Selected quad for the lemma: state_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
state_n	peace_n	province_n	unite_a	1,120	5	10.2827	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92525	The ansvver of the Commissioners of the kingdome of Scotland, to both Houses of Parliament, upon the new propositions of peace, and the foure bills to be sent to his Majestie.	Scotland. Parliament.	1647 (1647)	Wing S1180; Thomason E421_2; ESTC R203503	26,529	32

arise upon occasion of the late troubles And we conceive an Army should be kept up only in the case of a powerfull Insurrection within the Kingdom or of a forraign invasion from without and otherwise to maintain a perpetuall Army in the bowels of the Kingdom upon the expence of the subject when there is no enemy to fight with is but to enslave the King and Kingdome under a Military bondage When our Army returned to Scotland it was confidently expected that the Houses should have speedily disbanded their Army the warre being at an end and no visible enemy in the Kingdom and proceeded to the setling of a peace here and to the effectuall relief of Ireland But now after a full years delay almost we do not finde amongst all these propositions any thing concerning the disbanding of Armies or sending releif to that distressed Kingdom but on the contrary there is only provision made for keeping up armies and raising money for their maintenance Wee must therefore declare to the Houses that it is our judgment and earnest desire that there may be a Proposition for disbanding Armies in both Kingdome Armies were raised for defence of Religion the Kings person and authority the Priviledges of Parliament and the liberty of the subject And when they are no more usefull for these ends and the Houses may consult freely and act securely without any hostile opposition It is high time to disband them that the Laws of the Kingdom may take place Some of out neighbour nations are necessitated to keep up Armies because they have enemies that lie contiguous and adjoyning to their borders but the sea is our Bulwark And if wee study amity and peace amongst our selves and entertain the union between the Kingdoms under his Majesties government wee need not fear forrain invasion It is a Custome in other Nations to keep up Armies to levy monies by force But these are free Kingdoms and when they have been fighting for liberty and freedom wee trust that it is not intended that warre should be made a trade or that their warrs shall end in slavery The continuance of Armies will certainly increase factions and divisions to the great weakning of the Kingdoms will in end expose us as a prey to our enemies neither is it possible so long as they are kept up that there can be a setled peace The charge of entertaining Armies is needlesse when there is no enemy and extreamly grievous to the people who before were willing to bear it when they saw a necessity for it And now after so great sufferings and vast expence of Treasure to souldiers for many years together the burthen is become insupportable For these and many other reasons which wee could adde wee hold it most necessary That as there is a Proposition for payment of the arreares of the Army so also there be an addition unto it for their disbanding Touching the conferring titles of honor we desire the King who is the fountain of honor may not be deprived of that which in all ages and Kingdoms hath been held and esteemed a flowre of the Crown and wherewith Kings doe usually recompence the vertue and merites of such as doe memorable services to the Crown or Kingdome And as to the disposing of the great offices of State and nameing of privy Counsellors we conceive his Majesties offer in his late Message of the sixteenth of November to be so reasonable as may give satisfaction to the Houses That which we are to speak of next in order is the union and joynt interest of the Kingdoms where we wish we had not just cause to expostulate that the Houses have omitted the Covenant in these Propositions rejected all that concerns Vnity and Vniformity in Religion and have altered the former Proposition for confirmation of the Treaties and desired now only an Approbation of the making of them which amounts to no more then an Act of indemnity They have also in that Proposition omitted these words With all other ordinances and proceedings past betwixt the two Kingdoms and whereunto they are obliged by the foresaid Treaties which words were inserted in the former propositions after serious debate and therefore if the Houses intend to make good and perform all ordinances past betwixt the Kingdoms according to their manifold professions We desire that this Proposition may remain as before without any alteration or omission The proposition desiring his Majesties consent to what the two Kindoms shall agree upon in pursuance of the Articles of the large treaty which are not yet finished is omitted The joynt declaration of both Kingdoms is likewise omitted And generally throughout these Propositions all expressions of joynt interest are left out And whereas formerly the Propositions of both Kingdoms were drawn up together in one body now for separating the interest of the Kingdoms the Propositions for England are drawn up apart which new way when we did observe and what essentiall alterations omissions and additions were made in the matter of the Propositions we desired a conference for removing all differences and that we might the more speedily attaine to an agreement but it was not granted however we have herein discharged our duty that we use all means to prevent difference and that we for our part study to observe the Treaty betwixt the Kingdoms Where it is expresly provided in the eighth Article That no Cessation nor any pacification or agreement for peace whatsoever shall be made by either Kingdom or the Armies of either Kingdom without the mutuall advice and consent of both Kingdoms or their Committees in that behalf appointed and here we think it not amisse to remember the Houses of Parliament of their expressions in a declaration to the Lords States Generall of the united Provinces of the Low-Countries showing why they did not admit of the mediation of the Dutch Ambassadors between the King and Parliament in the way and manner it was desired without application to the Kingdome of Scotland The words of the declaration are that both the Kingdoms are mutually engaged in the Propositions and Treaty thereupon And that neither could admit of their Mediation without consent of the other because the two Kingdoms were united by solemn League and Covenant made to Almighty God and by league each to other as one entire body to prosecute this cause And that in pursuance thereof Propositions for a safe and well grounded peace were then preparing in a joynt way by the Parliaments of both Kingdoms And whereas the Lords Ambassadours had propounded and offered from the King the calling of a National Synode to correct and redresse the government of the Church by Bishops One of the Answers which was given thereunto in the said declaration was That not only the Kingdom of Scotland and the Members of both Houses of Parliament but also many thousands of others of his Majesties subjects of England and Ireland stand bound by their late Nationall Covenant to endeavour the extirpation of

the King from His Government And to be a burthen to the Subjects since the Warre is ended but that they may have due satisfaction of their Arreares and be disbanded without which there can be no reall nor lasting Peace That all Armies being disbanded here speedy reliefe may be sent to Ireland That an Act of Oblivion which is the bond of Peace be agreed upon to be past in the Parliaments of both Kingdomes That the King be restored to his Rights and Revenues and particularly that the Crowne be not excluded from the power of making Lawes which is as essentiall to Kings as to governe by Lawes and sway the Scepter Nor from the power of the Militia without which they can neither protect their Subjects oppose their and the Kingdomes enemies nor keep friendship with their Allyes That there be a conclusion added to the Propositions promising our reall endeavours as was done in the Propositions Treated upon at Vxbridge that his Majesty may live in the splendor and glory of his Royall Progenitors as beseemeth His Royall place and Dignity That so all differences and troubles may end in mutuall confidence and rejoycing the King may enjoy the comfort of His Royall Consort and Children with other contentments And wee after so great distractions and long continued sufferings may reap the blessed fruits of Truth and Peace under his Government And as it is very far from our thoughts and intentions in expressing our Differences upon the Propositions to provoke or give offence so we trust that our freedome in discharge of the trust committed to us proceeding from our zeale to Religion Loyalty to the King and love to Peace shall receive a co●di● Interpretation from the Honourable Houses And that they 〈◊〉 in their wisedome not slight the desires of a Kingdome ●ho 〈◊〉 the time of Englands greatest danger esteemed no 〈◊〉 too hard for their Assistance And are now seeking nothing but the performance of the mutuall Obligements Declarations and Treaties betweene the two Kingdomes And to prevent the dangers which may cause upon the 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 to solemne engagements The Houses of Parliament have frequ●ntly professed that the chiefe end of their Warres was the Re●orma●ion and establishment of Religion according to the Covenant And they have often Promised and Declared to the King and to all the World n●t without ●l●ep ●●esta●●● of the Name of God that no trouble or successe should ever make them wrong or diminish the power of the Crowne which were the chiefe mo●●●es and Arguments that indured Scotland to engage with them in this Warre Let therefore that be given to God which is Gods and to Caesar what is Caesars whereby it may be evident that you are not unmindfull of the solemne Vowes you made to God in the time of distresse for Reformation of Religion and it may also really appeare that 〈◊〉 advantages and power which 〈◊〉 put into your hands hath not 〈…〉 your Loyalty to the King And according to our many professions and neare 〈…〉 ●●ally and co●●●●●ly che●ish and str●ng then the V●ion between the two Kingdomes under his Majesty by all the Pledges of reciprocall kindnesse 〈◊〉 so Religion and Righteousnesse may flourish and both Kingdomes languishing under the 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 of an naturall Warre may live in 〈◊〉 pl●nty By Command of the Commissioners for the Parliament of Scotland IO. CHEIS●●● WEE 〈…〉 the In●●r●ctions communica●●●● unto 〈…〉 in the 〈◊〉 wherein the 〈…〉 the King care 〈◊〉 present 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 of Parliament 〈…〉 Procla 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 the Parliament to bee 〈…〉 or 〈…〉 to bee made and a new Proposition for the adjournments of both Houses To which Bills they are commanded to desire His Majesties assent by His Letters Patents under the great Seal of England and not otherwise And after His Majesties assent to those Bils the Houses of Parliament will send a Committee of both Houses to Treate with His Majesty in the Isle of Wight upon the remainder of the new Propositions To all which wee answer That although there be nothing which we more passionately desire then a happy Peace and good agreement with the King yet we cannot agree to this way of desiring His Majestyes assent to those four Bills before any Treaty with His Majesty upon other Propositions it being in our judgment neither for the good of Religion the King nor Kingdomes And first concerning Religion we say that in January 1645. it was agreed on betwixt the Houses of Parliament and us before the Treaty at Vxbridge That the Propositions concerning Religion the Militia and Ireland shall bee treated upon alte●●s vicibus beginning first with the Proposition of Religion and that as it is of most excellency so it is to bee sought after and finally agreed upon in the fi st place before any finall agreement the 〈◊〉 upon any of the other Propositions Wee are very sure the Houses had far greater reason at that time to looke to their security and to desire the Proposition for setling the Militia to be first agreed on when the King had an Army in the field then now when they have a strong Army and he has none at all And upon the other part the danger to Religion is now much greater them a● any time before when men in Armes are demanding a toleration of all sorts of Religions Popery excepted And if first of all it should be agreed on that the continuance of such an Army shall be setled by Law wee desire it may be equally considered what good can be expected from a treaty upon 〈◊〉 or what hopes shall remaine of setling it according to the Covenant wherefore we cannot consent to the sending any Propositions or 〈…〉 a se●●rity for ●●●ling Peace without T●●th which hath been acknowledged both by His Majesty and the 〈◊〉 all former Treaties or Messages to bee the best 〈◊〉 most 〈◊〉 foundation of a lasting Peace And we must still presse that there may be a preference of those desires which are for setling 〈◊〉 and the Goverment of the Church the want 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the Sects and Heresies which doe multiply and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daily to the disturbance of all Order and Peace both in Church and State As this way is not for the good of Religion so it cannot in reason be conceived that it shall bee acceptable to the King for how can it bee expected that he will grant those things for a personall Treaty whereof the issue is uncertain which he hath ever hitherto denyed even to obtaine a Peace especially when after all his Majesties earnest desires hee cannot bee admitted to come to London nor upon any tearms to have a Treaty here in respect the Houses conceive that the Kings presence with them at this time stands not with the safety and security of the Parliament and kingdome but that the Kings assent to the four Bills must be by Commission and thereafter a Treaty upon the rest of