II. PART mavit et ingemuiti." But I offer two issues to the Observer out of these words of Machiavel, if he please to accept the challenge. First, that more noble worthies have been crushed to nothing by the insolency of the people (proportion for proportion), than by the power of kings; as in Athens, for instance, Socrates, Aristides, Themistocles, Alcibiades, and many more. The second, that gallant and virtuous actions do not more often ingratiate men with the people, than a rolling tongue, a precipitate head, vain-glorious profusion, oily insinuations, feigned devotions, sufferings (though deserved) from superiors, and above all opposition to the present state. So that he that is a favourite to the king, is 'ipso facto' hated by the people or the major part; and to be slighted by the prince is frequently a ready way to Acts v. 37. be honoured by the people. Judas of Galilee was a great favourite of the commons; how did he endear himself? by seditious orations. Who more popular than Simon MaActs viii. gus? "Tis μéyas”—“ some great one;" and this only with juggling. When Absalom sought to ingratiate himself with the vulgar, what course did he take? to be more eminent in virtue? no such thing; but ostentation, lying, flattery, and traducing the present state. Who hath not heard, how Pisistratus and Dionysius, two execrable tyrants, did cut and slash themselves, and persuaded the credulous multitude how it was done by the malignants for their zeal to the commonwealth, till by these arts they had first gotten a guard allowed for themselves, and after invaded the government*. 9, 10. 2 Sam. xv. [1–6.] SECTION THE SEVENTH. Observ.-"To be delicia humani generis" is grown sordid with princes; to be public torments and carnificines, and to plot against those subjects whom by nature they ought to protect, is held Cæsar-like; and therefore bloody Borgia by mere treachery and cruelty hath gotten room in the calendar of witty and of spirited heroes. And our English Court of late years hath drunk too much of this state-poison; for either [Sueton., in Vespas., c. 15.] Herod. i. 59;-Diod. Sic., xiii. 95. -Aristot., Rhet., i. 2.] II. we have seen favourites raised to poll the people, and razed DISCOURSE again to pacify the people; or else (which is worse for king and people too) we have seen engines of mischief preserved against the people, and upheld against law, merely that mischief might not want encouragement m." servator's against the Eccl. x. 20. xxii. 28. 2 Pet. ii. 10. 5-8. ii. 24.] Jer. Answ.-"Curse not the king" (saith the wise man), "no, [The Obnot in thy thought."-"Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor railing speak evil of the ruler of thy people." Two Apostles bear language record, that there cannot be a surer note of a schismatic, than king.] 535 to "despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities." Evil lan- Exod. guage against a sovereign prince hath ever been reputed an Acts xxiii. injury to all his subjects; but this age hath hatched such 5. vipers, which dare, not only like some Rabshakeh rail Jude 8. [2 Kings against some foreign prince, but cast dirt in the face of their xviii.] natural lord; as if they were the 'colts of a wild ass in the [Job xxxix. wilderness,' subject to no man, accountable to no man; and that, not only in thought, which Solomon disliked, or in word, which God did forbid, but even to make the press groan under daily bundles of lies and slanders and fictitious fables. I say the press, which hath been ever esteemed a peculiar privilege of supreme majesty. Nay, one king is not an object worthy of their wrath; but as it is said of Julian, that he sought to destroy both presbyteros and presbyterium, not priests only, but priesthood itself; so it is not one or two monarchs, but the destruction of monarchy itself, which these men aim at: witness our Observer here, -" To be public torments and carnificines, is held Cæsar-like with princes;"-and one of his friends lately,-"He errs not much who saith, that there is an inbred hatred of the Gospel in all kings, they do not willingly suffer the King of kings to rule in their kingdoms, the Lord hath His among kings, but very few, one perhaps of a hundred"." "Increpet te Deus, Satan." The [Zechar iii. 2. Vulg.] Lord Himself will one day call them to an account for these blasphemies against His anointed. Is this a coal taken from [Isai. vi. 6.] the Altar, or rather from the fire of hell? There is hope our [Observations, &c., p. 3.] a Vindicia Philadelphi, [at the end of Didoclavius, i. e. Calderwood, Altare II. PART countrymen will rob the Jesuits shortly of their reputation. Anabaptism hath got it loose, to be the liars' and the rebels' catechism. Sir, lay aside your eye of envy, which cannot endure the beams of majesty, and tell us what it is in King Charles which doth so much offend you. Take Diogenes his lanthorn, and look at noon-day among all his opposers throughout your classes and forms, if you can find one to match or parallel him, for piety towards God, justice towards man, temperance in his diet, truth in his word, chastity in his life, mercy towards the oppressed; yea, take your multiplying glass, and look through his government from end to end, if you can find his crown sprinkled with one drop of innocent blood. He needs not, with Caius the Emperor, assume Mercury's rod, Apollo's bow and arrows, Mars his sword and shield, to make himself resemble God°; he hath better ensigns of the Deity. Unhappy we only, because we do not know our own good; that might enjoy a temperate and sweet government, sun-shine days under our own vines and fig-trees, the free profession of true religion, equal administration of justice, peace and plenty, with a daily growth of all arts that may enrich or civilize a nation, under the radicated succession of a princely family. If the Observer's eyes had not been like the old Lamia's, to take out and put in at his pleasure, he might have seen a Titus at home, a "darling of mankind." [No hurt in good But what is the ground of all this great cry? Forsooth favourites.] we have had "favourites." I do not yet know any hurt in a good favourite; such an one as Joshua was to Moses, or Daniel to Darius, or Mecænas and Agrippa to Augustus, or Craterus and (for any thing I know) Hephestion also to Alexander. Wise men think a well chosen favourite may bring great advantage both to king and people. But I leave the discourse. It is well known, his Majesty is as opposite to favourites as the Observer, and never raised any to that height but they might be opposed and questioned by their fellow-counsellors. But if the Observer have a mind to see some of those favourites (whom he calls pollers, engines of mischief, or monopolists), he may find them moving in ⚫ [Sueton., in Caio, c. 52;-Dio Cass., lib. lix. p. 660. ed. Leunclav.] another sphere. To side with his Majesty is no ready way DISCOURSE to impunity. II. SECTION THE EIGHTH. Observ." But our king here doth acknowledge it a great business of his coronation-oath to protect' us: and I hope under this word 'protect,' he intends not only to shield us from all kind of evil, but to promote us to all kind of political happiness, according to his utmost devoir: and I hope he holds himself bound thereunto, not only by his oath, but also by his very office and by the end of his sovereign dignity. And though all single persons ought to look upon the late bills passed by the king as matters of grace with all thankfulness and humility, yet the king himself, looking upon the whole state, ought to acknowledge, that he cannot merit of it; and that whatsoever he hath granted, if it be for the prosperity of his people (but much more for their ease), it hath proceeded but from [his] mere duty. If Ship-money, if Star-Chamber, if the High Commission, if the votes of 536 Bishops and Popish lords in the Upper House be inconsistent with the welfare of the kingdom, not only honour but justice itself challenges that they be abolisht. The king ought not to account that a profit or strength to him, which is a loss or wasting to the people: nor ought he to think that perished to him, which is gained to the people: the word grace' sounds better in the people's mouth than in his." jesty's con grace, not nion Service.] Answ. His Majesty is bound in conscience both by his [His Maoath and office, not only to "protect his people committed to cessions, of his charge in wealth, peace, and godliness," but also to pro- of duty.] mote their good; but this 'protection' must be according to [Commulaw, this promotion according to law. Now if a good king, vie at seasonable and opportune times (so it may not be like the borrowing of a shaft for the hatchet to cut down the great oak, nor like the plucking off one or more feathers out of the eagle's wings, wherewith to feather an arrow to pierce through that king of birds'), shall freely, according to the dic II. PART tates of his own reason, part with any of those jewels which do adorn his royal diadem, for the behoof of his subjects, it is an act of grace, not only to individual persons, but to the collected body of his people, and so both Houses have acknowledged it; yet you say it is "mere duty," that both "honour and justice" do "challenge" it from him. It is a strange and unheard of piece of "justice" and "duty," which is without and beyond all law. You say, "the word 'grace' sounds better in the people's mouth than in his." O partiality, how dost thou blind men's eyes! The Observer sees, that "grace" sounds ill in the king's mouth; and yet he doth not or will not see, how ill "duty" and "mere duty" sounds in his own mouth, being a subject, towards his sovereign. The truth is, it is most civil for receivers to relate benefits,"sufficit unus huic operi, si vis me loqui, ipse tace," but where the receivers forget themselves, yea, deny the favours received (as this Observer doth), it is very comely for the bestowers to supply their defect. [Of Ship- Next, to your taking away of Ship-money, Star-chamber, High-Commission, &c., it is an easy thing to take away, but difficult to build up, both in nature and in respect of men's minds, which commonly agree sooner in the destructive part than in the constructive. All the danger is either in exceeding the golden mean (by falling from one extreme to another), or in taking that away, which by correcting and good ordering skill might have been of great use to the body politic. We are glad to be eased of our former burdens; yet we wish with all our hearts, that our present ease may not produce greater mischiefs; that in true real necessities and sudden dangerous exigencies the commonwealth may not be left without a speedy remedy; that if the laws have not sufficiently provided for the suppressing of riots and tumultuous disorders in great men, yet the ordinary subject may not be left without a sanctuary whither to fly from oppression; that in this inundation of sects, which do extremely deform our Church, and disturb the commonwealth, there may be a proper and sure remedy provided before it be too late, and we be forced in vain to dig up Antigonus again out of his gravet. [Martial., Epigr. V. liii. 5, 6. "Si vis ut loquar," &c.] t [Scil. to escape the tyranny of his successors: see Plut., in Vitâ Phocion., tom. iv. p. 203. ed. Bryant.] |