A coppy of a letter fovnd in the privy lodgeings at White-Hall

A coppy of a letter fovnd in the privy lodgeings at White-Hall

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Title page

A COPPY OF A LETTER FOVND IN THE PRIVY LODGINGS AT WHITEHALL.

A COPPY OF A LETTER FOVND IN THE PRIVY LODGINGS AT WHITEHALL.

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THat it is fit for the King to doe something extraordinary at this present, is not onely the opinion of the wisest, but their expectation also; men observe him more now, then at other times: for Majesty in an eclipse, [Page] like the Sunne, drawes eyes, that would not so much as have looked towards it, if it had shined out and appeared like it selfe. To lie still now, at least, shewes but a calmenesse of mind, not a magnanimitie: since in matters of government to thinke well at any time (much more in a very active) is little better then to dreame well; nor must hee stay to act till his people desire, because tis thought nothing relisheth with them lesse: for therefore hath nothing relished with them, because the King for the most part hath stayed till they desired, and done nothing but what either they have, or were petioning for. But that the King should doe, will not bee so much the question, as what hee should doe. And surely for the King to have right councell given him at all times is strange, and at this time almost impossible; his party for the most part (I would it were modestly spoken and it were not all of them) have so much to doe for [Page] their owne preservation, that they cannot without breaking a law in nature, intend anothers. Those that have courage, have not perchance innocency, and so dare not shew themselves in the Kings businesse; and if they have innocency, they want parts to make themselves considerable, and so consequently the things they undertake. Then in the Court, they give such councell as they beleeve the King is inclined to, and determine of his good by his desire, which is a kind of setting the Sunne by the diall. Interest which cannot erre by passion, which may in going about to shew the King a cure, but a man should first shew him the disease. But to Kings, as to some kind of patients, it is not alway proper to shew them how ill they are; And is too much like a country clowne, not to shew the way unlesse hee know of you first, from whence you come, and discourse of things: Kings may bee mistaken, and [Page] Councellours corrupted, but true interest alone (said the Duke of Rohan) cannot erre. It were not amisse therefore to find out this interest, for setting downe right principles before conclusions, is weighing the scales before wee deale for the commodities.

Certainely the interest of the King is the union of the people, and whosoever hath told him otherwise, (as the Scripture saith of the Divell) was a Seducer from the first. If there had beene one Prince in the whole World that made felicity in this life, and left a faire fame after death, without the love of his Subjects, there were some colour to despise it. There was not among all our princes a greater Courter of the people, then Richard the third; not so much out of feare as out of wisedome, and shall the worst of Kings have striven for that, and shall not the best? it being an Angelicall thing to gaine love.

[Page]There bee two things in which the people expect to bee satisfied, Religion, and justice, nor can it bee done by any little Acts, but by Reall and Kingly resolutions. If any thinke that by dividing the factions (a good rule at other times) hee shall master the rest, hee will bee strangely deceived, for in beginning of things it would doe much; but when whole Kingdomes are resolv'd of those now that leade those parties, if you would take off the major number the lesser would governe, and doe the same things still. Nay if you could take off all, they would set up one and follow him; for as Cato said of the Romans they were like sheepe, and that the way to drive them was in a flocke, for if one would bee extravagant, all the rest would follow; so it will bee here, it will dearely appeare, that neither the person of the Scottish or English Actours upon the stage are considerable to the great Body of England. But the things [Page] they undertake, which done by another hand and so done that there remaines no jealousie, and leaves them where they were and not much risen in value. And of how great consequence it is for the King to resume the right and bee Authour himselfe let any body judge, since (as Comines saith) those that have the art to please the people, have the power to raise them.

To doe things so that there remaine no jealousie is very necessary, and is no more then really reforming, that is pleasing them, for to doe things that shall grieve hereafter, and yet pretend love amongst Lovers themselves, where there is the easiest faith will not bee accepted. It will not bee enough for the King to doe what they desire, but hee must doe something more; for that will shew the heartinesse; I meane by doing more, doing something of his owne, as throwing away things they call not for, or giving that they expected [Page] not; and when they see the King doing the same things with them, that will take away all thought or apprehension, that hee thinkes the things they have done already ill.

Now if the King ends the difference, and takes away the suspect for the future, the cause will fall out to bee no worse, then when two dualists enter the field, the worsted partie (the other having no ill opinion of him) hath his sword given him againe without any farther hurt, after hee hath beene in the others power. But otherwise it is not safe to imagine what will follow, for the people are naturally not valiant, nor not much Cavalliers, now tis the nature of Cowards to hurt when they receive none, and wound even the dead; they will not bee content while they feare and have the upper hand, to fetter onely royaltie, but perchance as timorous spirits use, will not thinke themselves safe while it is at all. And possibly [Page] this is now the state of things.

In this great worke at least to make it appeare perfect and lasting to the Kingdome, it is necessary that the Queene really joyne: for if shee stand aloofe, there will bee still suspition, it being a received opinion in the World, that shee hath a great interest in the Kings favour and power. And to invite her, shee is to consider with her selfe, whether such great vertues and eminent excellencies (though shee bee highly admired and valued by those that know her and are about her, ought to rest satisfied with so narrow a payment, as the estimation of a few, and whether it bee not more proper for a Queene so great to aime at universall honour and love then private esteeme and value. Besides how becoming a worke of the sweetnesse and softnesse of her love is compounding of differences, and uniting hearts: and how proper for a Queene reconciling King and people.

[Page]There is but one thing more remaines, which whisperd abroad busieth the Kings mind, if not disturbes it. In the midst of those great resolutions. And that is the preservation of some servants, which hee thinkes somewhat hardly torne from him of late, which is a thing of so tender a nature, I shall rather propound something about it then resolve it.

The first Quere will bee whether (as things now stand) Kingdomes in the ballance, the King is not to follow nature, where the conservation of the generall weale commands and governes the lesse. As Iron in particular sympathy stickes to the Load-stone, but if it be joyned with a greater body of Iron, it quits those particular affections to the Load-stone, and moves with the other the greater body, the common Country.

The second will bee, whether if hee could preserve these Ministers they can [Page] bee of any use to him hereafter, since no man is served with a greater prejudice, then hee that imployes suspected Ministers, or not belov'd, though able and deserving in themselves.

The third is, whether to preserve them there bee any other way then for the King first to bee right with his people since the rule in Philosophy must ever hold good nemo dat, quod non habet; before the King have power to preserve, hee must have power.

And lastly, whether the way to preserve this power, bee not to give it away; for the people of England have ever bin like wantons which pull and tugge as long as the Prince hath pulled with them, as you may see in King Henry the third, King Iohn, and King Edward the second, and ended all their troublesome and unfortunate raignes. But when the Princes have let it goe, the people come and put in their hands againe, that they may play on, as in Queene Elizabeth.

[Page]I will conclude all with a prayer, not that I thinke it needs for the present, (prayers are to keepe us from what may bee, as well as preserve us from what is) that the King may not bee too unsensible of what is without him, nor too resolv'd of what is within him; to bee sicke of a dangerous disease and feele no paine cannot bee but with losse of understanding: 'tis an Aphorisme of Hippocrates. And on the other side Opinionist is a sullen Porter, and (as is witnessed of Constans) shuts out oftentimes better things then it lets in.

FINIS.

§

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A COPPY OF A LETTER FOVND IN THE PRIVY LODGEINGS AT WHITEHALL.

Printed in the yeare, 1641.

Information about this book

Title statement

A coppy of a letter fovnd in the privy lodgeings at White-Hall

Suckling, John, Sir, 1609-1642.

Edition statement

1641

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A61940

ID [STC]

Wing S6123

ID [STC]

ESTC R5652

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12798187

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12798187

ID [VID]

94001

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Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A61940)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 94001)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 254:E163, no 4)

Source

— A coppy of a letter fovnd in the privy lodgeings at White-Hall, Suckling, John, Sir, 1609-1642..

Extent

[2], 11 p.

s.n.]. [London? :: 1641.. (Attributed to John Suckling. Cf. Halkett and Laing.) (Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library.)

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