to devour the houses of their Brethren, their King, and their God. O
let not those mens balms break my head, nor their Cordials oppress my
heart, I will evermore pray against their wickedness._
_From the poyson under their tongues, from the snares of their lips,
from the fire, and the swords of their words ever deliver me, O Lord,
and all those loyal and religious hearts, who desire and delight in
the prosperity of my soul, and who seek by their prayers to relieve
this sadness and solitude of thy servant, O my King and my God._
* * * * *
25. Penitential Meditations and Vows in the Kings solitude at
_Holmby_.
_Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my Meditation, and hearken to
the voyce of my cry, my King and my God, for unto thee will I pray._
_I said in my haste, I am cast out of the sight of thine eyes;
nevertheless, thou hearest the voyce of my supplication, when I cry
unto thee._
_If thou, Lord, shouldst be extream to mark what is done amiss,
who can abide it? But there is mercy with thee, that thou mayest be
feared; therefore shall sinners flie unto thee._
_I acknowledg my sins before thee, which have the aggravation of my
condition; the eminencie of my place, adding weight to my offences._
_Forgive, I beseech thee, my personal, and my peoples sins; which are
so far mine, as I have not improved the power thou gavest me, to thy
glorie, and my Subjects good: Thou hast now brought me from the glorie
and freedom of a King, to be a Prisoner to my own Subjects. Justlie,
O Lord, as to thy over-ruling hand, because in many things I have
rebelled against thee._
_Though thou hast restrained my person, yet enlarg my heart to thee, &
thy grace towards me._
_I come far short of_ Davids __pietie; yet since I may equal Davids
_afflictions, give me also the comforts, and the sure mercies of_
David.
_Let the penitent sense I have of my sins, be an evidence to me, that
thou hast pardoned them._
_Let not the evils, which I and my Kingdoms have suffered seem little
unto thee, though thou hast not punished us according to our sins._
_Turn thee (O Lord) unto me; have mercy upon me, for I am desolate and
afflicted._
_The sorrows of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my
troubles._
_Hast thou forgotten to be gracious, and shut up thy loving kindness
in displeasure?_
_O remember thy compassions of old, and thy loving kindesses, which
have been for many generations._
_I had utterly fainted, if I had not believed to see thy goodnesse in
the land of the living._
_Let not the sins of our prosperitie deprive us of the benefit of thy
afflictions._
_Let this fiery triall consume the drosse which in long peace and
plentie we had contracted._
_Though thou continuest miseries, yet withdraw not thy grace; what is
wanting of prosperitie, make up in patience and repentance._
_And if thy anger be not to be yet turned away, but thy hand of
Justice must be stretched out still: Let it, I beseech thee, be
against me, and my Fathers house; as for these sheep, what have they
done?_
_Let my sufferings satiate the malice of mine, and thy Churches
enemies._
_But let their crueltie never exceed the measure of my charitie._
_Banish from me all thoughts of Revenge, that I may not lose the
reward, nor thou the glorie of my patience._
_As thou givest me an heart to forgive them, so I beseech thee, do
thou forgive what they have done against thee and me._
_And now, O Lord, as thou hast given me an heart to pray unto thee; so
hear and accept this Vow which I make before thee._
_If thou wilt in mercie remember Me, and my Kingdoms; In continuing
the light of thy Gospel, and settling thy true Religion among us:_
_In restoring to us the benefits of the Laws, and the due execution of
Justice:_
_In suppressing the many schismes in Church, and Factions in State:_
_If thou wilt restore me and mine to the Ancient rights and glory of
my Predecessors:_
_If thou wilt turn the hearts of my people to thy self in Pietie, to
me in Loyaltie, and to one another in Charitie:_
_If thou wilt quench the flames, and withdraw the fewell of these
Civill Wars:_
_If thou wilt bless us with the freedom of Publike Counsels, and
deliver the Honour of Parliaments from the insolency of the vulgar:_
_If thou wilt keep me from the great offence of enacting any thing
against my Conscience: and especially for consenting to sacrilegious
rapines, and spoilings of thy Church:_
_If thou wilt restore me to a capacity to glorifie thee in doing good,
both to the Church and State:_
_Then shall my soul praise thee, and Magnifie thy name before my
people._
_Then shall thy glorie be dearer to me then my Crown; and the
advancement of true Religion both in puritie and power be my chiefest
care._
_Then will I rule my People with justice, and my Kingdoms with
equity:_
_To thy more immediate hand shal I ever own as the rightfull
succession, so the mercifull restauration of my Kingdoms, and the
glorie of them._
_If thou wilt bring me again with Peace safetie and honour, to my
chiefest City and my Parliament:_
_If thou wilt again put the Sword of Justice into my hand to punish
and protect:_
_Then will I make all the world to see, and my very Enemies to enjoy
the benefit of this Vow and resolution of Christian charitie, which I
now make unto thee O Lord._
_As I do freely pardon for Christ's sake those that have offended me
in any kind; so my hand shall never be against any man to revenge what
is past, in regard of any particular injurie done to me._
_We have been mutually punished in our unnaturall divisions, for thy
sake O Lord, and for the love of my Redeemer have I purposed this
in my heart, That I will use all means in the waies of amnesty, and
indempnitie; which may most fullie remove all feares, and burie all
jealousies in forgetfulnesse._
_Let thy mercies be towards me and mine, as my resolutions of Truth
and Peace are towards my people._
_Hear my praier O Lord, which goeth not out of feigned lips._
_Blessed be God, who hath not turned away my prayer, or taken his
mercy from me._
_O my soul commit thy way to the Lord, trust in him and he shall bring
it to pass_.
_But if thou wilt not restore me and mine, what am I that I should
charge thee foolishly?_
_Thou, o Lord hast given, and thou hast taken, Blessed be thy name._
_May my people and thy Church be happie if not by me, yet without me._
* * * * *
26. _Upon the Armies surprisall of the King at_ Holmby, _and the
ensuing distractions in the two Houses, the Army, and the City._
What part God will have me now to act or suffer in this new and
strange scene of affaires, I am not much solicitous; some little
practise will serve that man, who only seeks to represent a part of
honesty and honour.
This surprize of me tels the world, that a KING cannot be so low, but
he is considerable, adding weight to that party where he appears.
This motion, like others of the Times, seems excentrique and
irregular, yet not well to be resisted or quieted: Better swim down
such a stream, then in vain to strive against it.
These are but the struglings of those twins, which lately one womb
enclosed, the younger striving to prevail against the elder; what the
Presbyterians have hunted after, the Independents now seek to catch
for themselves.
So impossible it is for lines to be drawn from the center, and not to
divide from each other, so much the wider, by how much they go farther
from the point of union.
That the Builders of Babel should from division fall to confusion, is
no wonder; but for those that pretend to build Jerusalem, to divide
their tongues and hands, is but an ill Omen; and sounds too like the
fury of those Zealots, whose intestine bitterness and divisions were
the greatest occasion of the last fatall destruction of that Citie.
Well may I change my Keepers and Prison, but not my captive condition,
onely with this hope of bettering, that those who are so much
professed Patrons for the Peoples Liberties, cannot be utterly against
the Liberty of their KING; what they demand for their own Consciences,
they cannot in Reason deny to mine.
In this they seem more ingenuous, then the Presbyterian rigour, who
sometimes complaining of exacting their conformity to laws, are
become the greatest Exactours of other mens submission to their novel
injunctions, before they are stamped with the Authority of Laws, which
they cannot well have without my Consent.
'Tis a great argument, that the Independents think themselves
manumitted from their Rivals service, in that they carry on a
businesse of such consequence, as the assuming my Person into the
Armies custody, without any commission, but that of their own will
and power. Such as will thus adventure on a KING, must not be thought
over-modest, or timerous to carry on any designe they have a mind to.
Their next motion menaces, and scares both the two Houses and
the City: which soon after acting over again that former part of
Tumultuary motions, (never questioned, punished or repented) must now
suffer for both; and see their former sin in the glasse of the present
terrours and distractions.
No man is so blinde as not to see herein the hand of divine Justice;
They that by Tumults first occasioned the raising of Armies, must now
be chastned by their own Army for new Tumults.
So hardly can men be content with one sin, but add sin to sin, till
the later punish the former; such as were content to see Me and many
Members of both Houses driven away by the first unsuppressed Tumults,
are now forced to flie to an Armie or defend themselves against them.
But who can unfold the riddle of some mens justice? The Members of
both Houses who at first withdrew (as my Self was forced to do) from
the rudeness of the Tumults, were counted Deserters, and outed of
their places in Parliament.
Such as stayed then, and enjoyed the benefit of the Tumults, were
asserted for the onely Parliament-men: now the Fliers from, and
Forsakers of their Places, carry the Parliamentary power along with
them; complain highly against the Tumults, and vindicate themselves by
an Armie: such as remained and kept their stations, are looked upon as
Abettors of Tumultuary Insolencies, and Betrayers of the Freedom and
Honour of Parliament.
Thus is Power above all Rule, Order, and Law; where men look more to
present Advantages then their Consciences, and the unchangeable
rules of Justice; while they are Judges of others, they are forced to
condemn themselves.
Now the plea against Tumults holds good, the Authours and Abettors of
them are guiltie of prodigious insolencies; when as before they were
counted as Friends, and necessary Assistants.
I see Vengeance pursues and overtakes (as the Mice and Rats are said
to have done the Bishop in _Germanie_) them that thought to have
escaped, and fortified themselves most impregnably against it, both by
their multitude and compliance.
Whom the Laws cannot, God will punish by their own crimes and hands.
I cannot but observe this divine Justice, yet with sorrow and pity;
for, I always wished so well to Parliament and Citie, that I was
sorry to see them do or suffer any thing unworthy such great and
considerable Bodies in this Kingdom.
I was glad to see them onely scared and humbled, not broken by that
shaking: I never had so ill a thought of those Cities, as to despair
of their Loyaltie to Me; which mistakes might eclipse, but I never
beleeved malice had quite put out.
I pray God the storm be yet wholly passed over them, upon whom I look
as Christ did sometime over _Jerusalem_, as objects of my prayers and
tears, with compassionate grief, foreseeing those severer scatterings
which will certainly befall such as wantonly refuse to be gathered
to their duty: fatall blindnesse frequently attending and punishing
wilfulnesse, so that men shall not be able at last to prevent their
sorrows, who would not timely repent of their sins; nor shall they
be suffered to enjoy the comforts, who securely neglect the counsels
belonging to their peace. They will finde that brethren in iniquitie
are not far from becoming insolent Enemies, there being nothing harder
then to keep ill men long in one minde.
Nor is it possible to gain a fair period for those notions which go
rather in a round and circle of fansie, then in a right line of reason
tending to the Law, the onely center of publike consistency; whither I
pray God at last bring all sides.
Which will easily be done, when we shall fully see how much more
happie we are, to be subject to the known Laws, then to the various
wils of any men, seem they never so plausible at first.
Vulgar compliance with any illegal and extravagant wayes, like
violent motions in nature, soon grows weary of itself, and ends in a
refractory sullennesse: Peoples rebounds are oft in their faces, who
first put them upon those violent strokes.
For the Army (which is so far excusable, as they act according to
Souldiers principles, and interests, demanding pay and indemnity) I
think it necessary, in order to the publike peace, that they should be
satisfied, as far as is just; no man being more prone to consider them
then my Self: though they have fought against Me, yet I cannot but so
far esteem that valour and gallantry they have sometime shewed, as to
wish I may never want such men to maintain my Self, my Laws, and my
Kingdoms, in such a peace, as wherein they may enjoy their share and
proportion, as much as any men.
_But thou, O Lord, who art perfect Unity in a sacred Trinity, in mercy
behold those whom thy Justice hath divided._
_Deliver me from the strivings of my People, and make Me to see how
much they need my prayers and pity, who agreed to fight against me,
and yet are now ready to fight against one another, to the continuance
of my Kingdoms distractions._
_Discover to all sides the ways of peace from which they have swerved:
which consists not in the divided wils of Parties, but in the point
and due observation of the Laws._
_Make me willing to go whither thou wilt lead me by thy providence;
and be thou ever with me, that I may see thy constancy in the worlds
varieti and changes._
_Make me even such as thou wouldst have Me, that I may at last enjoy
that safetie and tranquillity which thou alone canst give Me._
_Divert, I pray thee, O Lord, thy heavie wrath justly hanging over
those populous Cities, whose plenty is prone to add fewel to their
luxurie, their wealth to make them wanton, their multitudes tempting
them to securitie, and their securitie exposing them to unexpected
miseries._
_Give them eys to see, hearts to consider, wils to embrace, and
courage to act those things which belong to thy glorie, and the
publique Peace, lest their calamitie come upon them as an armed man._
_Teach them that they cannot want Enemies who abound in sin; nor
shall they be long un-disarmed and un-destroyed, who with an high hand
persisting to fight against Thee, and the cleer convictions of their
own Consciences, fight more against themselves, then ever they did
against Me._
_Their sins exposing them to thy Justice, their riches to others
injuries, their number to Tumults, and Tumults to confusion._
_Though they have with much forwardnesse helped to destroy Me; yet let
not my fall be their ruine._
_Let Me not so much consider, hither what they have done, or I have
suffered [chiefly at first, by them] as to forget to imitate my
crucified Redeemer, to plead their ignorance for their pardon; and in
my dying extremities to pray to Thee, O Father, to forgive them, for
they know not what they did._
_The tears they have denied me in my saddest condition, give them
grace to bestow upon themselves; who the lesse they were for me, the
more cause they have to weep for themselves._
_O let not my blood be upon them and their Children, whom the fraud
and faction of some, not the malice of all, have excited to crucifie
me._
_But thou, O Lord, canst and wilt (as thou didst my Redeemer) both
exalt and perfect me by my sufferings, which have more in them of thy
Mercie, then of mans Crueltie, or thy own Justice._
* * * * *
27. _To the Prince of_ Wales.
Son, If these Papers with some others, wherein I have set down the
private reflections of my Conscience, and my most impartiall thoughts
touching the chief passages, which have been most remarkable or
disputed in my late troubles, come to your hands, to whom they are
chiefly designed; they may be so far usefull to you, as to state your
judgement aright in what hath passed; whereof a pious is the best use
can be made; and they may also give you some directions, how to remedy
the present distempers, and prevent (if God will) the like for time to
come.
It is some kind of deceiving and lessening the injury of my long
restraint, when I find my leisure and solitude have produced something
worthy of my self, and usefull to you; That neither You nor any other
may hereafter measure my Cause by the Successe, nor my judgment of
things by my Misfortunes, which I count the greater by far, because
they have so far lighted upon you and some others whom I have most
cause to love as well as my self, and of whose unmerited sufferings I
have a greater sense then of Mine own.
[Illustration: Natus May 29 An^o 1630 AEtatis suae]
But this advantage of wisdom You have above most Princes, that You
have begun, and now spent some years of discretion, in the experience
of troubles, and exercise of patience, wherein Piety, and all Vertues,
both Morall and Politicall, are commonly better planted to a thriving
(as trees set in winter) then in the warmth, and serenity of times,
or amidst those delights, which usually attend Princes Courts in times
of peace and plenty, which are prone, either to root up all plants of
true Vertue and Honour, or to be contented only with some leaves, and
withering formalities of them, without any reall fruits, such as tend
to the publique good, for which Princes should alwaies remember they
are born, and by providence designed.
The evidence of which different education the holy Writ affords us in
the contemplation of _David_ and _Rehoboam_: The one prepared by
many afflictions for a flourishing Kingdom, the other softned by the
unparaleld prosperity of Solomons Court, and so corrupted to the great
diminution, both for Peace, Honor, and Kingdom, by those flatteries,
which are as unseparable from prosperous Princes, as Flies are from
fruit in summer; whom adversitie, like cold weather, drives away.
I had rather you should be _Charles le Bon_, then _le Grand_, good
then great. I hope God hath designed you to be both, having so early
put you into that exercise of his Graces, and gifts bestowed upon you,
which may best weed out all vitious inclinations, and dispose you to
those Princely endowments, and employments, which will most gain the
love, and intend the welfare of those, over whom God shall place you.
With God I would have you begin and end, who is King of Kings; the
Soveraign disposer of the Kingdomes of the world, who pulleth down
one, and setteth up another.
The best Government, and highest Soveraignty you can attain to, is, to
be subject to him, that the Scepter of his Word and Spirit, may rule
in your heart.
The true glory of Princes consists in advancing Gods Glory in the
maintenance of true Religion, and the Churches good; Also in the
dispensation of civil Power, with Justice and Honour to the publique
peace.
Pietie will make you prosperous; at least it will keep you from being
miserable; nor is he much a loser, that loseth all, yet saveth his own
soul at last.
To which Center of true happiness, God, I trust, hath and will
graciously direct all these black lines of affliction, which he hath
been pleased to draw on me, and by which he hath [I hope] drawn me
nearer to himself. You have already tasted of that Cup whereof I have
liberally drank, which I look upon as Gods Physick, having that in
healthfulness which it wants in pleasure.
Above all, I would have you, as I hope you are already, wel-grounded
and setled in your Religion: The best profession of which, I have
ever esteemed that of the church of England, in which you have been
educated; yet I would have your own Judgment and Reason now seal
to that sacred bond which education hath written, that it may
be judiciously your owne Religion, and not other mens custome or
tradition, which you profess.
In this I charge you to persevere, as comming nearest to Gods Word
for Doctrine, and to the primitive examples for Government, with some
little amendment, which I have otherwhere expressed and often offered,
though in vain. Your fixation in matters of Religion will not be more
necessary for your soul's then your Kingdoms peace, when God shall
bring you to them.
For I have observed, that the Devill of Rebellion, doth commonly turn
himself into an Angel of Reformation; and the old Serpent can pretend
new Lights; when some mens Consciences accuse them for Sedition and
Faction, they stop its mouth with the name and noise of Religion; when
Pietie pleads for peace and patience, they cry out Zeal.
So that, unless in this point You be well setled, you shall never want
temptations to destroy you and yours, under pretensions of reforming
matters of Religion; for that seems even to worst men, as the best and
most auspicious beginning of their worst designs.
Where, besides the Noveltie which is taking enough with the Vulgar,
every one hath an affectation, by seeming forward to an outward
Reformation of Religion, to be thought zealous, hoping to cover those
irreligious deformities, wherto they are conscious, by a severity of
censuring other mens opinions or actions.
Take heed of abetting any Factions, or applying to any publick
Discriminations in matters of Religion, contrary to what is in your
Judgement and the Church well setled: your partiall adhering, as head,
to any one side gaines you not so great advantages in some mens hearts
(who are prone to be of their kings Religion) as it loseth you in
others, who think themselves, and their profession first despised,
then persecuted by you. Take such a course as may either with calmness
& charity quite remove the seeming differences and offences, by
impartiality, or so order affairs in point of power that you shal not
need to fear or flatter any faction; for if ever you stand in need of
them, or must stand to their curtesie, you are undon: The Serpent will
devour the Dove: you may never expect less of Loyaltie, Justice or
humanity, then from those who engage into religious Rebellion: Their
interest is always made Gods; under the colours of piety, ambitious
policies march, not onely with greatest security, but applause, as to
the Populacy; you may hear from them _Jacob's_ voice, but you shall
feel they have _Esau_'s hands.
Nothing seemed less considerable then the Presbyterian Faction in
_England_, for many yeers; so complyant they were to publique order:
nor indeed was their Party great, either in Church or State, as to
mens judgements: But as soon as discontents drave men into Sidings (as
ill humors fall to the disaffected part, which causes inflammations)
so did all, at first, who affected any novelties, adhere to that side,
as the most remarkable and specious note of difference (then) in point
of Religion.
All the lesser Factions at first were officious servants to Presbytery
their great Master: till time and military success discovering to each
their peculiar advantages, invited them to part stakes, and leaving
the joynt stock of uniform Religion, pretended each to drive for
their Party, the trade of profits and preferments, to the breaking and
undoing not onely of the Church and State, but even of Presbytery it
self, which seemed and hoped at first to have engrossed all.
Let nothing seem little or despicable to you, in matters which concern
Religion, and the Churches peace, so as to neglect a speedy reforming
and effectual suppressing Errors, and Schisms, which seem at first but
as a hand-bredth, but by seditious Spirits as by strong winds are soon
made to cover and darken the whole Heaven.