Chapter 15

O Powerfull and Eternall God! to whom nothing is so great, that it may resist; or so small, that it is contemned; look upon my miserie with thine eye of mercy, and let Thine infinite power vouchsafe to limit out some proportion of deliverance unto me, as to Thee shall seem most convenient; let not Injurie, O Lord, triumph over me; and let my faults by thy hand be corrected; and make not my unjust Enemies the ministers of thy Justice: But yet my God, if in thy Wisdom this be the aptest chastisement for my unexcusable transgressions; if this ingratefull bondage be fittest for my over-high deserts; if the pride of my (not enough humble) heart be thus to be broken, O Lord, I yeeld unto thy will, and cheerfully embrace what sorrow thou wilt have me suffer: Onely thus much let me crave of thee, (let my craving, O Lord, be accepted of, since it even proceeds from thee) That by thy Goodnesse, which is thy Self, thou wilt suffer some beam of thy Majestie so to shine in my minde, that I, who in my greatest Afflictions acknowledge it my noblest Title to be thy Creature, may still depend confidently on Thee. Let Calamity be the exercise, but not the overthrow of my Vertue. O let not their prevailing power be to my destruction. And if it be thy will that they more and more vex me with punishment; yet O Lord, never let their wickednesse have such a hand, but that I may still carry a pure mind, and stedfast resolution ever to serve thee without fear or presumption; yet with that humble Confidence which may best please thee; so that at the last I may come to thy eternall Kingdom through the merits of thy Son our alone Saviour, Jesus Christ. _Amen_.

* * * * *

_Another PRAYER._

Almightie and most merciful Father, look down upon me thy unworthy servant, who here prostrate my self at the Foot-stool of thy Throne of Grace; but look upon me, O Father, through the Mediation, and in the Merits of Jesus Christ, in whom thou art only wel pleased: for of my Self I am not worthy to stand before thee, or to speak with my unclean lips to thee, most holy and eternall God; for as in sin I was conceived and born, so likewise I have broken all thy Commandments by my sinful motions, unclean thoughts, evill words, and wicked works; omitting many duties I ought to do, and committing many vices thou hast forbidden under pain of thy heavie Displeasure: as for my sins, O Lord, they are innumerable: wherefore I stand here liable to all the miseries in this life, and everlasting Torments in that to come, if thou shouldst deal with me according to my deserts. I confesse, O Lord, that it is thy Mercie (which endureth for ever) and thy compassion (which never fails) which is the cause that I have not been long ago consumed: but with thee there is Mercie and plenteous Redemption; in the multitude therefore of thy mercies, and by the Merits of Jesus Christ, I intreat thy Divine Majestie, that thou wouldst not enter into judgment with thy servant, nor be extreme to mark what is done amisse, but be thou mercifull unto Me, and wash away all my sins with that precious bloud that my Saviour shed for me. And I beseech thee, O Lord, not onely to wash away all my sins; but also to purge my heart by thy holy Spirit, from the dross of my natural corruption: And as thou dost add days to my life, so good Lord, I beseech thee to add repentance to my dayes, that when I have past this mortall life, I may be partaker of thy everlasting Kingdom, through the Merits of Jesus Christ our Lord, _Amen_.

* * * * *

_A_ PRAYER _and_ CONFESSION _made in and for the times of Affliction._

Almighty and most mercifull Father, as it is onely thy Goodnesse that admits of our imperfect Prayers, and the knowledge that thy mercies are infinite, which can give Us any hope of thy accepting or granting them: so it is our bounden and necessary duty to confesse our sins freely unto thee; And of all men living, I have most need, most reason so to do; no man having been so much obliged by thee, no man more grievously offending thee: that degree of knowledge which thou hast given me adding likewise to the guilt of my transgressions. For, was it through ignorance, that I suffered innocent bloud to be shed by a false pretended way of Justice? or that I permitted a wrong way of thy Worship to be set up in _Scotland?_ and injured the Bishops in _England?_ O no; but with shame and grief I confesse, that I therein followed the perswasions of worldly Wisdome, forsaking the Dictates of a right-informed Conscience: Wherefore, O Lord, I have no excuse to make, no hope left, but in the multitude of thy mercies; for I know my repentance weak, and my prayers faulty: Grant therefore, mercifull Father, so to strengthen my repentance, and amend my prayers, that thou maist clear the way for thine own mercies; to which, O let thy Justice at last give place, putting a speedy end to my deserved afflictions. In the mean time, give me patience to endure, Constancy against Temptations, and a discerning spirit, to chuse what is best for thy Church, and People which thou hast committed to my charge. Grant this, O most mercifull Father, for thy Son Jesus Christs sake, our onely Saviour, _Amen._

* * * * *

_A_ PRAYER _in time of imminent Danger._

O Most merciful Father, though my sins are so many and grievous, that I may rather expect the effects of thy anger, then so great a deliverance, as to free me from my present great danger; yet, O Lord, since thy mercies are over all thy works, and thou never failest to relieve all those who with humble and unfeigned repentance come to thee for succour, it were to multiply, not diminish my transgressions, to despair of thy heavenly favour: Wherefore I humbly desire thy divine Majestie, That thou wilt not onely pardon all my sins; but also free me out of the hands, and protect me from the malice of my cruel Enemies. But if Thy wrath against my hainous Offences will not otherwayes be satisfied, then by suffering Me to fall under my present afflictions, Thy will be done; yet with humble Importunity, I do and shall never leave to implore the assistance of thy heavenly Spirit, that my cause, as I am thy Vicegerent may not suffer through My weakness, or want of courage, O Lord, so strengthen and enlighten all the faculties of My mind, that with clearnesse I may shew forth Thy Truth, and manfully endure this bloody Tryal, that so my sufferings here may not onely glorifie Thee, but likewise be a furtherance to my salvation hereafter. Grant this, O mercifull Father, for his sake who suffered for me, even Jesus Christ the Righteous. _Amen._

* * * * *

A Copie of a Letter which was sent from the PRINCE to the KING; Dated from the HAGUE _Jan_. 23. 1648.

SIR, _Having no means to come to the knowledge of your Majesties present condition, but such as I receive from the Prints, or (which is as uncertain) Report, I have sent this Bearer_ Seamour _to wait upon your Majestie; and to bring me an account of it: that I may withall assure your Majestie, I doe not onely pray for your Majestie according to my Dutie, but shall alwayes be ready to doe all which shall be in my power, to deserve that blessing which I now humbly beg of your Majestie upon_

(SIR)

HAGUE _Jan_. 23. 1648.

_Your_ MAJESTIES _most humble and most obedient Son & servant CHARLS._

The Superscription was thus,

For the King.

* * * * *

[Illustraton]

Munday 29th January, 1648.

_A true Relation of the_ KINGS _Speech to the Lady_ ELISABETH, _and the Duke of_ GLOCESTER, _the day before His Death._

His children being come to meet him, he first gave his blessing to the Lady _Elisabeth_; and bad her remember to tell her Brother _James_, when ever she should see him, That it was his Fathers last desire, that he should no more look upon _Charles_ as his eldest Brother only, but be obedient unto him, as his Soveraign; and that they should love one another, and forgive their Fathers Enemies. Then said the King to her, Sweet-heart you'l forget this: No (said she) _I_ shall never forget it while I live: And pouring forth abundance of Tears, promised him to write down the Paticulars.

Then the King taking the Duke of _Glocester_ upon his knee, said, Sweet-heart, now they will cut off thy Fathers head; (upon which words the child looked very stedfastly on him.) Mark child, what I say, they will cut of my head, and perhaps make thee a King: But mark what I say, you must not be a King so long as your Brother _Charles_ and _James_ do live; For they will cut off your Brothers heads, (when they can catch them) and cut off thy head too at the last: and therefore, _I_ charge you, do not be made a King by them. At which the child, sighing, said, I will be torn in pieces first. Which falling so unexpectedly from one so young, it made the King rejoyce exceedingly.

* * * * *

_Another Relation from the Lady_ ELISABETHS _own Hand._

What the king said to me the nine and twentieth of _January_ 1648. being the last time I had the happiness to see him; he told me, he was glad I was come, and although he had not time to say much, yet somewhat he had to say to me, which he had not to another, or leave in writing, because he feared their cruelty was such, as that they would not have permitted him to write to me, he wished me not to grieve and torment my self for him; for that would be a glorious death that he should dye; it being for the Laws and Liberties of this Land, and for maintaining the true Protestant Religion. He bad me read Bishop _Andrews_ Sermons, _Hookers Ecclesiasticall Politie_, and Bishop _Lauds_ Book against _Fisher_, which would ground me against Popery. He told me, he had forgiven all his Enemies, and hoped God would forgive them also; and commanded us, and all the rest of my Brothers and Sisters to forgive them: he bid me tell my Mother, That his thoughts never had strayed from her, and that his love should be the same to the last. Withall he commanded me and my Brother to be obedient to her. And bid me send his blessing to the rest of my Brothers and Sisters, with Commendation to all His Friends: So after he had given me his blessing, I took my leave.

Further, he commanded us all to forgive those people, but never to trust them; for they had been most false to him, and to those that gave them power, and he feared also to their own souls; And desired me not to grieve for him, for he should die a Martyr, and that he doubted not but the Lord would settle his Throne upon his Son, and that we should be all happier, then we could have expected to have been, if he had lived: With many other things, which at present I cannot remember.

ELISABETH.

* * * * *

_Another Relation from the Lady_ Elisabeth.

The King said to the Duke of _Glocester_, that he would say nothing to him but what was for the good of his soul: he told him, that he heard that the Army intended to make him King; but it was a thing not for him to take upon him, if he regarded the welfare of his soul; for he had two Brothers before him: and therefore commanded him upon His blessing, never to accept of it, unless it redowned lawfully upon him: And commanded him to fear the Lord, and he would provide for him.

_Copia vera._

* * * * *

_An_ Epitaph _upon King_ CHARLS.

So falls that stately Cedar: while it stood That was the onely glory of the Wood: Great _Charles_, thou earthly God, celestial _M_an, Whose life, like others, though it were a span: Yet in that span, was comprehended more Then Earth hath waters or the Ocean shore; Thy heavenly vertues, Angels shou'd rehearse, It is a theam too high for humane Verse: He that would know thee right, then let him look Upon Thy rare incomparable Book, And read it or'e and o're; which if he do, Hee'l find thee _king_, _and Priest_, _and Prophet too_: And sadly see our losse, and though in vain, With fruitlesse wishes, call thee back again. Nor shall oblivion sit upon thy Herse, Though there were neither Monument, nor Verse. Thy Suff'rings & thy Death let no man name; It was thy Glorie, but the Kingdoms Shame.

_J. H._

* * * * *

_His Majesties Reasons against the pretended Jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice, which he intended to deliver in writing on Munday_ January 22, 1648.

Faithfully transcribed out of the originall Copie under the Kings own hand.

Having already made my protestations not only against the illegality of this pretended Court, but also that no earthly power can justly call me (who am your King) in question as a Delinquent, _I_ would not any more open my mouth upon this occasion, more then to refer my selfe to what I have spoken, were I alone in this case concerned. But the duty I owe to God in the preservation of the true Liberty of my People, will not suffer me at this time to be silent: For, how can any free-born Subject of England call life or any thing he possesseth his own, if power without right daily make new, and abrogate the old fundamentall Law of the Land, which I now take to be the present case. Wherefore when I came hither, I expected that you would have indeavoured to have satisfied me concerning these grounds, which hinder me to Answer to your pretended Impeachment, but since I see that nothing I can say will move you to it (though Negatives are not so naturally proved as Affirmatives) yet I will shew you the Reason why I am confident you cannot judge me, nor indeed the meanest man in England; for I will not (like you) without shewing a reason, seek to impose a belief upon My Subjects.

[Sidenote: _Hereabout I was stopt, and not suffered to speake any more concerning Reasons._]

There is no proceeding just against any man, but what is warranted either by Gods Laws, or the municipall Lawes of the Country where he lives. Now I am most confident, that this daies proceeding cannot be warranted by Gods Law, for on the contrary the authority of obedience unto Kings is cleerly warranted and strictly commanded both in the Old and New Testament; which if denied, I am ready to prove: and for the question now in hand, there it is said, That _where the word of a King is, there is Power, and who may say unto him, what doest thou_? _Eccles._ 8. 4. Then for the Lawes of this land, I am no lesse confident, that no learned Lawyer will affirme that an impeachment can lie against the King, they all going in his name; and one of their Maximes is, _that the King can do no wrong_. Besides, the law upon which you ground your proceedings, must either be old or new; if old shew it; if new, tell what authority warranted by the fundamentall Laws of the land hath made it, and when. But how the House of Commons can erect a Court of Judicature, which was never one it self (as is well known to all Lawyers) I leave to God and the World to judge; And it were full as strange that they should pretend to make Laws without King or Lords-House, to any that have heard speak of the Lawes of England.

And admitting, but not granting, that the people of Englands Commission could grant your pretended Power, I see nothing you can shew for that; for certainly you never asked the question of the tenth man of the Kingdom, and in this way you manifestly wrong even the poorest Plough-man, if you demand not his free consent; nor can you pretend any colour for this your pretended Commission without the consent at least of the major part of every man in England, of whatsoever quality or condition, which I am sure, you never went about to seek; so far are you from having it. Thus you see that I speak not for my own right alone, as I am your King, but also for the true Liberty of all my Subjects, which consists not in sharing the power of Government, but in living under such Laws, such a Government as may give themselves the best assurance of their lives and propriety of their goods. Nor in this must or do I forget the priviledges of both Houses of Parliament, which this dayes proceedings doth not only violate, but likewise occasion the greatest breach of their Publike Faith that (I beleeve) ever was heard of, with which I am far from charging the two houses: for all the pretended crimes laid against me, bear date long before this late Treaty at Newport, in which I having concluded as much as in me lay, and hopefully expecting the two Houses agreement thereunto, I was suddenly surprized, and hurried from thence as a Prisoner, upon which accompt I am against my will brought hither, where since I am come, I cannot but to my power defend the ancient Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom, together with my own just Right; then for any thing I can see the higher house is totally excluded.

And for the House of Commons, it is too well known that the major part of them are detained or deterr'd from sitting, so as if I had no other, this were sufficient for me to protest against the lawfulnesse of your pretended Court. Besides all this, the peace of the Kingdom is not the least in my thoughts; and what hopes of settlement is there so long as power raignes without rule of Law, changing the whole frame of that government under which this Kingdom hath flourished for many hundred years, (nor will I say what will fall out in case this lawlesse unjust proceeding against me do go on) & beleeve it the Commons of England will not thanke you for this change, for they will remember how happy they have been of late years under the raign of Q. _Elizabeth_, the King my Father and my self, untill the beginning of these unhappy troubles, and wil have cause to doubt that they shall never be so happy under any new. And by this time it will be too sensibly evident, that the Armes I took up were only to defend the fundamentall Laws of this Kingdom, against those who have supposed my power hath totally changed the ancient Government.

Thus having shewed you briefly the Reasons, why I cannot submit to your pretended authority without violating the trust which I have from God, for the welfare and liberty of my people; I expect from you either clear Reasons to convince my Judgment, shewing me that I am in an error (and then truly I will readily answer) or that you will withdraw your proceedings.

_This I intended to speake in Westminster-Hall on Monday 22. January, but against reason was hindered to shew my Reasons._

* * * * *

FINIS.

* * * * *

Transcriber's note.

Inconsistencies in spelling, grammar, capitalisation and punctuation have generally been retained, unless the inconsistency is obviously an error.

e.g. Iustice and Justice (etc.) are both used; wickednss (page 53) may be a printer's error, or the author's contraction. There are a few instances of 'wickednesse', and only one of 'wickedness'; there are a few instances of 'yeild', and 'yeeld', but none of 'yield'; 'then' is used throughout the book as modern writers would use 'than'; and apostrophes are notable by their absence.

The prefix 'un' is used where a modern writer would use 'in'. Many other words have more than one spelling. Phonetic spellings have been retained.

'proreption' (p. 66) means 'slow advance' (Google Books).

The long 's', prevalent at the time, has been updated to the modern 's', which even in 1649 was used at the ends of words.

There are some instances of what seem to be genuine errata:--

Sundry missing, damaged or extraneous punctuation has been repaired.

Explanation of the Emblem: 'deprrss'd' corrected to 'depress'd': "_Palm_-like _depress'd_, I higher rise"

p. 15: 'agaist' corrected to 'against': "have purposed any violence or oppression against the Innocent"

p. 24: 'assawge' corrected to 'asswage': "and after did'st asswage the floud which drowned the world,"

p. 42: 'kinkled' corrected to 'kindled': "the brands of that fire being ill quenched, have kindled the like flames here."

p. 51: 'noreable' corrected to 'noteable'*: "he is now become a noteable monument of unprosperous disloialtie,"

p. 59: 'and' corrected to 'an': "I must now be urged with an Armie,"

p. 63: 'one' corrected to 'on': "unfortunate Successes of this War, on my side, I do not think my"

p. 73: 'no' corrected to 'to': "if not to conquer, yet at least to suffer."

p. 74: 'eclisp' corrected to 'eclipse': "strip me of my strength, and eclipse my glory."

p. 77: 'Popositions' corrected to 'Propositions': "propound, (for such is one of their Propositions)"

p. 82: removed extraneous 'in': "to the Laws in force,"

p. 87: 'suppplication' corrected to 'supplication': "To thee I make my supplication,"

p. 98: 'with' corrected to 'which': "destroying the innocent with the guilty, & the erroneous with the malicious;"

p. 106: 'ont' corrected to 'out': "they lay out upon their opinions"

p. 107: 'contemus' corrected to 'contemns': "that the other rejects and contemns;"

p. 120: 'clomencie' corrected to 'clemencie': "and thy clemencie hath accepted from us,"

p. 121: 'theia' corrected to 'their': "the Charity of most men is grown so cold, and their Religion so illiberall."

p. 121: 'net' corrected to 'not': "Let not holy things be given to Swine"

p. 137: 'migh' corrected to 'might': "he might seem to justifie his disdainfull reproaches,"

p. 141: 'too' corrected to 'to': "where not the words, but mens hearts are to blame."

p. 144: 'nse' corrected to 'use': "That further, they should use such severity as"

p. 154: 'Goverment' corrected to 'Government': "such a frame or Government which is paternall,"

p. 158: 'Hospitaliy' corrected to 'Hospitality': "also enablements to works of Charitie and Hospitality,"

p. 161: 'judement' corrected to 'judgement': "to my judgement, I am solemnly obliged to"

p. 172: 'bnt' corrected to 'but': "not to trust in the arm of Flesh, but in the living God."

p. 179: 'afficting' corrected to 'afflicting': "Between both thy hands, the right sometimes supporting, and the left afflicting, fashion us"

p. 180: 'punishmenes' corrected to 'punishments': "punishing my self in their punishments."

p. 184: 'abrogae' corrected to 'abrogate': "by the Sword to arrogate, and quite abrogate the Authority of"

p. 186: 'moudls' corrected to 'moulds': "would not run into their new moulds, till they had first melted"

p. 187: 'Christans' corrected to 'Christians': "appear good Christians, that approve not them selves good Subjects."

p. 192: 'thrist' corrected to 'thirst': "the most ambitious thirst of popular glory among the Vulgar"

p. 196: 'pnrpose' corrected to 'purpose': "Fix in me a purpose to honour thee, and then"

p. 201: 'wordls' corrected to 'worlds': "the worlds vanity and inconstancie."

p. 205: 'estabish' corrected to 'establish': "because thou Lord, hast holpen and comforted me; establish me with thy free Spirit,"

p. 207: 'christias' corrected to 'christians': "then is ever used by christians to the meanest prisoners,"

p. 215: 'Honse' corrected to 'House': "when wee went to meet in thy House with the voice of joy and gladnesse,"

p. 221: 'Sate' corrected to 'State': "In suppressing the many schismes in Church, and Factions in State."

p. 223: removed extraneous 'if': "May my people and thy Church be happie if not by me, yet without me."

p. 230: 'abonnd' corrected to 'abound': "they cannot want Enemies who abound in sin; nor shall they be"

p. 251: 'you' corrected to 'your': "Soul in true Religion, and your honour in the love of God and"

p. 251: 'you' corrected to 'your': "let my Memory ever, with my Name, live in you; as of your Father,"

p. 254: 'lttle' corrected to 'little': "Indeed, they have left me but little of life,"

p. 254: 'magnaminity' corrected to 'magnanimity': "yet to suffer with such Christian patience and magnanimity, in"

p. 255: 'afflicton' corrected to 'affliction': "The assaults of affliction may be terrible,"