The book which is here republished contains an account of the sufferings
of CHARLES the Second, after the battle of Worcester, until his escape
to the continent;--written by a co-temporary, and dedicated to that
monarch whose misfortunes he records; we may therefore naturally
infer, that the book is a true relation of the same.[1]
[1] This is not the only account that is published, for we
find it related by Bates, in his Elenchues, and by the Earl
of Clarendon, whose account he received from the king
himself.
As this work has become so scarce that a copy can with difficulty be
procured, the editor thought he should do a service to the curious by
having it reprinted _verbatim_[2] from the edition of 1660.
[2] The original style, &c. being preserved, will account for
the very erroneous _punctuation_, to which it was deemed
necessary to adhere.
The subject of this tract is interesting: it teaches us the instability
of human greatness. We are presented with a picture of the sufferings
of one, by lineal descent born to be the governor of a kingdom, reduced
to the alternative of either suffering on a scaffold, or quitting the
kingdom in habits of disguise.
When princes forget their subjects, or they their king, then both lose
their former allegiance and respect, they become mutual enemies, and
their inveteracy does not diminish until one or both are on the
precipice of destruction.
When Charles the First ascended the throne, his subjects were tenacious
of that religious freedom which they had procured under the reign of a
sovereign, whose name will ever be revered by innovators in theoretical
principles of religion. They had shaken off their subjugation to the
Roman Pontiff, and when he shewed signs of partiality to that
persuasion, they dreaded the consequences. They had not yet forgot the
atrocities committed in the reign of Mary; and were fearful, that if
their liberties were abridged, the same enormities would ensue. They
struggled for liberty, and he for power: both felt the lash of civil
commotions.
When men are enthusiastically partial to an opinion, they are so
zealous in its cause they will die in its support. How many people have
suffered on this account, in all classes of religious opinions, in
different nations? Such was the case at that period. A rage for
polemical divinity took place, and brother against brother fought in
support of each other's tenets; each fully assured he was in the right.
The same spirit of innovation is too prevalent in the present day: the
principles they profess are at variance with the prosperity and
happiness of the country. They have made their way into our possessions
in the East Indies; and by their influence have brought on disaffection
among the native troops. From the organization of their native laws,
they are particularly tenacious of their theological principles;
according to which a man had better die than be a sceptic; for on
embracing any other faith, he must first lose his cast;[3] and in that
case he is deserted by all his relatives and countrymen, and driven
from the society of all he holds most dear on earth, so that his life
becomes insupportable.
[3] Excommunicated by an ecclesiastical court similar to
ours, only more rigid in its effects.
In the present state of civil commotions in the European countries,
caused by the ambitious views of Napoleon, it is exceedingly impolitic.
It is well known that he wishes to add India to his possessions, and in
the present disaffected state, nothing is more favourable to his
designs; as they would immediately flock to a leader, who would hold
out universal tolerance of religion; which has always been his maxim
where he has extended his arms. Thus, through the enthusiastic zeal of
a few, we may ultimately lose one of our finest possessions.
These people have universally promulgated such doctrines, that they
affect the organization of the brain; and have been the ruin of many a
happy family, by turning those who unfortunately had weak intellects
mad. And, such progress have their tenets made, that we may infer, the
period is not far distant when we shall see the orthodox church
completely deserted by the middling and lower orders of people.
"For modes of faith, let graceless zealots fight;
"His can't be wrong, whose life is in the right."