their Neighbours and abhorr'd by their Subjects bad. I wish it could not be faid that for two years last past, the use, of Parliaments has almost been laid afide It's too true that Parliaments have been delayed, and there is but a little between delaying and denying, and the first step to a denyal is to delay: Every Man knows the great need we have had of a Parliament thefe Seventeenth Months and why has it not met till now: It's very well known how earnestly it was defired by all good Proteftants and true Englishmen, and what appligations have been made to His Majeftie that it might fit, and it could not be obtain'd till now And it is not to be forgotten how often it has been Prorogued, and the Notice that has been given tol the Nation of the feveral Prorogations; the firft time that we heard of them was by the Gazett in which is feldom, any thing of truth, and then out comes a Proclamation for a Prorogation about a day or two before the day of meeting: When Gentlemen have difpofed their Affairs that they may attend at the Parliament, and poffibly were on their Journey towards London, upon the Road they meet the News of the Prorogation, very good ufage, and there is nothing to be said in Justification of fuch fhort Notice, but that when His Majefty by His Proclamation had appointed a farther time for the meeting of the Parliament, that in plain English : English no Man must believe it would meet: For if Gentlemen did believe it, they would prepare, for it, and if they are prepared, it's but reafonable that fufficient Notice fhould be given to prevent them: Certainly they who advited the King in. this matter, intended that none of His Majelties Proclamations fhould have any credit: For His: Majefty he put out feveral Proclamations against the Papifts, and we fee how they are regarded, not the leaft obedience yielded to them: And this giving of fuch fhort notice, was certainly done on purpofe that thofe Proclamations/fhould neither be abeyed nor believed: Thus is the K: abufed, thus does he loofe the hearts of his People, and thus is the Nation abufed: What will become of us when we cannot believe what His Majefty fays: Out of Parliament the King cannot fpeak to his People in a more notable way than by Proclamation, and as the matter is arder'd thefe are not regarded: In a Subject nothing is more lufamous, than to fay of him, that his word is not to be relyed on, he does not regard what he fays. And therefore what Villains are they, who by their Advice, do bringi the King but into the fufpition of iton Vy This delaying of Parliament's feems to portend the laying of Parliamentstafide; and if fo, an Army will follow, for the King muft govern either by a Parliament or an Army, for one of them he must have; now the way to get rid of Parliaments is: this: Firft, Although they meet fometimes, yet fomething must be ftarted to hinder their fuccefs, or if that wont do, Prorogue or Diffolve them before any thing be finisht, and thus Parliaments will be made qufelefs, and this being done, it will eu el si me 10 com not: not be long before they become burdenfome, and with them for good and all.. then away Kings only then grow out of conceit with Parliaments when their Favourites are fo overgrown, and their Actions are fo exorbitant, that they will not indure to be fcann'd by a Parliament: And therefore to fave themselves, they perfwade the King to keep off the Parliament, though it be to his great hurt: For the laft Trump at the Day. of Judgment will not be more terrible to the World, than the found of an approaching Parlia-. ment is to unjuft Minifters and Favourites. That State is fick of a grievous Diftemper when. Kings neglect their Parliaments, and adhere to Fa-> vourites, and certainly that woe is then fallen up on that Nation which Solomon denounces; for fays he, woe to that Nation whofe King is a Child: And without question he meant a Child in Understanding, and not in Years: We have had in England Kings who when they were Children, by the help. of a wife Council have govern'd very well: But after that they took matters into their own hands it went very ill with England, as Richard II. Henry VI. who whileft they were Children, the Government was steer'd aright; but their understanding not growing as faft as their Years, they affumed the Government before they were ready for it; and fo managed matters, that it's better not to name them, than to reckon them in the Catalogue of the Kings. And there is yet another reason why great Fa vourites fhould advise against Parliaments: Kings that dote too much upon their Favourites, do for the most part pick up mean Men, people of no Fortunes or Eftates, upon whom it is that they place place their favour to fo high a degree: And therefore it's for their Intereft to advise the King to govern by an Army, for if he prevails, then they are fure to have what heart can wifh; or if he fail, yet they are but where they were, they had no thing, and they can loofe nothing. There is no Man but very plainly fees, that there are People about His Majefty who advife him to shake off the Fetters of the Lawes, and to govern Arbitrarily, and I wish that their Advice have not prevailed for the most part, yet, I think His Majefties own Inclinations, do not bend that way, for he feems to love quiet and ease, which no Prince can have that Rules by an Army: Therefore before we can expect that His Majefty will come in to us, these People of Arbitrary Principles muft be removed from his Throne; for whileft there are the fame Advisers, we must expect the fame Advice whileft there are the fame Councellors, we must expect the fame Results: And this alone will not do it, it's but the first step to our happyness, the Principles or Maxims of State must be removed, it's not taking away this or the other Man, and putting in another to act by the fame Rules that will cure our Disease ; but it's the change of Principles that must do it. You may remember in the laft Parliament the change that was made in the Frivy Council, and Minilters, and upon the first news of it, I met with a Gentleman that had a great Service for WhiteHall; fays he, I hope now you are pleas'd, what can you expect more from His Majefty? I replyed, Ilke it well, yet not fo very well, for faid I, all is well that ends well, for all is not Gold that glifters: I am not fure, that thefe Men that are are put out have not left their Frinciples behind them, when thofe are gone I fhall like it very well: The Man was angry, and flung away, faying, you are hard to pleate, and fays I, you are eafie, and fo we parted. And I pray you, how much Wooll have we had after all this cry, what benefit have we reaped by that change: Do not we fee that unless they would act by the Maximes of their Predeceffors they muft do nothing, and therefore feveral did defire leave to go off: Some of thefe worthy Lords and Gentlemen that did fo are now in my eye, and I fhall ever honour them for it: I cannot forget the promifes made to the Parliament at the fame time: ; and how well they have been kept. Therefore I think it's very plain that till these Principles are removed from White-hall, that all our labour and pains will end in nothing: The way then as I conceive to do this, is to lay before His Majefty the ftate of the cafe, let us fhew him, how unable these Men are to ferve him, and how deftructive to his Intereft it is to follow their Advices; and that he can be Safe and Great only by clofing with his Parliament. Would His Majefty be Safe, alas what can his Creatures do, juft nothing, they have no Power, nor have they Will further than it serves for their own advantage: But His Majefty is fafe in his Parliament, for it is the Intereft of every Man in England to preferve and defend His Majefties go. verning by his Parliament. Does he want Money to make him eafie? I pray what can he expect from the Catterpillers his Favourites, their care is not how to fer ve him, but to make |