(in present) unfortunate father may hereafter appear more or less guilty of death. God long preserve your majesty !

Your Majesty's most faithful and humble subject and servant,

STRAFFORD.

Tower, May 4, 1641.

71. Archbishop Laud to the University of Oxford. My present condition is not unknown to the whole world, yet by few pitied or deplored: the righteous God best knows the justice of my sufferings, on whom both in life and death I will ever depend, the last of which shall be unto me most welcome, in that my life is now burdensome unto me, my mind attended with variety of sad and grievous thoughts, my soul continually vexed with anxieties and troubles; groaning under the burden of a displeased parliament; my name aspersed and grossly abused by the multiplicity of libellous pamphlets; and myself debarred from wonted access to the feet of princes; and it is vox populi that I am popishly inclined. How earnest I have been in my dissertations, exhortations, and otherwise, to quench such sparks, lest they should become coals, I hope, after my death, you will all acknowledge. Yet, in the midst of all my afflictions, there is nothing more hath so nearly touched me as the remembrance of your free and joyful acceptance of me to be your chancellor, and that I am now shut up from being able to do you that service which you might justly expect from me. When I first received this honour, I intended to have carried it with me to the grave; neither were my hopes any less since the parliament (called by his majesty's royal command)

committed me to this royal prison. But since (by reason of matters of greater consequence yet in hand) the parliament is pleased to procrastinate my trial, I do hereby as thankfully resign my office of being chancellor, as ever I received that dignity, entreating you to elect some honourable person, who upon all occasions may be ready to serve you. I beseech God send you such an one as may do all things for his glory, and the furtherance of your most famous university this is the continual prayer of your dejected friend and chancellor, being the last time I shall write so.

Tower, June 28, 1641.

W. CANT.

72. King Charles I. to Prince Rupert.

NEPHEW, This is occasioned by a letter of yours which the Duke of Richmond shewed me yesterday. And first, I assure you, I have been (and ever will be) very careful to advertise you of my resolutions so soon as they were taken: and if I enjoined silence to that which was no secret, it was not my fault; for I thought it one, and I am sure it ought to have been so.

Now, as for your opinion of my business, and your counsel thereupon, if I had any other quarrel but the defence of my religion, crown, and friends, you had full reason for your advice. For I confess that, speaking either as a mere soldier or statesman, I must say there is no probability but of my ruin; yet, as a Christian, I must tell you, that God will not suffer rebels and traitors to prosper, nor this cause to be overthrown. And whatsoever personal punishment it shall please him to inflict upon me, must not

make me repine, much less give over this quarrel; and there is as little question that a composition with them at this time is nothing else but a submission, which, by the grace of God, I am resolved against, whatever it cost me; for I know my obligations to be, both in conscience and honour, neither to abandon God's cause, injure my successors, nor forsake my friends. Indeed, I cannot flatter myself with expectation of good success more than this,— to end my days with honour and a good conscience, which obligeth me to continue my endeavours, in not despairing that God may yet in due time avenge his own cause; though I must aver to all my friends, that he that will stay with me at this time must expect and resolve either to die for a good cause, or (which is worse) to live as miserable in maintaining it as the violence of insulting rebels can make him.

73. King Charles I. to his Son.

SON,-By what hath been said, you may see how long we have laboured in the search of peace. Do not you be discouraged to tread those ways in all worthy means to restore yourself to your right, but prefer the way of peace. Shew the greatness of your mind, rather to conquer your enemies by pardoning, than punishing. If you saw how unmanly and unchristianly this implacable disposition is in our ill-willers, you would avoid that spirit. Censure us not for having parted with too much of our own right; the price was great, the commodity was, security to us, peace to our people: and we are confident another parliament would remember how useful a king's power is to a people's liberty; of how much we have divested ourself, that we and they

might meet again in a due parliamentary way, to agree to the bounds for prince and people. And in this give belief to our experience, never to affect more greatness or prerogative than what is really and intrinsically for the good of your subjects (not satisfaction of favourites); and if you thus use it, you will never want means to be a father to all, and a bountiful prince to any you would be extraordinarily gracious unto. You may perceive all men trust their treasures when it returns them interest; and if princes, like the sea, receive and repay all the fresh streams and rivers trust them with, they will not grudge, but pride themselves to make them up an ocean. These considerations may make you a great prince, as your father is now a low one; and your state may be so much the more established, as mine hath been shaken. For subjects have learnt (we dare say) that victories over their princes are but triumphs over themselves; and so will be more unwilling to hearken to changes hereafter. The English nation are a sober people, however at present under some infatuation. know not but this may be the last time we may speak to you or the world publicly: we are sensible into what hands we are fallen; and yet we bless God we have those inward refreshments that the malice of our enemies cannot perturb. We have learnt to own ourself by retiring into ourself; and therefore can the better digest what befalls us, not doubting but God can restrain our enemies' malice, and turn their fierceness into his praise.

We

To conclude; if God give you success, use it humbly, as far from revenge: if he restore you to your right upon hard conditions, whatever you promise, keep. Those men which have forced laws which they were bound to observe, will find their triumphs full of troubles. Do not think any thing in this world worth obtaining by foul and unjust

means. You are the son of our love; and as we direct you to what we have recommended to you, so, we assure you, we do not more affectionately pray for you (to whom we are a natural parent) than we do that the ancient glory and renown of this nation be not buried in irreligion and fanatic humour; and that all our subjects (to whom we are a politic parent) may have such sober thoughts as to seek their peace in the orthodox profession of the Christian religion, as it was established since the Reformation in the kingdom, and not in new revelations; and that the ancient laws, with the interpretation according to the known practices, may once again be an hedge about them; that you may in due time govern, and they be governed, as in the fear of the Lord.

C. R.

The commissioners are gone; the corn is now in the ground: we expect the harvest, if the fruit be peace. We hope the God of peace will in time reduce all to truth and order again; which that he may do, is the prayer of

C. R.

74. From William (Archbishop) Sancroft to his

Father.

January 11, 1648.

THINGS grow worse and worse every day, and there is nothing left for the king and his party in this world, but the glory of suffering well, and in a good cause, which I hope nor devils nor men will be able to deprive them of. For my part, if once I see the fatal blow struck, I shall think of nothing but trussing up all and packing away; and nothing but your command shall stay me long in a nation which, I am persuaded, will sink to the centre, if it suffers so

U