His Majesties most gracious speech, together with the Lord Chancellors, to the two Houses of Parliament at their prorogation, on Monday the nineteenth of May, 1662

His Majesties most gracious speech, together with the Lord Chancellors, to the two Houses of Parliament at their prorogation, on Monday the nineteenth of May, 1662

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Title page

His Majesties Most Gracious SPEECH To His Two HOUSES of PARLIAMENT, On Monday the Nineteenth of May, 1662.

THE LORD CHANCELLORS SPEECH.

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His Majesties Most Gracious SPEECH, Together with the LORD CHANCELLORS, To the Two HOUSES of PARLIAMENT, AT THEIR Prorogation, On Monday the Nineteenth of May, 1662.

DIEV·ET MON·DROIT

HONI·SOIT·QVI·MAL·Y PENSE·

C R

LONDON: Printed, by Iohn Bill and Christopher Barker, Printers to the KINGS most Excellent Majesty. 1662.

CUM PRIVILEGIO.

His Majesties Most Gracious SPEECH To His Two HOUSES of PARLIAMENT, On Monday the Nineteenth of May, 1662.

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My Lords, and you Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

I Think there have been very few Sessions of Parliament, in which there have been so many Bills, as I have Passed this day: I am confident, never so many Private Bills, which I hope you will not draw into example. It is true, these late ill times have driven men into great [Page] streights, and may have obliged them to make Conveyances colourably, to avoid inconveniences, and yet not afterwards to be avoided; and men have gotten estates by new and greater Frauds then have been heretofore practised; and therefore in this Conjuncture, extraordinary Remedies may be necessary, which hath induced Me to comply with your Advice, in Passing these Bills; but I pray let this be very rarely done hereafter: The good old Rules of the Law are the best security; and let not men have too much cause to fear, that the Settlements they make of their Estates, shall be too easily unsettled when they are dead by the Power of Parliaments.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

You have so much obliged Me, not onely in the Matter of those Bills which concern My Revenue, but in the manner of Passing them, with so great affection and kindness to Me, that I know not how to thank you enough. I do assure you, and I pray assure your friends in the Countrey, that I will apply all you have given Me, to the utmost improvement of the peace and happiness of the Kingdom, and will, with the best Advice and good Husbandry I can, bring My expences within a narrower compass. Now I am speaking to you of My Own good Husbandry, I must tell you, that will not be enough; I cannot but observe to you, That the [Page] whole Nation seems to Me a little corrupted in their excess of living. Sure all men spend much more in their Clothes, in their Diet, in all their Expences, then they have used to do. I hope it hath onely been the excess of joy, after so long sufferings, that hath transported us to these other Excesses; but let us take heed that the continuance of them doth not indeed corrupt our natures. I do believe I have been faulty that way My Self; I promise you, I will reform, and if you will joyn with Me in your several capacities, we shall by our examples do more good, both in City and Countrey, then any new Laws would do. I tell you again, I will do My part, and I will tell some of you, if you do not do yours. I hope the Laws I have Passed this day will produce some Reformation with reference to the multitude of Beggars and poor people which infest the Kingdom; great severity must be used to those who love idleness, and refuse to work, and great care and charity towards those who are willing to work. I do very heartily recommend the execution of those good Laws to your utmost diligence, and I am sure I need not put you in minde so to settle the Militia, that all Seditious Insurrections may not onely be prevented, to which the mindes of too many are inclined, but that the people may be without reasonable apprehension of such insecurity. You will easily believe, that it is very necessary for [Page] the Publick Iustice of the Kingdom, and even for the preservation of the reverence due to Parliaments, that I make this a Session; and it will be worthy of your Wisdoms when you come together again, to provide that there be not so great clamour against the multitude of Protections.

I will say no more, but renew My hearty Thanks to you all, and refer the rest to the Chancellor.

His Majesties Speech being ended, the Lord Chancellor began as followeth.

THE LORD CHANCELLORS SPEECH.

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My Lords, and you the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons,

IT is now little more then a year that the King first called you to attend Him here, at the opening of the Parliament; then you may remember He told you, That he thought there were not many of you, who were not particularly known to Him; That there were very few of whom He had not heard so much good, that he was (He said) as sure as He could be of any thing that was to come, that you would all concur with Him, and that He should concur with you in all things, which might advance the Peace, Plenty, and Prosperity of the Nation. His Majesty said he should be exceedingly deceived else.

It was a Princely Declaration, and a rare confidence, which could flow from no other fountain, but the sincerity and purity of His own Conscience, which admitting no other designs or thoughts into His [Page] Royal Breast, but such as must tend to the unquestionable Prosperity and Greatness of His People, could not but be assured of your full concurrence and co-operation with Him. It was a happy and a blessed Omen, which at the instant struck a terrour into the hearts of those, who promised themselves some advantages from the differences and divisions in your Councels, and hoped from thence to create new troubles and molestations in the Kingdom; and, God be thanked, the King hath been so far from being exceedingly deceived, that he doth acknowledge He hath been exceedingly complied with, exceedingly gratified in all He hath desired, and He hopes He hath not in the least degree disappointed your expectation.

Mr. Speaker, and you Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

You have, like the richest and the noblest Soil, a Soil manured and enriched by the bountiful hearts of the best Subjects in the world, yielded the King two full Harvests in one year; and therefore it is but good husbandry to lie fallow for some time: You have not only supplied the Crown to a good degree for discharging many Debts and Pressures, under which it even groaned, and enabled it to struggle with the present [Page] streights and necessities, debts not contracted, and necessities not run into by improvidence and excess; you may, when you please, receive such an accompt, as will clear all such reproaches; but you have wisely, very wisely provided such a constant growing Revenue, as may with Gods blessing preserve the Crown from those scandalous wants and necessities, as have heretofore exposed it and the Kingdom to those dismal miseries, from which they are but even now buoyed up; for whatsoever other humane causes may be assigned, according to the several fancies and imaginations of men, of our late miserable distractions, they cannot be so reasonably imputed to any one cause, as to the extream poverty of the Crown: The want of Power could never have appeared, if it had not been for the want of Money.

You have, my Lords and Gentlemen, worthily provided for the vindication and manifestation of the one by the Bill of the Militia, and for the supply of the other by the Act for the Additional Revenue; and I am confident, both the present and succeeding ages will bless God, and celebrate your Memories for those two Bills, as the foundation of their peace, quiet and security, how froward and indisposed soever [Page] many are at present, who f [...]nding such obstructions laid in their way to Mutiny and Sedition, use all the artifice they can to perswade the People, that you have not been sollicitous enough for their Liberty, nor tenacious enough for their profit, and wickedly labour to lessen that reverence towards you, which sure was never more due to any Parliament.

It was a very natural and an ingenious animadversion and reflection, which the late incomparable Lord Viscount of St. Albans made upon that old Fable of the Giants, who were first overthrown in the War against the Gods, when the Earth, their Mother, in revenge thereof, brought forth Fame; which he said, is the same, when Princes and Monarchs have suppressed actual and open Rebellion, then the Malignity of the People, the Mother of Rebellion, doth bring forth Libels, Slanders, and Taxation of the State, which, he saies, is of the same kinde with Rebellion, but more feminine. And without doubt this Seditious Daughter of the Earth, this spirit of Libelling, was never more pregnant then it is now; nor King, nor Parliament, nor Church, nor State, ever more exposed to those Flagella linguae, those strokes of the tongue, from which God Almighty can [Page] only preserve the most innocent and most excellent persons; as if repining and murmuring were the peculiar exercise of the Nation, to keep it in health; as if England had so much of the Merchant, Nunquam habendi fructu foelix, semper autem quaerendi cupiditate miserrima.

Men are in no degree disposed to imitate, or remember the general excellent temper of the time of Queen Elizabeth, the blessed condescention and resignation of the people then to the Crown, the awful reverence they then had to the Government, and to the Governours, both in Church and State. This good and happy spirit was in a time beyond our memory, but they remember; as if it were but yesterday, how few Subsidies Parliaments then gave to that Queen, how small supplies the Crown then had from the people, and wonder that the same measures should not still fill the Coffers, and give the same reputation, and make the same noise in Christendom.

But (my Lords and Gentlemen) how bold soever some unquiet spirits are with you, upon this Argument, you are much superiour to those reproaches. You know well, and you can make others know, without breaking the Act of Indempnity, how the Crown hath been since used, how our [Page] Soveraign Lord the King found it at His blessed Return to it; you can tell the World, that as soon as He came hither, besides the infinite that He forgave, He gave more, more Money to the people, then He hath since received from them; That at least two parts of three, that they have since given Him, have issued for the disbanding Armies never raised by Him, and for payment of Fleets never sent out by Him, and of Debts never incurred by Him. You will put them in mind of the vast disparity between the former times, and these in which we live, and consequently of the disproportion in the expence the Crown is now at, for the protection and benefit of the Subject, to what it formerly under-went. How great a difference there is in the present greatness and power of the two Crowns, and what they were then possessed of, is evident to all men; and if the greatness and power of the Crown of England be not in some proportion improved too, it may be liable to inconveniencies it will not undergo alone. How our Neighbours and our Rivals, who court one and the same Mistress, Trade and Commerce, with all the World, are advanced in Shipping, Power, and an immoderate Desire to engross the whole Traffick of the Universe, is [Page] notorious enough; and this unruly appetite will not be restrained, or disappointed, nor the Trade of this Nation supported and maintained, with the same Fleets and Forces which were maintained in the happy times of Q. Elizabeth. Not to speak of the Naval power of the Turks, who in stead of sculking abroad in poor single Ships as they were wont to do, domineer now on the Ocean in strong Fleets, make Naval Fights, and have brought some Christians to a better Correspondence, and another kind of Commerce and Traffique with them, then was expected, insomuch as they apprehend no Enemy upon the Sea, but what they find in the King of Englands Ships, which hath indeed brought no small damage upon them, with no small charge to the King, but a great reputation to the Nation.

My Lords and Gentlemen, You may with a very good Conscience assure your selves, and your friends and neighbours, that the Charge the Crown is now at by Sea and Land, for the Peace and Security, and Wealth and Honour of the Nation, amounts to no less then Eight hundred thousand pounds a year; all which did not cost the Crown before these troubles, Fourscore thousand pounds the year; and therefore they will never blame you for any Supply [Page] you have given, or Addition you have made to the Revenue of the Crown; and whosoever unskilfully murmures at the Expence of Dunkirk, and the other new Acquisitions, which ought to be looked upon as Jewels of an immense magnitude in the Royal Diadem, do not enough remember what we have lost by Dunkirk, and should always do, if it were in an Enemies hands; nor duely consider the vast advantages those other Dominions are like, by Gods blessing, in a short time, to bring to the Trade, Navigation, Wealth and Honour of the King and Kingdom. His Majesty hath enough expressed His desire to live in a perfect Peace and Amity with all His Neighbours; nor is it an ill ingredient towards the firmness and stability of that Peace and Amity, which His Royal Ancestors have held and maintained with them, that He hath some advantages in case of a War, which they were without.

It was a right ground of confidence, such an one as seldom deceives men, that the great Law-maker, the wise Solon, had, when he concluded, that Reverence and Obedience would be yielded to his Laws, because he had taken the pains to make his Citizens know, and understand, that it was more for their profit to obey Law and Justice, [Page] then to contemn and break it. The extravagant times of Licence, which I hope we have almost out-lived, have so far corrupted the mindes, and even the nature of too many, that they do not return with that alacrity they ought to do, into the Road and Paths of Order and Government, from which they have so long been led astray; nor, it may be, is there pains enough taken, to make them understand the profit, benefit, and ease, which alwaies attends a cheerful obedience and submission to Laws and Government. I am perswaded, a little pains and kindness and condescention in the wise, towards the weak, half the diligence and dexterity in conversation and example, which hath been used to cnrrupt the people in their Loyalty and Understanding, will quickly reduce them to their Primitive temper, which is, to be the best Neighbours, and the best Friends, and the best Subjects of the World: And I make no question, but the great Piety and Devotion, the Moderation, Wisdom, Charity, and Hospitality of my Lords the Bishops, in their several Diocesses, will in a short time recover the poor mis-led people: And though the frowardness and pride of some of their Teachers may not be yet enough subdued, though some of the Clergy still repeat their old Errors, for which they [Page] have been glad to receive Pardon, and do in truth discredit all their other Doctrine, with the absence of any visible Repentance for what mischief they have formerly done; yet I hope the Laity will soon return into the bosom of their dear Mother the Church, and easily discern the Fraud and Imposture of their Seducers; and that all diligence and dexterity will be used, seriously and heartily to reconcile both Clergy and Laity, by all means which may prove effectual.

You have (my Lords and Gentlemen) like wise Patriots, upon your observation, That the most signal indulgence and condescentions, the temporary suspension of the rigour of former Laws, hath not produced that effect which was expected, that the humours and spirits of men are too rough and boisterous for those soft remedies, you have prepared sharper Laws and Penalties, to contend with those refractory persons, and to break that stubbornness which will not bend to gentler applications: And it is great reason, that they upon whom clemency cannot prevail, should feel that severity they have provoked. You have done your parts like good Physitians, made wholsom Prescriptions for the constitution of your Patients, well knowing that the Application of these Remedies, the execution of these [Page] sharp Laws depends upon the wisdom of the most discerning, generous, and merciful Prince, who having had more experience of the nature, and humour of mankinde, then any Prince living, can best distinguish between the Tenderness of Conscience, and the Pride of Conscience, between the real Effects of Conscience, and the wicked Pretences to Conscience; who having fought with Beasts at Ephesus, knows how to guard Himself and the Kingdom from the assaults and violence of a strong, malicious, corrupted Understanding, and Will; and how to secure Himself and the Kingdom from the feeble Traps and Nets of deluded Fancies, and Imaginations: In a word, a Prince of so excellent a Nature, and so tender a Conscience Himself, that He hath the highest compassion for all errors of that kinde, and will never suffer the Weak to undergo the punishment ordained for the Wicked, and knows, and understands better then any man, that excellent rule of Quintilian, Est aliquid quod non oportet, etiamsi licet, & aliud est jura spectare, aliud justitiam.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

Machiavel, who, they say, is an Author much studied of late in this Kingdom, to extol his own excellent judgment and insight in History; in which indeed he was a Master, [Page] would perswade men to believe, that the true reason, why so many unexpected accidents and mischiefs fall out, to the destruction of States and Empires, is, because their Governours have not observed the same mischiefs heretofore in story, and from whence they proceeded, and what progress they made, which he says, if they had done, they might easily have preserved themselves from ruine, and prevented the inconveniences which have faln out. I am sure you are all good Historians, and need onely to resort to the Records of your own memories. Remember how your peace hath been formerly disturbed, by what contrivance and artifices the people have been Alarm'd, with unreasonable and unnatural Fears and Jealousies, and what dismal effects those Fears and Jealousies have produced. Remember how near Monarchy hath been dissolved, and the Law subverted under pretence of reforming and supporting Government, Law, and Justice. And remember how many honest persons were mis-led by not discerning Consequences, who would as soon have renounced their part in Heaven, as have concurred in the first unwarrantable action, if they had suspected what did follow: And if we suffer the same enemy to break in upon us at the same Avenues, if we [Page] suffer our Peace to be blown up by the same Trains and Machinations, we shall be held very ill Historians, and worse Polititians.

There is an Enemy amongst us, of whom I doubt we are not jealous enough, and towards whom we cannot be too vigilant, and in truth, in comparison of whom we may reasonably undervalue all other Enemies; that is, the Republicans, the Commonwealths-men, who are every day calling in aid of the Law, that they may overthrow and abolish the Law, which they know to be their irreconcilable enemy. Indeed, my Lords and Gentlemen, there is a vey great party of those men in every Faction of Religion, who truly have no Religion, but as the pretence serves to advance that Faction. You cannot be too sollicitous, too inquisitive after these men, who are restless in their Councels, and wonderfully punctual and industrious in their Correspondences, which they maintain abroad as well as at home: And you cannot doubt they have encouragement enough from abroad; few of our neighbours love us so exceedingly well, but that they would be glad to see us entangled in Domestique broyls. These men are worthy of your care and diligence, in your speedy settling the Militia, which the King hath even now so particularly recommended to you.

[Page]I shall conclude with only putting you in mind, that there was scarce ever a more dangerous Sedition in the Republique of Rome, then in a time of full Peace, when the Citizens were sullen, when there was no noise but in whispers, when men neglected their Trades, and stayed idle in their own houses, as if they cared not which way the world went, from whence alone their neighbours the Etrurians were encouraged to make a War upon them. Novum seditionis genus (says Livy) silentium otiumque inter cives. Never any Nation under Heaven, has less cause of sullenness then we, never more of joy and thanksgiving: We all know that God Almighty loves a chearful giver, and we may as well know that he loves a chearful receiver; besides all other stupendious blessings conferred upon us, he hath given us the most chearful Giver, that ever people hath been blest with; a King that hath with all imaginable chearfulness given us all we have asked of Him, all He hath to give; who would not take or retain any thing we give to Him, but for our own sakes; that by receiving and retaining it, He may give it to us again, in more abundance, in abundance of Peace, and Plenty, and Honour, and all the Comforts which can make a Nation happy.

[Page]This time hath made a glorious addition to our happiness, which ought proportionably to increase our chearfulness; we wanted onely one blessing, the arrival of our Queen, whom God hath now safely brought to us; a Queen of such a rare perfection in Body and Mind, of such great endowments of Wisdom, Vertue, and Piety, that we may reasonably promise our selves from Her, all the happiness we are capable of, and a Succession of Princes to govern us, till the end of the world; and there cannot be a more transcendent instance of the Kings love, and passion for His people, then that He hath staid these four days to take His leave of you; and, that He might give you this days work, all these good Laws, hath denied Himself so long the enjoying the greatest comfort He is assured of in this world.

If there be not the most Universal Joy in the Reception of these Blessings; if there be not an Universal contentedness and satisfaction in the hearts of all men; and if that Contentedness and Satisfaction do not break out, and is not visible in the looks, and thoughts, and words, and actions of the whole Nation, to the inflaming the hearts of the other Nations under His Majesties obedience by our example, we are guilty of [Page] an Ingratitude that is worthy to deprive us of all we enjoy, and to disappoint us of all we pray for. And therefore I do most humbly beseech you, My Lords and Gentlemen, That as there is a most noble cheerfulness and alacrity visible in you; and hath shed it self over all your countenances; so that you will think it worthy of your pains, to infuse the same good spirit into City and Countrey, that they may all express that joy and delight in the blessings they are possessed of, and cheerfully endeavour to improve those blessings, by their cheerful enjoying them, that God may continue those blessings to us, and the Kings comfort may be encreased, by the comfort He sees we have in Him, and in what He hath done for us; and as all Princes may take a pattern from him to Govern, and make their Subjects happy; so that all Subjects may learn from us, how to obey, and make that happiness lasting to them, by an eminent and innocent alacrity in their acknowledgment.

I am by the Kings express Command, to add one particular which His Majesty meant, but forgot to say Himself. You cannot but observe that His Majesty hath not Passed the Bill that concerns the Earl of Derby, which you cannot imagine proceeds [Page] from His Majesties want of care of, and kindness to that Noble Family, which hath served him so faithfully, and suffered so much for so doing; but all parties having referred the Matter to His Majesty, he doubts not but to make a better end for that Noble Earl then he would attain if the Bill had passed.

I shall only add the Kings commands for the Prorogation of this Parliament till the Eighteenth day of February, and this Parliament is Prorogued till the Eighteenth day of February next.

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LONDON, Printed by Iohn Bill and Christopher Barker, Printers to the KINGS most Excellent Majesty. 1662.

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Title statement

His Majesties most gracious speech, together with the Lord Chancellors, to the two Houses of Parliament at their prorogation, on Monday the nineteenth of May, 1662

Charles II, King of England, 1630-1685.

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1662

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2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

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A32326

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Wing C3170

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ESTC R16202

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12952352

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ocm 12952352

ID [VID]

95958

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A32326)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 95958)

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— His Majesties most gracious speech, together with the Lord Chancellors, to the two Houses of Parliament at their prorogation, on Monday the nineteenth of May, 1662, Charles II, King of England, 1630-1685., Clarendon, Edward Hyde, Earl of, 1609-1674..

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23 p.

Printed by John Bill and Christopher Barker ...,. London :: 1662.. (Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.)

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