THE SPEECH OF Doctor GOWER, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge: To his Sacred Majesty.
Newmarket, Sept. 18. Dr. Gower, Master of St. Johns Colledge, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, in the name of himself and the said University, on the 11th Instant, desired to know His Majesties pleasure, what time would be most acceptable for the University to attend His Majesty here, and His Majesty being pleased to appoint this day: the said Doctor Gower, Vice-Chancellor with the Heads of the Houses, Doctors, Officers, and othe [...] Members of the University, attended His Majesty accordingly; at which time the Vice-Chancellor in the name of the University made this follow [...]ng Speech.
WE Your Majesties most Faithful and Obedient Subjects, of the University of Cambridge, have long, with the greatest and sincerest joy, beheld, what we hope is in some measure an effect of our own Prayers; the generous Emulation of our fellow-Subjects contending who should first and best express their Duty and Gratitude to their Sovereign at this time especially, when the seditious Endeavours of unreasonable Men have made it necessary to assert the antient Loyalty of the English Nation, and make the World sensible, that we do not degenerate from those prime Glories of our Ancestors, Love and Allegiance to our Prince.
That we were not seen in those Loyal Crowds, but chose rather to stand by and applaud their Honest and Religious Zeal; we humbly presume will not be imputed to the want to it in our selves, either by Your Majesty or your People. For, SIR, it is (at present) the great Honour of this your University, not only to be steadfast and constant in our Duty, but to be eminently so, and to suffer for it, as much as the Calumnies and Reproaches of Factious and Malicious Men can inflict upon us: And that they have been hitherto able to do no more then vent the venom of their Tongues; that they have not proceeded to Plunder and Sequestration; to violate our Chappels, rifle our Liberaries, and empty our Colledges, as once they did; Next to the over-ruling Providence of Almighty God, is only due to the Royal Care and Prudence of your most Sacred Majesty, who gave so seasonable a check to the Aabitrary and Insolent undertakings.
But no earthly Power we hope, no Menacies or Misery shal ever be able to make us renounce, or forget our Duty. We will still believe and maintain, That our Kings derive not their Titles from the People, but from God; that to him only they are accountable; that it belongs not to Subjects, either to Create or Censure, but to Honour and Obey their Sovereign, who comes to be so, by a Fundamental Hereditary Right of Succession, which no Religion, no Law, no Fault or Forfeiture can alter or diminish.
Nor will we ever abate of our well-instructed Zeal for our most Holy Religion, as it is professed, and by Law established in the Church of England; that Church which hath so long stood, and still is the Envy and Terror of her Adversaries, as well as the Beauty and Strength of the Reformation.
It is thus, Dread SIR, That we have Learned our own, and thus we teach others their Duty to G [...] and to the King; in the conscientious discharge [...] both, which we have been so long protected a [...] encouraged by Your Majesties most Just an [...] Gracious Government; that we neither need no [...] desire any other Declaration, then that experience for our Assurance and Security for the future.
In all which Grace and Goodness, Great SIR, we have nothing to return; we bring [...] Names and Seals, no Lives and Fortunes, [...] capable of your Majesties Service, or at all [...] thy of your acceptance; nothing but Hearts [...] Prayers, Vows of a zealous and lasting Loy [...] our Selves and Studies, all that we can, or [...] shall be able to perform, which we here n [...] sincerely promise, and most humbly tende [...] [...] your Majesties Feet; a mean and a worth [...] Present; but such an one as we hope will not disdained by the most Gracious and indulg [...] Prince, that Heaven ever bestowed upon a Pe [...] ple.
To which His Majesty was pleased to Answ [...] That he was fully satisfied of the Loyalty of [...] University, and that he did not at all doub [...] they would always act according to w [...] they there Declared. His Majesty likewise [...] them. That he would constantly own and [...] send the Church of England, as established Law; This he bid them be assured of, for would be as good as his Word, whatever [...] presentation, either had or should be made of [...] to the contrary. Being farther pleased to A [...] that there was no other Church in the World t [...] Taught and Practised Loyalty so Conscientiously [...] that did.
Edinburgh, Re-printed in the Year, 1681.