the universal Congratulation Then as soon as might be was the King 's Long Parliament call'd whilst the people was in this passion and they chose to be sure those especially whom they apprehended most grateful to the King and his Prerogative and most averse to the Principles and Practices of foregoing times This appear'd in all the Votes Addresses and Bills of that Parliament for many years wherein they set themselves with all their skill to assert the King's Power and Authority against Parliamentary Pretensions and had almost rais'd his Revenue to such a prodigious height that he should never need Supplies from his People They were so fully addicted to please the King that he Answ 20 Feâ— 1663. says Never any King was so happy in a House of Commons as He in this And surely he judg'd aright concerning them if the King's happiness consist in the Parliaments Concurrence with Cabinet Dictates Notwithstanding the Gentlemen of this House began after the dreadful Burning of London which to a Committee of their House was prov'd by many shrewd Evidences to be done by contrivance of the Papists to make Addresses against the Papists to repress their Insolencies But in the Year 1672 after the Plotters had procur'd the Exchequer to be shut up and the Properties of many Thousands of the People in it and that the Tripple League which cost the people so great Sums of Money in favour of it was dissolv'd and a War against Holland in Conjunction with France was commenc'd and the penal Laws against Papists and Dissenters dispenc'd with by Declaration the Commons in Parliament saw clearly which way they were driving and therefore as soon as they were permitted to sit Addrest the King against that Declaration of Indulgence informing Him That penal Statutes in matters Ecclesiastical cannot be suspended but by Act of Parliament And though â—â—br 4. â—672 His Majesty tell them in answer That they question His Power in Ecclesiasticks which he finds not done in the Reign of any of his Ancestors Yet they reply That his Majesty hath been very much misinformed since no such Power was ever claim'd or exercis'd by any of his Predecessors In fine His Majesty was induced to cancel that Declaration and declare it should be no President for the future Hereupon I would gladly ask our Boasters of Loyalty and Exclaimers against the late Parliaments excepting open and secret Papists for whose Interest this Indulgence was procur'd whether they approv'd of what the King did or of what the Parliament did in this
Affair If of the Declaration then they had the Presbyterians and Dissenters in Generall on their sides owning the Prerogative by taking Licences for exerciseing Worship and Religion contrary to Law if they did not approve of the Declaration but of the Address then let them acknowledge that at this turn the Dissenters were more Loyall as they call it and greater Adorers of Prerogative then themselves and that it is not the King's Prerogative which these love but their own Malignity and the Prerogative for the sake of that so that if the King should use his Prerogative contrary to their minds they would be as much against it as now they are for it Judge they as they will concerning it it 's a plain Case that the Parliament which sprang out of the most Ardent Affection that ever was in a People towards their Prince and out of the greatest Detestation of Republican Principles yet resolv'd that the King was deceiv'd by his Cabal Councillors in a matter which in the direct consequence of it tended to the interrupting the free course of the Laws and altering the Legislative Power And since the discovery of Coleman's Letters I think there 's none doubts but that Indulgence was the effect of Popish Councils and the Papists were the Persons who designed the greatest advantage to their cause by it If any Favour was intended for Dissenters by it it 's strange that His Majesty should not pass a Bill for Nulling of the Rigorous Act of the thirty five of Queen Elizabeth when it had already past both Houses of Parliament In the same Session of Parliament it was that the Parliament pass'd a Bill for imposing a Test against Popery upon all that should bear any Office Civil or Military in the Kingdom which the Duke of York submitting to had his Commission of High Admiral vacated but his Advice and Influence still vigorous By this means also my Lord Clifford was discover'd to be Popish and quitted his High Office of Lord Treasurer and great Minister of State Was it not high time for those in Parliament that had any love to their Religion and Government to look about ' em Or was it sawcily done for the Parliament to concern themselves with the King's Councellors and find fault with their managment Nay they proceeded so far in the next Session as to Address against the consummation of the Marriage between his Royal Highness and the Dutches of Modena which was already done by Proxy because she was a Papist And after they had receiv'd one Answer from his Majesty in this matter The Commons in Parliament proceed to give their reasons against it praying him to relieve his Subjects from those fears and apprehensions which at present they lie under from the Progress made in that Treaty That for another Age at the least this Kingdom will be under continual Apprehensions of the GROWTH of POPERY And the danger of the Octo. 31. 1673. Protestant Religion Here we see that the language of fears and apprehensions of the Growth of Popery and danger of Protestantism is as well the language of the King 's happiest Parliament that ever was as of the unhappiest Parliament of Forty One Three days after this they Address to his Majesty for a General Fast and that upon these Grounds viz. Being passionately sensible of the Calamitous condition of this Kingdom not only by reason of the War which was then mannaged against the Dutch wherein it is at present involved but many other intestine differences and divisions amongst us which are chiefly occasioned by the undermining contrivances of Popish Recusants whose numbers and insolencies are greatly of late increased and whose restless practises threaten a Subversion both of Church and State What is the difference now between this Seventy Three Parliament and that of Forty One Feb. 7. Following they shew there resentment of the Black-heath Army and resolve That the continuing of any standing forces in this Nation other than the Militia is a great grievance and vexation to the People What This Loyal Parliament talk of grievances and vexation to the People in the King's management of his Prerogative This House of Commons as well as some that have been since take upon them to pray the King to remove some of his Great Councellors from his Presence and their Publick Imployments But their Address against Duke Lauderdale Feb. 23. 75. is very remarkable both for the matter and language of it for thus they say Though we have great cause to rest assured of the continuance of your Majesties Gracious Disposition towards us yet we find upon a serious examination of the State of this Kingdom that there is a great jealousie arisen from some State-proceedings in the Hearts of your Subjects That some Persons in great imployment under your Majesty have fomented designs contrary to the Interest of your Majesty and People intending to deprive us of our antient Rights and Liberties that thereby they might the more easily introduce the Popish Religion and an ARBITRARY Form of GOVERNMENT to the Ruine and Destruction of the whole Kingdom Here 's a Charge with a Witness all the worst of Forty one Forms of Declaiming against the Government This is the Generall Charge let 's hear the Particular The said Duke of Lauderdale did Publickly affirm in the Presence of your Majesty sitting in Council And before divers of your Majesties Subjects then attending that your Majesties Edicts ought to be obeyed for your Majesties Edicts are equal with Laws and ought to be observed in the first place Thereby justifying the said Declaration of 15 March 71. and the proceedings thereupon and declaring his Inclinations to Arbitrary Councels in terrour of your Majesties good Subjects They conclude thus We do therefore in all humility implore your Sacred Majesty That for the ease of the hearts of your people who are possest with extream grief and sorrow to see your Majesty thus ABVSED and the Kingdom endangered That your Majesty would graciously be pleased to remove the said Duke of Lauderdale from all his Imployments c. Is not this Writing after the 41 Copy Is not this striking at His Majesty and the Government through his Ministers sides What! that House of Commons tell His Majesty he is abused and the Kingdom endanger'd which was chosen and nourish'd and indulg'd for 18 years together to be an ensample to all succeeding Parliaments But to proceed in His Majesties Answer to their Address of the 20 or 26th of May 77. advising him to enter into a League Offensive and Defensive with the States against France He tells them How highly he was offended at that great invasion of his Prerogative And in His Majesties Answer to their Address of Jan. 31 he reminds them of it But says He you take no notice of it but on the contrary add to your former ill Conduct new Invasions equally offensive to His Majesties Authority as contrary to His and He thinks most other mens judgments