Page images
PDF
EPUB

annexed, but consequently, to the ruin and spoil of this most flourishing kingdom of England; for the better effecting whereof, the King of Spain hath now openly invaded the realm of Ireland, with an army already landed in the province of Munster, having not forborn to publish the resolute purpose to usurp to himself that crown even by plain conquest, in case of resistance, though coloured with a vain pretext of an illusory donation from the see of Rome, whose usurped authority we have abandoned, as becometh all good subjects to do, that mean no less in deed, than they profess in name.

par.

Forasmuch as we do seriously consider, that your majesty, and we your faithful and obedient subjects, are but one body politick, and that your highness is the head, and we the members, and that no good or felicity, peril or adversity, can come to the one, but the other shall take thereof: we have thought it a matter incident to the natural care and sense we ought to feel of our present and future condition, seeing our enemies are strengthened by combination with other states, and do receive from their confederates great contributions of treasure, for advancement of this, and such like enterprises, whilst we do see, on the other side, that your majesty's expences only tend to the advancement of the true glory of God, and defence of the liberty and felicity of the imperial crown of this realm, and of the kingdoms and dominions thereof, and are neither supported by any other prince or state, nor carried on in yourself with any vain ambition, or wasteful humour of consuming the treasure of this kingdom, to offer to your majesty the disposition of such means, as God hath given us, to be employed for the preservation of God's cause, for the maintenance of your own dignity, and all such rights and titles, as be annexed to your imperial crown, being fully resolved to leave both lands and goods, and whatsoever else, that is dearest unto us, yea, and this mortal life, rather than we should suffer your royal estate to be in any part diminished, or the imperial crown of this realm deprived of any honour, title, right, or interest thereunto be longing, or suffer any foreign power to grow on further, or to continue so long unremoved, as thereby to leave them any ground to presume of good successes, either in this action now begun, or in any future enterprise, which may tend to the dishonour or peril of any of your majesty's kingdoms.

In which consideration, and many others, needless to repeat, we have thought ourselves bound in thankfulness to God for you, and to your majesty for ourselves, who feel the happiness of your gracious clemency and justice at home, under your happy and politick government, daily multiplied unto us, beyond the example of all ages, to prepare, and make not only our persons ready to withstand, resist, and subdue the force and puissance of our enemies, be they never so potent, but also to present unto you four subsidies, and eight fifteenths and tenths, thereby to make up some such portion of treasure, as may, in somesort, supply the great and inestimable charges, which you, our most gracious and dread sovereign, have, and daily must sustain. All which, notwithstanding it be much less than may be sufficient for the present and urgent necessities, yet, being a plain demonstration of our due con

sideration of all those necessary causes, and important reasons, which we have heard delivered by your royal direction, we have thought meet, not only to make it one of our first works, to consult of that matter, which, in other sessions of parliament, hath usually succeeded many other acts and consultations; but, so to enlarge and improve the measure of this oblation, which we shall offer to your royal person, as it might give your majesty an assured testimony of our internal zeals and duties, to be further manifested hereafter, by the hazard of our lives and fortunes, at all times, for your majesty's service, whereof we beseech you to vouchsafe, at this present, the gracious acceptation, as proceeding from those loving and faithful subjects of yours, who do desire to testify, both in the extraordinary form and substance of our present offer, that though there liveth, and ever shall, in the hearts of your most humble and obedient subjects, an extraordinary zeal to your majesty's per son; yet, that we desire, and intend that this, which is done to you at this time, shall be no otherwise interpreted, than as a lively monument of those great duties and affections, which we do contentedly and comfortably strain for your majesty, and in a manner, far exceeding any former precedent, because no age either hath, or can produce the like precedent of so much happiness under any prince's reign, nor of so continual gracious care for our preservation, as your majesty hath shewed in all your actions, having never stuck to hazard, or rather neglect, for our preservation, any part of those worldly blessings, wherewith Almighty God hath so plentifully indued you, in this time of your most happy government.

The following, which might have been given in Vol. II. is here added to the preceding.

B

KING JAMES'S SPEECH TO HIS FIRST PARLIAMENT,

Monday, the Nineteenth of March, 1603.

UT of one thing I would have the papists of this land to be admonished, that they presume not so much upon my lenity, because I would be loth to be thought a persecutor, as thereupon to think it lawful for them daily to increase their number and strength in this kingdom, whereby, if not in my time, at least in the time of my posterity, they might be in hope to erect their religion again. No, let them assure themselves, that, as I am a friend to their persons, if they be good subjects, so am I an avowed enemy, and do denounce mortal war to their errors; and that, as I would be sorry to be driven, by their ill behaviour, from the protection, and conservation of their bodies and lives, so will I never cease, as far as I can, to tread down their errors and wrong opinions, for I could not permit the increase and growing of their religion, without first betraying of myself, and mine own conscience. Secondly, this whole isle, as well the part I am come from, as the part I remain in, in betraying their liberties, and

reducing them to the former slavish yoke, which both had cast off before I came amongst them. And thirdly, the liberty of the crown in my posterity, which I should leave again under a new slavery, having found it left free to me by my predecessors; and therefore would I wish all good subjects, that are deceived with that corruption, first, if they find any beginning of instinction in them. selves of knowledge, and love to the truth, to foster the same by all lawful means, and to beware of quenching the spirit that worketh within them; and, if they can find as yet no motion tending that way, to be studious to read and confer with learned men, and to use all such means as may, further their resolution; assuring themselves, that, as long as they are disconformable in religion from us, they cannot be but half my subjects, be able to do but half service, and I to want the best half of them, which is their souls.

END OF VOL. VIII.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« PreviousContinue »